Chapter 131: The sulking guard
Amelia hesitated for a fraction of a second before shaking her head. "No, not exactly. I don't expect you to help him, nor do I want to involve Trojas in something this dangerous. I came to warn you. There are already whispers spreading across the kingdoms about the horn, and if he has caught wind of it, so have others. The hunt for it is inevitable."
Ceremus' expression darkened, his sharp gaze never leaving her face. "Anderos is already a nation of unrest. If your prince intends to claim the throne through force, then he's not the only one who will want to seize the horn."
She nodded. "That's precisely why I'm telling you. This is going to spiral into something far bigger than a simple succession dispute. If a demigod gets their hands on the horn, the balance between the kingdoms could shift completely. And if a mortal does... there's no telling what kind of chaos they could bring."
Ceremus turned away from her, pacing toward the grand window overlooking the palace gardens. His hands tightened behind his back, the weight of her words sinking in. "I take it your father isn't aware of your relationship with this man?"
Amelia huffed a small laugh, folding her arms. "Of course not. If he knew, he would have forbidden me from coming here. But I thought you should know before this becomes public knowledge. You are a king, Ceremus. Whether you like it or not, this will involve you."
"And what do you intend to do?" he asked, glancing at her from over his shoulder.
She hesitated, then sighed. "I don't know yet. I love him, but I'm not blind to his ambition. If he seeks the horn, he won't be the only one, and I don't want him caught in something he can't control."
Ceremus studied her for a long moment. "And if I told you I'm not willing to help you, that this entire situation is pointless and that you would be better off not getting involved?"
A bitter smile graced her lips. "Then I would ask if you could do the same. If you could walk away from someone you love. I would think not given how adamant you are about not wanting to get married to me."
His jaw tensed. The urge to respond, to refute her words, was strong—but he knew better than to lie to her. Silence stretched between them before Amelia finally broke it with a tired sigh. "I should go. I've said what I needed to say."
She turned toward the door, but just as she reached for the handle, Ceremus' voice stopped her. "Amelia."