Episode-746
Chapter : 1491
"One bar at a time," Lloyd thought. "We break the cage one bar at a time."
----
They left the palace in silence. They didn't speak until they were back in the safe house, the door bolted and the silencing wards active.
"That place is a snake pit," Ken spat, finally breaking his silence. "The Prince... he smells of rot."
"He smells of power," Lloyd corrected. "He is running the show. The King is a figurehead. The Princess is a hostage."
"Did you see the guards?" Jasmin asked, shivering. "They weren't looking at us. They were looking at her. Like jailers."
"Because they are," Lloyd said. He paced the room, his mind working furiously. "The binding on her... it's Devil magic. High level. Cassius is either a warlock himself, or he has a pet Devil in the palace."
"Devil magic?" Ken frowned. "In the Royal Palace of Altamira? They are supposed to be purists. They hate magic."
"Hypocrisy is the luxury of kings," Lloyd said. "They hate magic they don't control. But if it gives them power... they will drink it like wine."
He stopped pacing. "We have a problem. I can treat her symptoms. I can make her feel better. But to cure her... to break that binding... I need to use my Void Power. Or my Spirits. If I do that in the palace, the alarms will go off. Cassius will know."
"So we can't save her?" Jasmin asked.
"We can," Lloyd said. "But we can't do it there. We need to get her out."
"Out?" Ken stared at him. "Out of the Royal Palace? That's a fortress. And she's the Crown Princess."
"We need to get her to a neutral location," Lloyd said. "Somewhere I can control the environment. Somewhere I can mask my energy."
"Like the clinic?" Jasmin suggested.
"Too small. Too public," Lloyd shook his head. "No. We need... a field trip."
He grinned. "Doctor Zayn recommends fresh air. A change of scenery. Maybe a visit to the Royal Gardens? Or a temple?"
"Cassius won't allow it," Ken said.
"Cassius won't," Lloyd agreed. "But the King might."
"The King?"
"We haven't met him yet," Lloyd said. "But Seraphina mentioned him. She said he is 'desperate'. He clings to her. He loves her. Cassius controls him by controlling her. If we can get to the King... if we can show him that his daughter is getting better... he might overrule his son."
"How do we get to the King?" Jasmin asked.
"We make the Princess strong enough to ask him," Lloyd said.
He sat down at the table and pulled out a piece of paper. He began to sketch a diagram of the binding he had seen.
"For the next few days," Lloyd said, "I am going to teach her how to fight back. Not with magic, but with her mind. I am going to teach her to resist the drain. To build up a reserve of power. Just enough for one burst."
"One burst?"
"One moment of clarity," Lloyd said. "One moment where she can stand up, look her father in the eye, and say, 'I want to go outside.' And if she does it right... Cassius won't be able to stop her without revealing his hand."
He looked at his team.
"We are playing a dangerous game," Lloyd admitted. "We are interfering in a royal succession crisis. If we get caught, they won't just execute us. They will erase us."
"We're already ghosts," Ken said with a shrug. "Ghosts can't be erased."
"That's the spirit," Lloyd smiled.
He looked at the drawing of the binding. It was ugly. Malignant.
"Cassius thinks he has a bird in a cage," Lloyd murmured. "He doesn't realize he's trapped a phoenix. All we have to do... is give her a spark."
The next few days were a blur of tension and subtle maneuvering. Lloyd returned to the palace every morning. He treated the Princess. He fed her small amounts of mana-infused tonics disguised as herbal tea. He whispered lessons of control and will.
He saw the change. It was slow, but it was there. Her eyes grew brighter. Her hands stopped trembling. She began to speak more, to ask questions.
Cassius watched. He attended one session, standing in the corner like a vulture. He watched Lloyd work. He asked sharp, probing questions. Lloyd deflected them with blather about "humors" and "resonance." Cassius seemed unconvinced, but he couldn't deny the results. His sister was looking better. The King was pleased. Cassius was trapped by his own narrative of wanting her well.
Chapter : 1492
On the fifth day, Lloyd decided it was time.
"Highness," Lloyd said as he packed his bag. "You are improving. But the air in this room... it is stagnant. It is heavy with old magic. To truly heal, you need to reconnect with the earth. With the sky."
"I... I cannot leave," Seraphina said, her eyes darting to the door.
"Not forever," Lloyd said. "Just for an hour. A walk in the Royal Park. Under the sun. The sun is the greatest healer."
"Cassius..."
"Ask your father," Lloyd whispered. "Ask the King. Today. When he visits you. Show him you are strong. Stand up. Walk to him. And ask."
Seraphina looked at him. She looked scared. But beneath the fear, there was a spark. A tiny, flickering flame of rebellion.
"He will say no," she said.
"Make him say yes," Lloyd said intensely. "You are the Princess. This is your life. Fight for it."
She took a deep breath. She nodded.
"I will try."
Lloyd left the palace with his heart in his throat. He had wound the clockwork. Now he had to wait and see if the bomb would go off.
That evening, a royal messenger arrived at the clinic.
"A decree from His Majesty, King Aurelius," the messenger announced. "Her Highness Princess Seraphina will visit the Royal Botanical Gardens tomorrow at noon. Doctor Zayn is commanded to attend her."
Lloyd took the scroll. He grinned.
"She did it," Jasmin whispered, her eyes shining.
"She did," Lloyd said. "Phase one complete. Now for phase two."
"Phase two?" Ken asked.
"Phase two," Lloyd said, his eyes turning cold. "We go to the park. And we see who is following us."
He looked at the map of the city.
"The Orchid House," Lloyd said. "We still don't know exactly where it is. But Cassius knows. And if I can get close enough to Cassius... or his minions... I can take the knowledge from them."
He clenched his fist.
"Tomorrow," Lloyd said. "We go for a walk in the park. And we hunt a Prince."
The Royal Botanical Gardens of Saber were a marvel of magical engineering. Located on a floating island of earth suspended by ancient enchantments just above the city, they were a paradise of exotic flora from across the continent. Waterfalls cascaded off the edge into the city below, turning into mist before they hit the ground. It was beautiful. It was opulent. And it was crawling with guards.
Lloyd, Ken, and Jasmin arrived early. They stood near the entrance, waiting for the royal procession. Lloyd scanned the area.
"Sniper points on the rooftops," Lloyd muttered. "Mages near the fountains. Undercover guards disguised as gardeners. Paranoid is an understatement."
"It is a fortress with flowers," Ken agreed.
The royal carriage arrived, a monstrosity of gold and glass drawn by white griffins. It landed softly on the receiving pad.
The door opened. Prince Cassius stepped out first. He looked annoyed. He scanned the crowd, his eyes landing on Lloyd with a look of pure distaste.
Then he turned and offered his hand.
Princess Seraphina emerged. She looked... radiant. She wore a simple white dress and a wide-brimmed hat. She didn't take Cassius's hand. She stepped down unaided. It was a small gesture, but it was a declaration of independence.
Behind her came the King. King Aurelius was a shocking sight. He was a large man who had wasted away. His robes hung loosely on his frame. His face was gaunt, his eyes wet and wandering. He looked like a man who was haunting his own life.
"He looks broken," Jasmin whispered.
"He is," Lloyd said. "He is holding onto reality by a thread. And that thread is his daughter."
The procession moved into the gardens. Lloyd and his team fell in behind them, flanked by guards.
"Doctor Zayn," Cassius said, slowing his pace to walk beside Lloyd. "You have achieved a... remarkable improvement in my sister. My father is pleased."
"I am but a servant, Highness," Lloyd murmured.
"Indeed," Cassius said. "Tell me, Doctor. What is your opinion on the... fragility of life?"
"Life is resilient, Highness," Lloyd said. "Like a weed. It finds a way to grow even in stone."
"But weeds are pulled," Cassius said softly. "And flowers... flowers wilt if they are exposed to too much sun."
It was a threat. A thinly veiled, elegant threat.
"I shall keep her in the shade then," Lloyd replied evenly.