And then he moved on—no flourish, no theatrics. Just a lingering threat that clung to the air like smoke.
Other knights gave him wide berth. Clearly, he was feared, not respected.
“Don’t mind him. He treats everyone that way. Always hunting for cracks.”
I nodded, unsettled. Kay would be watching me in the trials to come, I was sure.
Too closely.
One misstep—one gesture too fluid, too feminine—and his cursed magic might tear through my illusion. Had he alreadysensed something off about me? Or was this just his nature—paranoia masquerading as power?
“I should rest,” I said to Percival, wanting nothing more than to be alone at the moment.
“Of course. Will you be at the feast later?”
“Yes.”
“Remember my offer. Alliances make these trials survivable.”
I gave a nod and stepped away, conscious of Kay’s eyes tracking me across the hall.
He specialized in exposure. In unmasking.
And if I wasn’t careful,he’d succeed.
-GUIN-
My assigned chamber was… expected.
Camelot, despite its grandeur, embraced function over form. My bedchamber, tucked away in the eastern wing, echoed the fortress's utilitarian spirit. It was no gilded retreat but a soldier's haven—sturdy against the siege of nights, ready for violence's wake.
The bed carried the austere elegance of oak, its frame stolid and unyielding. Beneath the straw-stuffed mattress, a rope lattice creaked under the weight of my weary body—linen sheets bleached to soft whispers of white. Deep green wool blankets kept me from the cold, and the single pillow, stuffed with both feather and wool, served well enough.
The furniture spoke of duty more than indulgence. A wooden chest crouched near the foot of the bed, the place where I would store my clothing.
Tapestries lined the walls, depicting scenes from battlefields, while a table, scorched by dripping candle wax, stood to the side of the room, with one solitary chair beside it.
What little warmth was on offer came from a small fireplace, where someone had stoked a fire, but it had since gone out. A washbasin sat nearby, filled with cold water.
Stone stretched underfoot, unyielding like the room itself. A fur pelt in the center of the floor added a whisper of warmth. But even this comfort bowed to Camelot's indifference, reminding me my stay was fleeting, just another leaf caught in its relentless storm.
The only visible flaw was a single loose floorboard beneath the bed—the kind of imperfection that spoke of age rather than neglect. But surface appearances meant nothing when dealing with the magic I suspected was rife within the room.
I began my search like a thief casing a vault, methodical and thorough. My fingers trailed along the floorboards, testing for more hidden compartments or concealed areas that might activate listening spells. I checked behind each tapestry, running my hands across the cold stone walls for any irregularities that might house scrying crystals. Every piece of furniture received my attention—peering beneath the bed frame, examining the bottom of the table, the chest, even checking the washbasin for enchantments that might record conversations through liquid resonance.
I searched for the subtle telltale signs of a room that had been tampered with: scratch marks where furniture had been moved to install magical devices, dust patterns that didn't quite match the room's layout, or the faint residual energy that clung to objects touched by sorcery. But I could find nothing.
Then my gaze landed on the mirror at the far end of the room. It was a large, ornate monstrosity mounted on the wall directly opposite the bed. Its gilded frame curled withintertwining dragons and crossed swords—far too extravagant for a knight’s quarters.
And positionedperfectlyfor surveillance.
I approached the mirror.
Silver glass reflectedSirLioran. I raised a hand and pressed it to the cool surface. A faint tingle sparked across my fingertips as I whispered Merlin’s detection spell.
“Revelioarcanum.”
Magic stirred inside me—flowing from my core to my hand like a river through stone. The glass should have shimmered with telltale blue if even the faintest enchantment clung to it.
