Blades & Lies

Evelyn sat in silence, her back ramrod straight as the weight of the king's words settled over her like a suffocating cloak.

Infiltrate enemy territory. As a married couple.

She had faced death before. But this?

This was worse.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Damien's expression shift—not in shock, not in concern, but in something dangerously amused.

Oh, he was enjoying this.

Evelyn forced herself to breathe, schooling her expression into one of composed grace. "Your Majesty," she said carefully, "this is… an unexpected honor."

"Yes," Damien added smoothly. "Unexpected is the perfect word."

Evelyn dug her nails into her palm, fighting the urge to elbow him in the ribs.

The king, however, didn't seem the least bit fazed. If anything, his gaze sharpened.

"You both are among my most skilled warriors," he said, fingers tapping against the armrest of his throne. "A noble couple traveling into the heart of Veridorn would draw less suspicion than knights moving in the shadows. You will attend their courts, blend into their circles, and discover what they are planning before war reaches our doorstep."

It was a brilliant strategy. And also a damn near impossible one.

Evelyn chose her next words carefully. "Your Majesty, while Damien and I are honored by your faith in us, wouldn't a noble couple with less… notoriety be a safer choice?"

A flicker of something dangerous crossed the king's face. "Are you suggesting your bond isn't strong enough to endure a simple deception?"

Evelyn's jaw tightened.

Checkmate.

If she denied it, the king would see right through the lie. If she hesitated, it would raise even more suspicions.

Beside her, Damien sighed theatrically. "Oh, love," he murmured, just loud enough for the king to hear. "I didn't think you'd want to run away from an adventure so soon."

Evelyn's fist clenched.

He was going to die.

She turned to him with a practiced smile, placing her hand over his in a show of effortless affection. "Not at all, my darling," she said sweetly. "I was merely concerned for your well-being. You do have a habit of getting in trouble."

Damien arched an eyebrow, silver eyes gleaming. "And yet, you keep saving me. How fortunate I am to have such a devoted wife."

Evelyn squeezed his hand a little too tightly.

The king watched them both for a moment, and then—he laughed. Actually laughed.

"Good," he said. "Then it's settled. You leave at dawn."

Evelyn kept smiling. But inside?

She was screaming.

The doors had barely shut behind them before Evelyn whirled on Damien.

"You absolute—"

"Charming? Handsome? Devoted husband?" Damien offered, grinning.

Evelyn shoved him—hard. He barely stumbled, still too damn pleased with himself.

"We are now committed to a full-fledged marriage deception in enemy territory," she hissed. "And instead of finding a way out of it, you—"

"—ensured we don't get executed for lying to the king?" he interrupted smoothly. "You're welcome, by the way."

Evelyn hated that he was right.

She exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair. "How exactly do you think we're supposed to fool an entire kingdom?"

Damien's grin widened. "We'll be fine."

She narrowed her eyes. "Oh, really? And what, exactly, do you know about being a devoted husband?"

He leaned in slightly, his voice dipping lower. "Would you like me to demonstrate?"

Evelyn stepped back before she punched him on reflex.

She hated how effortless he made this. How he could throw out words and have the entire room wrapped around his finger.

And now, for the foreseeable future, she had to pretend to be madly in love with him.

She was doomed.

By dawn, Evelyn stood outside the city gates, arms folded, watching as the stable hands prepared their ride for the journey ahead.

She had expected horses. But instead, the royal stables had provided them with something far grander—a Nyxian Gryphor.

A beast of legend, the Nyxian Gryphor was a hybrid of a gryphon and a midnight drake, a creature rarely seen outside of the king's elite. Its body was sleek and powerful, covered in obsidian-black feathers that shimmered like molten gold under the morning sun. Its massive wings, twice the size of any normal gryphon's, unfurled with an eerie grace, the edges crackling with traces of latent magic.

Its head was majestic yet fearsome, with the sharp beak of an eagle, yet lined with draconic ridges along its crest. Glowing amber eyes held an almost intelligent awareness, locking onto Evelyn as if testing whether she was worthy of riding it.

But the most terrifying part? Its tail. Unlike a normal gryphon, the Nyxian Gryphor had a serpentine tail tipped with gleaming, rune-carved spikes, rumored to be capable of piercing through steel armor with ease.

Evelyn, who had fought beasts larger than this, had to resist the urge to step back.

Damien, however, looked delighted.

"Well, well," he mused, circling the creature, running a gloved hand over its powerful flank. "Aren't you a beauty?"

The Gryphor let out a low, guttural growl, its feathers ruffling in warning.

Damien only grinned. "Oh, I like this one."

Evelyn folded her arms. "You would."

A nearby royal stablemaster stepped forward, his face pale with thinly concealed nerves. "The Gryphor is… temperamental, my lady. It does not tolerate weak riders."

Evelyn's pride bristled. "Is that so?"

Without another word, she stepped forward and vaulted herself onto the beast's back with practiced ease. The Gryphor snapped its beak, testing her balance, but Evelyn held firm, gripping the reins with unyielding control.

The stablemaster's jaw dropped open slightly, but Damien only smirked.

"See, love?" he teased, swinging up behind her. "You're a natural at this marriage thing. Letting your husband ride behind you, how progressive."

Evelyn whipped her head around to glare at him. "You have exactly five seconds to stop talking before I throw you off."

Damien laughed, completely unfazed.

The Gryphor let out a powerful screech, wings unfurling as it took off into the sky. The mission had begun, and Evelyn was already regretting everything.