Dusk crept into the palace courtyard, spilling golden and pale orange light across the slick marble tiles. The air carried the scent of the sea, brought in by the wind from the Bosphorus, mingling with the fragrance of jasmine blooming in the gardens. The western sky burned like embers, while in the east, streaks of deep violet began to unfurl—signs that night would soon take over.
Lara stood on the balcony of her chamber, her fingers curled around the cold wrought-iron railing. Her eyes followed the shadow of the palace towers stretching long across the courtyard, like black spears piercing the earth. She tried to steady her breathing, but her mind was still crowded with the secret conversation she had overheard behind the curtain earlier that afternoon.
That voice.
That tone of threat.
And the fact that they had spoken her name directly.
She didn't know if Prince Kadir was part of that conspiracy or if he merely knew she had been eavesdropping. But his gaze… the look that hinted he held a secret about her… sent a shiver up her spine every time she recalled it.
Behind her, Elif entered with light steps, carrying a tray of steaming tea and freshly baked sweet bread.
"Princess, please drink this. You look tired."
Lara turned, forcing a small smile.
"Thank you, Elif."
The girl poured tea into a cup, the aroma of spices filling the air. Thin wisps of steam rose from the surface, dancing briefly before fading away.
"Today… was heavy, wasn't it?" Elif said carefully.
"You could say that," Lara replied curtly, choosing to sit by the window.
Elif studied her for a moment before speaking again.
"Princess… I know it's not my place, but be careful with Nafisa Hatun. She… has never liked you."
Lara arched a brow.
"Never liked me?"
"She has great ambitions. And… some say she's close to Prince Kadir."
That name made Lara tighten her grip on the cup.
"Close?"
Elif nodded, lowering her voice.
"Someone saw them speaking in the forbidden garden two nights ago. No one knows what they discussed, but… it seemed important."
Lara turned her gaze back toward the window. The shadows of the trees in the garden swayed gently in the wind, but now they looked like figures whispering in the dark.
If Kadir and Nafisa truly were working together… this circle was larger than I thought.
Just then, a knock sounded at her chamber door. Two quick taps, followed by one long one. Lara looked over. That wasn't the knock of a servant.
Elif frowned in confusion.
"Are you expecting someone?"
Lara shook her head.
"Open it—slowly."
Elif moved to the door and cracked it open. Standing there was an elderly male servant, his body bent, his face deeply lined, and his eyes scanning the room with wary intent.
"I have something to give the Princess," he whispered, almost too softly to hear.
Elif looked to Lara, waiting for instruction. Lara nodded.
"Come in."
The man closed the door behind him. His trembling hands reached into his robe and produced a small rolled piece of paper tied with a red thread.
"Keep this, and do not let anyone see it. I don't have much time. They're already starting to suspect me," he said quickly, setting the roll on the table.
Lara's eyes sharpened.
"Who are 'they'?"
The man swallowed hard.
"Those who will bring down the Sultan. And you, Princess… they fear you."
Lara was about to ask more, but the sound of approaching footsteps echoed outside the door—fast, heavy, and deliberate. Not the steps of a servant.
The old man's eyes widened in panic.
"I must leave now. Read the scroll when you are alone. Trust me… your life depends on it."
Without waiting for a response, he moved to the seldom-used side door, slipping away behind the heavy curtain.
Lara stood frozen. Elif stared at her with the same fearful expression.
The footsteps drew closer. Someone stopped right outside the door.
A voice she already knew spoke in a low, steady tone.
"Princess… may I come in?"
Prince Kadir.
---
The door remained closed.
But Prince Kadir's voice outside was enough to make the air inside the room feel colder. Lara stood rigid in place, her fingers unconsciously clutching the folds of her gown. Elif looked at her, clearly waiting for instructions.
"I… am not receiving guests right now," Lara replied, her tone calm but carrying a faint tremor.
Silence for a moment. Then came a low chuckle from beyond the door.
"Princess, a door is only wood. Words are only air. Both can be opened… if someone chooses to force them."
Lara's heart pounded. She gave Elif a slight nod, signaling for her to open the door—not because she wanted Kadir inside, but because she knew refusing him would only make him more suspicious.
Elif hesitated, but slowly turned the handle. Kadir entered with an easy stride, though his eyes swept the room like a hawk searching for prey.
The dusk light streaming in from the window made his silhouette seem taller, casting a long shadow across the marble floor.
"Princess," he said, inclining his head slightly—a gesture that felt neither entirely genuine nor purely formal.
"What brings you here, Prince?" Lara asked, trying to keep an emotional distance.
Kadir began circling the room without answering. His fingers trailed over the back of a chair, the edge of the curtain, even the handle of the wardrobe, as though weighing every detail. Elif stood uneasily in the corner, tracking his movements.
"I heard you were wandering the eastern corridor earlier today," Kadir finally said. "A hallway… not usually visited."
Lara met his gaze without flinching. "I was lost."
A thin smile curved his lips. "Lost is a word often used by those who are really… searching for something."
He stopped near the table where the small scroll lay, half-hidden under the tablecloth. Lara immediately stepped forward, placing herself between Kadir and the table.
"Is there something on that table?" Kadir asked, his tone half-playful, half-threatening.
"Nothing important."
He leaned closer, their faces separated by only a breath.
"In this palace, Princess, anything can become important. Even a scrap of paper."
Lara held her breath, forcing herself to remain composed. "If you've come only to interrogate me, I think this conversation can wait until tomorrow."
Kadir gave a soft laugh. "It could. But tomorrow… might already be too late."
He stepped back and glanced at Elif.
"Take good care of your Princess, Elif. There are many things… trying to enter her chambers."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and left. The door closed, leaving behind the faint, lingering scent of wood and spice.
Once certain Kadir was truly gone, Lara quickly pulled the small scroll from beneath the tablecloth. Elif moved closer, her expression full of curiosity.
"Open it," Elif whispered.
Lara took a deep breath, then loosened the red thread binding it. The parchment unfurled, revealing tightly packed handwriting in black ink. Some words were crossed out, as if written in haste.
They will move when the moon is full.
There is someone inside arranging everything.
Trust only the one who wears a ring shaped like a lion.
At the bottom was a small crest drawn in gold ink—a lion's head with red eyes.
Lara stared at the symbol for a long time. She had seen it before… somewhere, but could not remember where.
Elif pointed at it. "I know this symbol. One of the Sultan's secret guards wears a ring like that."
"Who?" Lara pressed.
"I… don't know his name. But he often stands guard near the gate to the Forbidden Garden."
Lara clenched the scroll tightly. If this information was true, then the only person she could trust was this mysterious guard. But how could she meet him without drawing attention?
Outside, the call to Maghrib prayer echoed across the palace. Its voice was beautiful, yet in Lara's ears tonight, it sounded like a warning.
She looked out the window toward the garden now cloaked in deepening shadows.
The full moon was only five days away.
And before then, she had to find the man with the lion's ring… or she might not live to see the next dawn.
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