From Ruin to Reign

Felix ran through the dark streets toward his rented room. His heart beat fast with excitement. The information he had was worth a fortune.

The lost prince was alive. He was at Iron Sword Academy. He was already an Earth King warrior at ten years old. King Cassian would pay anything for this news.

Felix reached his room and locked the door. He lit a candle and took out paper and ink. His hands shook as he started writing.

Your Majesty, I have proof. The boy Marcus is your nephew, Prince Marcus Aurelius. He has reached Earth King level and plans to attend the tournament. He wants revenge for...

Someone knocked on the door.

Felix stopped writing. Who would visit this late? He hid his letter under other papers.

"Who is it?" he called.

"A friend with information," a woman's voice said.

Felix relaxed a little. Maybe another spy? He opened the door slightly, keeping the chain locked.

The scarred woman from the forest stood outside. Before Felix could move, she pushed hard. The chain broke and Felix fell backward.

"What... who are you?" Felix grabbed for his knife.

The woman was faster. She caught his hand and twisted. Felix cried out as his knife fell.

"I don't like competition," the woman said calmly. She closed the door. "You're Felix. You spy for Cornelius. You've been watching the boy for weeks."

"I don't know what you mean!"

"Don't lie. I followed you from the academy." She pushed him into a chair. "Listen carefully. You will stop spying on Marcus. You will write one last letter to Cassian. Tell him the boy is just talented, nothing special. Then you leave this area and never come back."

"What if I refuse?"

The woman touched her dagger. "Then someone finds your body tomorrow morning. Your choice."

Felix went pale. "Why do you care what I report? You're an assassin too. We should work together."

"We're not on the same side. I work for money. Right now, keeping the boy alive pays better than turning him in."

"Cassian offers ten thousand gold for information about the prince. How is that not good money?"

The woman smiled coldly. "I think about the future. Cassian is paranoid. If I give him the boy's location, he'll probably kill me later. No witnesses. But if Marcus grows strong and defeats Cassian, he'll need skilled people. People who helped him. That's worth more than ten thousand gold."

Felix's mind worked quickly. She was right. Cassian killed people who knew his secrets. But betting on a ten year old against a king?

"You're betting on the wrong person," Felix said. "The boy is talented but he's still a child. Cassian has armies and powerful friends. Marcus will die before he threatens the throne."

"Maybe. But I know real talent when I see it. That boy isn't normal. His energy, that golden light, how fast he learns? He's special." The woman leaned closer. "Marcus has something most warriors don't have."

"What?"

"A reason to keep fighting when everything looks hopeless. Those people survive."

Felix thought about his choices. This woman would kill him if he said no. But if he agreed and Cassian found out he lied, Cassian would kill him too. Either way, he was dead.

Unless he was smart about this.

"Fine," Felix said. "I'll write what you want. But I want something back."

"You get to live. That's enough."

"No. I want real payment. If you're betting on Marcus and he wins, I want a job in his court. A real position with protection."

The woman looked at him, then laughed. "You're smarter than you look. Alright. If Marcus takes the throne and I can recommend people, I'll mention you. But only if you actually help him now instead of spying."

"Help him how?"

"Give Cassian false information. Make him think Marcus is weaker than he really is. Make him underestimate the boy. Can you do that?"

Felix considered it. Playing both sides was dangerous. But it might be his only way to survive. "Yes. I can do that."

"Good." The woman stepped back. "Write your letter now. Make it believable. Tell Cassian the boy is talented but only a third class warrior. Say he's no threat."

Felix picked up his pen with shaking hands. He wrote the false report while the woman watched. When he finished, she took the letter.

"I'll make sure this reaches the messengers. You have one more job."

"What?"

"Stop reporting to Cornelius too. Or tell him Marcus is just a talented student, nothing more. If Cornelius keeps digging, his son Lucius will get suspicious. We don't need that yet."

"Cornelius won't believe me. He saw what Marcus did to Dante."

"Then say Marcus got lucky. Make up a story about Dante being injured first. I don't care. Just keep Cornelius quiet for six months." The woman walked to the door. "After the tournament, everything changes."

"Wait," Felix said. "What's your name? If we're working together, I should know."

The woman stopped. "Call me Diana. And we're not working together. You work for me. Remember that."

She left into the night. Felix sat alone with his thoughts. He'd just betrayed the king he'd served for years. There was no going back.

Felix looked at the candle on his desk. He'd always survived by choosing the winning side. The question was, had he chosen right? Or had he just killed himself?

The game had changed. And Felix was now playing for his life.

Diana moved across the rooftops easily. Felix was a coward and a traitor, but he'd be useful. False information to Cassian would give Marcus time.

She thought about the boy's power. That golden energy wasn't normal. It was divine protection. Only beings from the highest realms could do that. Which meant Marcus's parents might not be dead.

Diana smiled. This situation was getting interesting. And interesting situations meant profit.

She just had to choose the right side before the real war started.