All Chapters of THE CROWN THEY HID FROM ME: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The city had grown eerily quiet. After the skirmish at the mansion, the civilians were safe, hidden within safehouses reinforced by Aera’s sigil. Yet the pulse of danger lingered. Every shadow, every flicker of light, seemed to whisper the presence of the Veil’s agents. The network was vast, far beyond what Aera had imagined, reaching into streets, markets, and even the city guard itself.Aera stood on the rooftop of a deserted watchtower, her sigil glowing faintly across her palm. The energy hummed beneath her fingertips like a heartbeat, guiding her perception to patterns invisible to ordinary eyes. Kael leaned against the tower’s edge, eyes scanning the horizon, his body taut with readiness.“They’re everywhere,” he said quietly, voice rough from the adrenaline of the last encounter. “We’ve slowed them, but we haven’t cut the head off the snake yet.”Aera’s jaw tightened. “I know. And the leader—they’re watching us. Every move we make, they’re anticipating. The Veil isn’t just a gr

Night fell over Astryss Academy, blanketing the spires and towers in darkness. The faint glow of the moon reflected off the polished stones of the courtyard, casting eerie patterns that shifted with the wind. For most students, the night was a time for rest or quiet study. For Aera Vale, it was a time to prepare, to guard, and to anticipate the storm she knew was coming.The Academy had been reinforced after the recent betrayals, wards strengthened and new sigil channels integrated. But Aera felt a tension in the air, subtle yet insistent—a pulse of energy that suggested the Veil was already on the move. Every instinct, every flicker of her sigil told her that the first major strike would not be random; it would be precise, devastating, and designed to fracture their defenses.Kael appeared beside her, cloaked in shadows. His expression was taut, eyes scanning the horizon. “I can feel it too. The Veil isn’t just testing us. They’re probing for weaknesses—every flaw, every hesitation.

Darkness had fallen over Astryss Academy like a heavy shroud, and the air vibrated with tension. Every corridor, every tower, every courtyard was fortified, yet the Academy felt vulnerable in ways Aera had never imagined. The Veil had waited for the perfect night—one when the moon was low, shadows long, and the wards subtly weakened by fatigue.Aera stood atop the northern tower, the sigil on her palm glowing faintly. She could sense the first ripple of movement, faint and deliberate—Veil operatives advancing through hidden channels, some cloaked in shadow wards, others disguised as loyal students.Kael joined her, sword in hand, eyes scanning the courtyard below. “This is it,” he said quietly. “Their first true strike. And they’ve learned from the last attack.”Aera’s jaw tightened. “Then we meet them prepared. Tonight, it’s not just a defense—it’s a statement. They will not breach this place.”⸻The First WaveFrom the shadows of the east wing, the Veil emerged. Operatives moved in

The name echoed in Aera’s mind long after Kael left her chambers.Someone close.That was worse than any attack.Aera didn’t sleep. She sat at the edge of her bed, the sigil on her palm dim but restless, responding to every spike of emotion that passed through her. Fear. Anger. Betrayal. The Academy pulsed with them, a thousand fractured heartbeats woven into the stone itself.She could feel lies now.Not clearly—not yet—but like dissonant notes in a melody that should have been whole.At dawn, she rose.If there was a traitor among them, she would not wait for the Veil to make the next move.⸻The SuspectThe western archives were sealed when Aera arrived, warded by layers of defensive sigils. Elowen stood guard, her expression unreadable.“You shouldn’t be here alone,” Elowen said.“I won’t be,” Aera replied. “But I need to see it for myself.”After a moment’s hesitation, Elowen lifted the wards.Inside, the air felt wrong—too clean, too quiet. Magical residue lingered faintly along

They left before dawn.No banners. No escorts. No official record.If the Veil was watching—and Aera was certain they were—this mission needed to look like nothing more than a minor supply run beyond the city gates.Only four people knew the truth.Aera.Kael.Liora.And Master Elowen.“The sigil’s pull isn’t random,” Elowen said as she fastened her travel cloak. “It’s reacting to proximity. Someone with shared resonance.”“The second heir,” Kael muttered.Aera tightened her gloves, hiding the faint glow on her palm. “Or someone they’ve turned into bait.”No one argued.⸻The Road Beyond ProtectionOutside Astryss’s wards, the world felt… louder.Magic didn’t hum in clean channels here. It frayed. Twisted. Lingered where violence had passed through it. Burned villages dotted the countryside like scars that refused to fade.“This was a border town,” Kael said quietly as they passed the ruins of stone homes. “No strategic value.”Aera knelt, touching the ash-stained ground.The sigil fl