All Chapters of THE CROWN THEY HID FROM ME: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

By morning, the sky above Astryss Academy was clear.Too clear.Smoke still curled from broken towers and scorched courtyards, but the unnatural storm had dissipated—as if the heavens themselves had decided to reveal enough.Aera stood at the edge of the highest terrace, gazing out over the valley below. From here, she could discern the roads leading away from the Academy and the riders moving swiftly along them.Messengers.Too many.“They are already disseminating the news,” Kael said behind her. “Nobles, guilds, border commanders. Everyone was affected.”Aera nodded slowly. “The crown did not merely awaken; it summoned us.”Liora joined them, her expression grave. “And such summonses do not go unanswered. Some will come to pledge their loyalty. Others will assess your worthiness.”“Comforting,” Kael muttered.Fractured CouncilThe emergency council convened before noon.The chamber felt different without the wards humming in the walls—exposed, vulnerable. Several instructors bore v

The capital rose from the horizon, a promise and a threat intertwined.High white walls encircled the city, etched with sigils that both intimidated and protected. Towers crowned the skyline, banners snapping in the wind—royal blue and gold, flawless and cold.Aera felt the moment they crossed into its shadow.The air here was different.Measured.Judged.“So this is it,” Liora murmured. “The heart of the kingdom.”Kael did not respond.His jaw was clenched, his eyes fixed on the gates ahead.⸻Company on the RoadThey were not alone.A procession rode just ahead of them—fine carriages, polished armour, and house colours Aera recognised from the vault records.House Viremont.Old blood. Old power. Loyal to the throne… publicly.“They did not take the southern road by accident,” Liora said. “They intended to arrive with us.”Aera nodded. “Let them.”As they drew closer, one of the riders fell back, slowing until he matched Aera’s pace.He removed his helmet.Lord Cassien Viremont smile

The chamber remained tense after Aera’s words.Merrow, the Chancellor, rose first. His hands trembled slightly—not from fear, but from fury.“You dare defy the protocols of the crown and the council?” he demanded. “You are a student! A student! Not a ruler!”Aera met his gaze steadily.“I am no longer a student,” she said softly. “And you are no longer the authority over what the crown remembers.”The other councillors murmured, some nodding quietly, others narrowing their eyes. Fear mingled with curiosity—Aera could sense it.⸻A Secret RevealedSeralyne, seated in the empty throne area, raised her hand.“Enough,” her voice silenced the chamber instantly. “There is something you do not know.”Every head turned towards her.“The crown has always been bound to a safeguard,” she said. “Not a person, not an army—but a ward. A living seal buried in the palace. It can choose who accesses the crown’s full potential… and who does not survive attempting.”Aera’s heart skipped. “A living seal?

Aera emerged from the palace’s inner chambers, the crown’s warmth still palpable against her palm.She perceived it—not merely in her hand, but in her mind, her body, her very presence.The palace courtyard had been cleared, yet word had disseminated. Citizens, guards, and nobles lined the outer walls, their eyes wide with both awe and apprehension.Kael and Liora flanked her, their gaze fixed on every movement.“This is it,” Kael uttered softly. “The initial impression holds paramount significance.”Aera nodded, comprehending: the crown was not merely hers; it was a symbol, a warning, a promise.The Display of PowerShe raised her hand.Light erupted—not blinding, but radiant enough to create dancing shadows. Sigils manifested in the air, hovering above the courtyard. The stone beneath her feet resonated with energy as if the palace itself had awakened.The spectators gasped. Nobles bowed instinctively, some exhibiting tremors. Guards instinctively knelt, uncertain whether obedience

The morning after the Veil’s failed strike was eerily quiet. Eldoria’s capital seemed untouched, its streets bathed in the pale light of dawn, yet a tension hung in the air that no sunrise could dispel. The city had witnessed the crown’s awakening, and whispers spread like wildfire—some in awe, some in fear. Rumours travelled faster than the light, each noble court debating not if, but when the crown-bearer would falter.Aera moved through the palace corridors with measured steps, the crown resting lightly on her head. Even without the surge of combat, it pulsed against her temples, a steady heartbeat that reminded her of the responsibility she now carried. Kael followed closely, sword sheathed but ready, his eyes scanning every shadow. Liora walked beside her, murmuring softly to the wards she had reinforced the night before.“We need to understand the fallout,” Aera said, her voice quiet but firm. “The Veil’s first attack may have failed, but it revealed cracks in the palace’s defen