Loyalty was beautiful until it became a chain.

~ Rebel Beast

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Just like in Rhydian’s case, Maverick’s announcement had sent shockwaves through House Ophidian. Unlike the dragons, however, the serpents had the decency to wait until they reached their House before cornering their prince for answers.

The common room was packed to capacity as the creeping creatures gathered to hear from Caelis. Totally different from the open, grand spaces favored by the dragons, the Ophidian common room was dimly lit and designed for comfort rather than spectacle.

Dark green couches curved around low tables while tall pillars carved with intertwined serpents stretched toward the ceiling. Decorative vines crawled along the stone walls, giving the space an almost jungle-like feel.

Snakes occupied most of the room, but they weren’t alone. Lizard shifters lounged against the walls, chameleon shifters perched lazily on furniture, and several gecko shifters occupied the higher ledges near the ceiling. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

At the center of it all was Caelis Cobryn.

Unlike Rhydian whose dragons wanted blood, the mood here was strangely optimistic.

Venus spoke for them.

"My prince, you should not trouble yourself with Maverick Nightshade’s threats." He puffed out his chest proudly. "The serpents will ensure that nothing affects your grades and that you graduate from this school without issue."

The students nodded in agreement. This was an agreement they had made before arriving at the dormitory.

"Yesss," Nadia said, her golden eyes sparkling. "Use us, my prince. Let us handle the humans. We are your instruments to use." Her words ended with a distinct hiss.

Whether it was their forked tongues or simply serpent nature, many snake shifters possessed a faint hissing quality to their speech. The more emotional they became, the stronger it appeared.

A chorus of approving hisses filled the room, the sound echoing from every corner.

If only Caelis was as impressed by their devotion as they expected him to be. Instead, he felt the pressure on his shoulders increase.

Yes, the serpents were painfully loyal. But that loyalty came with expectations. Everything they did, every scheme they crafted, every victory they celebrated ultimately led back to one goal.

Defeating the dragons and elevating the Serpent Court.

Caelis was the symbol of their rise. They weren’t offering to protect his grades out of kindness. They were protecting their future, and that future sat on his shoulders.

Caelis opened his mouth to speak and everyone stopped talking.

"Maverick thinks he has us shackled." His calm voice carried throughout the common room. "But that’s where he’s wrong. We are serpents."

His silver eyes swept across the room. "We are known for finding holes in places where there are none."

A collective hiss followed immediately to show their support.

"Maverick thinks he’s clever." Caelis’ lips curved in a cold smirk. "But we are serpents, and serpents have survived far worse than a wolf with authority issues."

This time laughter mixed with the hissing, the tension in the room easing.

Caelis continued. "We will allow Maverick to think he has won. We will obey and let him lower his guard."

The anticipation in the room became almost tangible.

Then his eyes narrowed. "And when the time is right, we will strike where he least expects it."

The common room broke out in cheers, laughter, and triumphant hisses.

Caelis watched them with an unreadable expression. Yet despite himself, one corner of his mouth tilted upward. At least his people were happy. The pressure of carrying their expectations hadn’t disappeared, but seeing them like this made it a little easier to bear.

Then his phone vibrated and the small smile vanished instantly. Slowly, he pulled the device from his pocket and looked at the screen. His blood ran cold.

The message contained only three words.

’Come home. Now.’

There was no greeting nor warmth whatsoever, just a simple command from the Serpent Lord.

His father.

Just like that, the sounds of celebration around him suddenly felt distant, dread tightening around his chest.

If his father was summoning him home in the middle of the night, then something must have happened or gone terribly wrong.

Caelis didn’t need to waste time. He knew his father hated lateness above all else. If he wasn’t wrong, he had about an hour to get to the Palace of the Serpent King.

Venus saw the look on his face and immediately knew something was wrong. He made his way over.

"What is it?"

Caelis pulled him aside. Most of the beasts were too engulfed in their excitement to notice that something had changed. But to be safe, he lowered his voice.

"Father summoned me."

The grimace that replaced the once-bright look on Venus’ face was one for the record.

It was funny how quickly Venus became serious whenever the Serpent Lord was mentioned. Then again, his First Fang knew exactly what his father was capable of.

"Do you want me to come along?" he asked carefully.

"No," Caelis said. "You should stay here, handle the others, and make sure none of them does anything stupid before I return."

Venus nodded.

Then he said in a lower tone, "I’ll prepare the ride."

Caelis patted him on the shoulder before making his way toward his room. On the way, several students reached out to touch his arm or pat him on the shoulder, none of them aware of the turmoil brewing inside him.

He didn’t even react to their devotion, but none of them seemed bothered by it. That was exactly how they preferred him. Their stoic, untouchable prince.

Caelis stepped into his room and locked the door behind him. He had just pulled off his shirt when his phone beeped with another message.

His heart leaped, thinking the serpent king was about to attach some impossible condition to the visit. His father was fond of such games after all.

But to his relief, the message was from Rhydian, the "fire-breathing lizard" as he had saved the contact.

’We need to meet. Now.’

Caelis’ face settled into a deep frown. Why was everyone ordering him around tonight?

Who did Rhydian think he was?

Deciding to transfer his frustration to the dragon, Caelis typed a reply.

’Fuck off.’

Then he pressed send.