BRANDON'S POV

　　The grand hall of the palace, once a place of order and majesty, now felt suffocating without Lydia, the fake heir didn't even had it in her to face the commotion because she ran away as soon as we attacked Oleg for taking Lydia away. The walls, adorned with the crests of noble families, seemed to close in on me and my brother, Evan. We stood in the centre, surrounded by guards, their eyes cold and unyielding. Oleg's influence was everywhere, a dark cloud of corruption that had settled over the kingdom, tainting everything it touched.

　　Oleg stood before us, his lip swollen and a fresh wound on his head bleeding slowly. Seeing him injured gave me immense satisfaction. It was a small victory, though I regretted not breaking his nose or killing him outright when I had the chance. The sight of him still standing was a bitter reminder of the power he had seized.

　　"You are dismissed from your duties as royal betas," Oleg's voice rang out, laced with a triumphant sneer. "Effective immediately. Your loyalty to Lydia has been noted, and it is a threat to the stability I am trying to establish."

　　My fists clenched at my sides, every muscle in my body taut with barely contained rage. Beside me, Evan was no better. His face was a mask of fury and defiance, his eyes burning with the same fire I felt within.

　　"You can't do this, Oleg," Evan spat, taking a step forward. "We have served this kingdom faithfully for years. This is an abuse of power!"

　　Oleg's smile widened, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. "And yet, here I am, doing it. Take them away."

　　"It is against the rules!" I said, my voice rising with anger.

　　"There will be new rules in this kingdom," Oleg retorted, his voice dripping with disdain, "and I am going to make sure that everyone obeys them. For now, you both are dismissed. I will deal with you very soon."

　　The guards moved to take us, but I wasn't done. "You're a coward, Oleg," I spat, my voice echoing in the grand hall. "You hide behind your guards and your treachery. You think you can rule through fear and intimidation? You're deluding yourself."

　　Evan stepped forward, his anger mirroring mine. "You're nothing without your cronies. You've betrayed everyone who trusted you. Do you think the people will stand for this? Do you think they'll bow to you willingly?"

　　Oleg's eyes narrowed, his smile fading into a snarl. "You think too highly of yourselves," he hissed. "You're relics of a past that is dying. This kingdom needs order, and I will bring it, even if it means crushing dissenters like you."

　　I took a step closer, my eyes locked on his. "You're a fool if you think you can silence us. Lydia will come for you, and when she does, we'll be right beside her. Your reign of terror will be short-lived."

　　Oleg's face twisted in rage. "Take them away!" he barked at the guards. "And make sure that they don't leave the kingdom Keep an eye on them."

　　The guards grabbed us, their grips firm but not hostile. As they led us away, I turned my head to look at Oleg one last time. "This isn't over, Oleg. You've made a grave mistake."

　　Evan and I were escorted through the corridors, the reality of our situation sinking in. Stripped of our titles and authority, we were powerless in the eyes of the court. But that was not what consumed our thoughts. Lydia, our leader, our friend, was in danger. Her imprisonment and the looming threat of execution were all that mattered now.

　　Once we were outside the palace gates, the guards released us, their duty done. I turned to Evan, our dismissal now a strange kind of freedom.

　　"Do you think he suspects?" Evan asked, his voice low, wary of eavesdroppers.

　　"I don't care if he does," I replied, my voice hard. "This is our chance. We need to find Lydia before it's too late."

　　Evan nodded, his jaw set in determination. "Where do we start? Oleg will have her hidden somewhere secure, probably heavily guarded."

　　I thought for a moment, my mind racing through the possibilities. "We need to gather information. There are still those in the palace who are loyal to Lydia, who believe in her cause. We'll start with them."

　　Evan's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope. "The old network. Our contacts in the city. They might have heard something."

　　"Exactly," I said, a plan forming. "We can't waste any time. Every second counts."

　　We moved quickly through the city, keeping to the shadows, avoiding the main thoroughfares where Oleg's influence was strongest. The people we encountered, those who knew us, offered silent nods of encouragement, their loyalty to Lydia evident in their eyes. It was a small comfort in the midst of our turmoil.