Chapter 162

Chapter 162: Chapter 162

The King sat alone in his private study, the weight of the realm pressing down on his shoulders like a physical force. The candles had burned low, their flames flickering in the dim light. The fire in the hearth had died hours ago, leaving only cold ash and the faint smell of smoke.

He had sent for the seer again. He needed answers. He needed alternatives. He couldn’t—he wouldn’t—sacrifice his son.

A knock at the door. "Enter."

The seer shuffled in, her gnarled staff clicking against the stone floor. She looked older than ever, her ancient face lined with exhaustion, her milky eyes clouded with something that might have been sorrow. She had been traveling again, visiting the afflicted villages, trying to understand the scope of the disaster.

"You sent for me, Your Majesty."

"Yes." The King rose from his chair. "I need to know if there’s an alternative. A way to save the realm without sacrificing my son."

The seer was silent for a long moment. Then she shook her head. "I have searched every vision, every prophecy, every ancient text. The Moon Goddess demands justice. She demands the return of her daughter. And the only way to achieve that is through the ritual."

"The ritual requires a sacrifice. A life for a life."

"Yes."

"Then find another way." The King’s voice was sharp. "I won’t sacrifice Soren. He’s my son. My heir. The future of the realm."

"The future of the realm may depend on his sacrifice." The seer met his eyes. "The goddess will not be appeased by anything less. She has lost her daughter once. She will not lose her again. And she will punish the realm until she is satisfied." ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"The realm is already being punished. The crops are failing. The people are dying. The full moon has not come in months."

"And it will not come until the goddess’s demands are met." The seer paused. "There is something else. Something you should know."

"What?"

"Varek Astrlyn has escaped from prison."

The King’s blood ran cold. "How do you know that?, There was no official announcement concerning that"

The seer smiled—a thin, knowing expression. "My eyes see more than you think, Your Majesty. I have watched Varek for years. I knew he would not stay in his cell for long."

"And you didn’t think to warn me?"

"Would it have changed anything? You have guards, wards, fortifications. Varek had allies. The outcome was inevitable." The seer turned to leave. "I will continue searching for alternatives. But I do not think I will find any. The goddess’s will is absolute."

She shuffled out of the room, leaving the King alone with his frustration. He sank back into his chair, his head in his hands.

What do I do? he thought. What do I do?

Corvin had been working for days.

The book from the archives was spread open on his workbench, its pages covered in dense handwriting. He had read it a dozen times, searching for clues, for connections, for anything that might lead him to the truth.

He had found one thing: the poison that had killed Thorne and nearly killed Soren had been administered over time. Small doses, given regularly, building up in the system until the final blow was struck. The person who had done this had access to the prince—to his food, his drink, his quarters. Someone close to him. Someone he trusted.

There’s a mole, Soren had said. Someone in our circle.

Corvin had to find them.

He pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment and began to write. Jasper. Finn. Marek. Maureen. The four people who knew the most about the investigation, the plans, the secrets. He excluded Orion and Lucian—they were helpful, but they didn’t have access to the inner circle. They didn’t know everything.

He wrote down everything he knew about each of them. Their habits. Their schedules. Their weaknesses. Their relationships. He noted every inconsistency, every odd behavior, every moment that had seemed slightly off.

Maureen was first. She was new to the group, a late addition. She had been helpful—she had spied on Selene’s friends, gathered information, proven herself useful. But she was also the one they knew the least about. She had no history with them, no shared past, no reason to be loyal.

I’ll start with her, Corvin decided. I’ll watch her. I’ll learn her patterns. And if she’s hiding something, I’ll find it.

Soren sat across from Selene in the small dining room, his golden eyes fixed on her face.

They had been eating in silence for nearly an hour, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife. Selene picked at her food, her amber eyes darting around the room, her hands trembling slightly. She had been avoiding him for days—making excuses, finding reasons to be elsewhere, never staying in the same room for longer than necessary.

Soren had noticed. And tonight, he was going to confront her.

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

Selene’s fork clattered against her plate. "What? I haven’t been—"

"You have. You’ve been avoiding me for days. You barely look at me. You flinch when I touch you." He leaned forward. "Do you no longer love me, Selene?"

Her face went pale. She reached for her teacup, trying to hide her expression, but her hand shook. She took a sip—and choked.

The tea went down wrong. She coughed violently, her eyes watering, her face turning red.

Soren smiled. He stood up slowly, taking a handkerchief and a glass of water from the table. He walked around to her side and patted her back gently, offering her the handkerchief and the water.

"Careful," he said, his voice soft. "You don’t want to choke."

Selene took the water and drank, her coughing slowly subsiding. She dabbed at her mouth with the handkerchief, her hands still shaking.

When she had regained her composure, Soren bent down, his mouth close to her ear.

"What’s your deal with Finn?"

Selene froze.

She didn’t move. She didn’t breathe. Her hand tightened around the handkerchief, her knuckles going white.

Soren straightened up, his expression unreadable. "I don’t care what you’re doing with him. But know this—once I find enough evidence against you two, or whatever you’re doing, I’ll be merciful enough if you’re still alive."

He adjusted his collar and walked toward the door. "Eat up, dear fiancée. I have things to do, so I’m going now. We shall see each other later in the bedroom."

He walked out of the room without looking back.

Selene sat frozen for a long moment. Then her hands clenched into fists, her nails digging deep into her palms. She was trying so hard to control her emotions—the fear, the anger, the desperation—but it wasn’t working. Her wolf was restless, pacing in her mind, growling with anxiety.

What does he know? she thought. Has he found out about us? I have to tell Finn. But wait—Finn might kill him if I say anything. What will I do?

She stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. She paced the room, her mind racing. Think, Selene. Think. We have to do something to take his mind off this.

Her thoughts turned to Nyra. The bitch who had started all of this. The Moonblood heir who had stolen Soren’s heart and ruined everything.

Can’t she just die and leave everyone alone? Selene thought bitterly. Why does she have to haunt us even from the grave?

She paced faster, her frustration mounting. And then, suddenly, something clicked. She paused mid-step, a cruel smile forming on her lips.

That’s it, she thought. His mind will be taken off the investigation.

She rushed out of the room, her heart pounding with new purpose.

In the Moon Court, the Moon Goddess sat beside Nyra’s bed, watching her daughter sleep.

Nyra lay still, her silver hair spread across the pillow, her face peaceful in a way it never was when she was awake. The goddess reached out and stroked her hair, her touch gentle and tender.

"My beautiful daughter," she murmured. "I know you might hate me at the moment. But it’s not entirely my fault. I’m too much of a coward to leave you alone in the hands of the enemy. You’ve suffered enough, dear daughter."

She paused, her eyes glistening with tears.

"And until I clear off those traitors—until I’ve punished everyone who hurt you—I can’t allow you to go back to that place."

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to Nyra’s forehead.

"Sleep well, my love. I’ll keep you safe. No matter what it takes."

She rose and walked out of the room, leaving Nyra alone in the silver darkness.

Jasper, Finn, Marek, and Maureen sat together in the common room, the fire crackling in the hearth.

Jasper and Maureen sat close together on the sofa, their shoulders touching. Maureen had confessed her feelings to him the week before, and though Jasper hadn’t given her an answer yet, something had shifted between them. He was more attentive now, more aware of her presence. He smiled more when she was around. He found excuses to touch her hand, to brush her hair back from her face.

It was subtle, but it was there.

Jasper looked at Finn, who was sitting across from them, staring into the fire. "Where did you go last night?"

Finn blinked, pulled from his thoughts. "What?"

"Last night. I woke up in the middle of the night and your bed was empty." Jasper’s sharp eyes studied him. "Where did you go?"

Finn shrugged, forcing a casual smile. "I went for a walk. Couldn’t sleep."

"A walk? In the middle of the night?"

"I do it sometimes. Helps clear my head."

Jasper was quiet for a moment. Then he spoke. "You’ve changed, Finn."

Finn paused, his expression flickering. "What do you mean?"

Marek looked up from his book. "What’s changed about him?"

Jasper’s eyes never left Finn’s face. "He’s not his playful type anymore. There’s something different about him. Something I can’t quite find the words for."

"The vibe," Maureen said, chiming in. "He’s got a different vibe now."

Jasper nodded. "The vibe. And his aura. He’s more serious. More... manly."

They all laughed—except Finn, whose smile was a fraction too tight.

"I have to become more manly for my boyfriend," Finn said, forcing a grin. "Ragnar wouldn’t settle for anything less."

They laughed again. Marek shook his head. "Don’t oppress my single ass with all this relationship talk."

Maureen laughed and told him to find himself a girl. Marek rolled his eyes but smiled.

Jasper glanced at the clock. "We should go to the cafeteria for lunch. I’m starving."

They all agreed and stood up, gathering their things. As they filed out of the room, Jasper glanced back at Finn. His expression was unreadable—watchful, calculating, curious.

Something’s not right, Jasper thought. I don’t know what it is. But something’s definitely not right.

He turned and followed the others, his mind already turning over the possibilities.