bChapter /bb213 /b

    ra’s POV

    3 64%

    I darted to the right, just in time to feel the sharp whoosh of the de as it sliced through the air where I had been a second ago. Damn, that was too close.

    I didn’t expect the killer to be this quick. His next move was even faster than I imagined. He swung his arm, throwing a punch straight at my shoulder.

    No problem. I’m a trained soldier, I can handle this.

    I raised my arm to intercept his blow, to twist and control his strike-

    BANG!

    The force of the punch sent me flying backward, crashing into the closet. The sound of splintering wood was deafening, echoing in my skull.

    Fuck.

    I’d forgotten… I wasn’t just dealing with any assassin. This guy–he was a Lycan.

    Pain exploded across my body. My head spun. My insides felt like they’d been rearranged, twisted, and turned upside down, Blood surged in my mouth, metallic and thick.

    The killer didn’t waste time. He lunged at me, de raised high, aiming straight for my heart. There was no way I could dodge this.

    38

    My heart raced in my chest as I sat there, frozen. My life shed in front of my eyes, too fast, too much. I wasn’t ready. Not

    yet.

    But then-

    A deafening roar shook the room.

    Wells! He lunged, mming into the killer and knocking him to the floor with a thud.

    The killer scrambled, rolling to his feet, the de still clutched in his hand, ready to strike again,

    “ELARA, WATCH OUT!” Belle screamed, her voice piercing through the chaos like a bell.

    But Wells wasn’t done. He shifted, his form morphing in an instant.

    In the blink of an eye, the handsome young man I knew was gone. In his ce stood a silver–furred Lycan, his fangs bared, his stance protective.

    The room fell silent for a heartbeat. The killer’s eyes flickered toward ra–those cold, smokey grey eyes–and he froze, clearly taken aback.

    “Who the fuck are you?” Wells growled, stepping forward with a low growl.

    10:20 Fri, 29 Aug

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    b38 /b

    The killer hesitated. A flicker of doubt crossed his face. He must’ve realized the odds were shifting. He leapt to his feet and dashed across the room with impressive speed, making a beeline for the windowi. /i

    “STOP!” Wells roared.

    He was after him in an instant, but the killer was already out of the window, vanishing into the night.

    Belle rushed to my side, kneeling beside me, her hands trembling as she cupped my face. “ra… are you okay? Please, please, don’t die…”

    I could barely form a response. The pain in my body was unbearable, and I felt my vision blur at the edges.

    I wanted to reassure her, but before I could say anything, the world went ck.

    Hours or maybe dayster, I woke up.

    I didn’t know how long I’d been unconscious, but the sunlight streaming through the curtains told me it was morning. I felt warmth at my side, familiar,forting.

    “ELARA!” Two voices cried out in unison.

    I blinked, eyes adjusting to the bright light. Wells and Belle hovered over me, their faces filled with concern.

    My body ached as I tried to sit up, clutching my shoulder. “How long was I out?”

    “A whole night,” Belle answered, her voice cracking as tears welled up. “I was so worried, ra… Are you going to be

    alright?”

    I ran a hand through my tangled hair, groaning as I sat up. “I’m feeling better. You didn’t tell anyone about this, right?”

    Wells shook his head, a frown etched on his face. “Belle wanted to call a doctor, but I told her not to. We need to figure out

    who did this first, ra.”

    I managed a faint smile, though it felt more like a grimace. “Good call.”

    I trusted no one in this castle, not even the doctors. The less people knew, the better.

    “And thanks… for saving mest night, Wells.”

    Wells scratched his head sheepishly, the usual grin barely breaking through his concern. But then his tone shifted, serious. “We need to hunt that bastard down. He tried to kill you under the Lycan King’s nose. Who does that?”

    Belle nodded fervently. “You need to tell Dorian. He’ll make sure that killer is dead.”

    I looked down at my hands, my mind clouded with thoughts of the attack. This wasn’t just an isted event–it was a message. Someone in this castle wanted me gone. The question was, who?

    “Did you catch him?” I asked Wells, my voice low.

    His expression darkened. “No. He’s itoo /idamn fast. He knew the castle better than we thought. He was an insider.”

    10:20 Fri, 29 Aug

    I felt my chest tighten. “So, we’ve got a rat in the house.”

    Wells tossed a small piece of cloth onto the bed. I picked it up carefully, studying the faded grey fabric. My pulse

    quickened.

    The House of Shadows.

    +38)

    That was the signature cloth of Elder Briar’s faction. They had always been a thorn in my side, but I never imagined they’d

    go this far.

    Iclenched the fabric in my fist, the fury building in my chest.

    I had underestimated them. That was a mistake.

    “Where’s the Elder’s Council?” I asked abruptly. –

    Wells and Belle exchanged surprised nces, but Wells spoke first. “Are you sure you’re—?”

    “I’m going to see them,” I interrupted. “I need to confront someone.”

    I didn’t care if Dorian wanted me to wait. If the House of Shadows was involved, I couldn’t wait any longer.

    Belle looked at me with concern. “But your injury-”

    “I’m fine,” I snapped, rising from the bed. “Let’s go.”

    The Elder Council’s hall sat atop an isted peak, towering over the castle like a silent, ominous monument. The stone pirs reached for the sky, carved from trees that had once guarded the misty forests.

    The soldiers standing guard stepped aside when they saw Wells and Belle approach. They knew who they were, and that

    was enough to let them pass.

    We made our way up the winding marble staircase and reached the massive doors of the council hall. The weight of the situation pressed on my chest, but I couldn’t stop now.

    Wells hesitated. “Do you want us toe in with you?”

    I smiled, but there was little warmth in it. “No, I’ve got this.”

    With one final nced at Belle, I pushed open the heavy doors and entered the hall.

    It was vast and circr, Sunlight streamed through the stained ss windows, painting the stone floors with vibrant colours. The chandelier above sparkled like stars trapped in crystal.

    At the far end of the room sat the golden throne, perched on a raised tform, a symbol of power. Three long tables sat below, where the council members were gathered.

    Their conversation ceased the moment they heard the door creak open. They turned toward me, expressions ranging from surprise to annoyance.

    “Who allowed you in? This is the Elder Council!” one of them snarled.

    10:20 Fri, 29 Aug bR /b

    Ignoring him, I made my way down the center aisle, my eyes fixed on the throne.

    Dorian stood up from the throne, his brow furrowed. “ra, what is this-”

    “I know what you did,” I said, my voice tight,ced with anger.

    Dorian’s eyes hardened. “What are you talking about?”

    “You assassinated Thorne?” I asked, stepping closer, fists clenched at my sides.

    He narrowed his eyes, his gaze cool and indifferent. “Yes.”

    I felt the words punch through me, even though I had known. “How dare you…”

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    “Forgive me, Lady ra,i” /ia ck–cloaked elder said, cutting me off. “But the werewolf soldiers are closing in on us. If we don’t strike first, we’ll be the ones destroyed.”

    I ground my teeth together, struggling to keep myposure. “Thorne didn’t want war! He wasing here because Dorian abducted me.”

    “The werewolves are my people,” I growled, voice rising. “Leave them out of this.”

    One of the elders, Elder Pierre, spoke up, trying to soothe the tension. “I assure you, Lady ra, the Lycans won’t be the first to attack. iYou /iare our future queen, and we respect you.”

    Iughed, the sound cold and bitter. “Is that so? Then why was I almost killed in my own roomst night?”

    Gasps rippled through the room.

    Dorian’s face paled. “What?”

    I pulled the grey cloth from my pocket. “This was torn from the assassin’s clothes. Now, who wants toe forward and im it?”

    The room fell into chaos as the elders looked at each other nervously. My eyes locked on Briar’s face.

    There was no denying it anymore.

    AD