LOGINChapter 121"Where are the banners?"Elara stopped just inside the central hall."Taken down at dawn," a commander answered without looking up from the table. "It didn't seem like the morning for the ceremony."The familiar royal banners were gone.In their place, war maps covered nearly every surface, layered over one another until the hall looked less like a seat of government and more like a battlefield waiting to happen.Red markers clustered along the northern and eastern borders.Too many.Kael crossed to the main table."Give me numbers. Real ones.""Approximately two thousand fighters, concentrated near the Fenmoor and Hollowmere passes," the first commander said."That estimate is outdated."A second commander dropped a stack of reports onto the table."Scout reports from this morning put them closer to five thousand."Kael's eyes narrowed."Five thousand.""Yes, Your Majesty.""That's not an insurgent faction anymore.""No," Torin said grimly. "That's an army."Silence settl
Chapter 120 "Another resignation."The Seneschal dropped a parchment onto the council table."That's four this morning.""Five," Cassian corrected grimly. "Elder Doyle stepped down an hour ago."A younger elder looked around the room."The hardline faction is collapsing.""Collapsing isn't rebuilding," Kael said.He entered with Elara beside him."We need more than empty chairs.""We need reform," Cassian said.He placed another document on the table."Independent review of accusations before they reach a formal hearing. Protection for witnesses like Halvern. Oversight so no single elder can authorize searches without accountability.""That will take months to establish properly," another elder objected."Then we start today," Kael said."Not because it's convenient."His gaze moved around the table."Because it's overdue."Elara stepped forward."Changing the people in these seats isn't enough."The room quieted."My father's case worked because the system allowed it to work."Her v
Chapter 119 "Elara Veyne."The officiant's voice rang through the packed chamber."You stand accused of conspiring against the crown, coordinating with foreign and pack interests, and attempting to build an unlawful power base through the use of your First Moon abilities."Every eye turned toward her."How do you answer?"Elara's hands wanted to tremble.She remembered another accusation.Another chamber.A father who had never been given the chance to answer for himself.She steadied her breath."I answer with the truth."Her gaze moved across the council."And I've brought it with me."Marren, seated among the remaining councilors, allowed herself a thin smile."Confidence won't undo what was found among your records.""Then let's discuss what was found," Kael said.He stepped forward."And how it got there.""The correspondence speaks for itself," Marren replied."Does it?"Kael's voice remained calm."Then you won't object to hearing from the man who wrote it."Murmurs rippled th
Chapter 118 They found Halvern less than ten minutes after the chase began.He had abandoned the main street and slipped into a narrow building behind the old scribes' guild hall.Torin had followed the trail.Now he stood outside the door with Kael, Elara, and Yssa behind him.Torin raised his hand.Knocked.The door slammed shut before his knuckles finished striking the wood."He's in there," Torin said. "I heard the bolt."Kael stepped forward."Halvern."His voice remained calm."We only want to talk."Silence.Elara stepped closer."We know you're frightened."Nothing."We know why."A long pause.Then the bolt scraped free.The door opened an inch.A pale, sleepless face appeared."You shouldn't be here."Halvern's eyes moved from Kael to Elara."Any of you.""We need the truth," Elara said."The hearing is in hours."Halvern's face tightened.He started closing the door.Elara caught it."Please."Something in her voice stopped him.He stepped back.They entered.The room was
Chapter 117 "Read it again."Kael pushed the top letter across the table.Elara scanned it."Same wording. Same phrases about consolidating pack support.""Exactly."Torin folded his arms."They copied information you actually discussed with the packs.""Which makes the forgery harder to challenge," Elara said."I'll search the servants' quarters," she said suddenly. "Someone had to see who accessed the records.""No."Torin's answer was immediate.Elara turned."Torin""You're not doing this alone.""If someone sees me investigating, it looks like I'm hiding something."Kael stepped forward."If I'm seen investigating, I'm the king examining an accusation against the crown's own integrity."His gaze held hers."That's my responsibility."Elara's jaw tightened."This is my fight.""It stopped being only yours when you let us stand beside you."Kael's voice softened."Don't take that back now because it's dangerous."Elara stared at him.Then exhaled."Fine."She looked between them.
Chapter 116 "Open the doors.""On whose authority?"Torin stepped into the entrance, blocking the guards."Council authority."The lead guard held up a sealed order."We're here for Lady Elara."Kael was already moving."For what reason?"The guard's eyes flicked toward Elara."Formal charges.""What charges?""Conspiracy against the crown. Unauthorized coordination with foreign and pack interests. An attempt to build a political power base outside the crown's authority."The room went silent.Elara stared at him."That's absurd.""There's evidence, my lady.""What evidence?"The guard nodded to an official behind him.The official stepped forward and placed a sealed folio on the table."Correspondence."He opened it."Written in your hand. Discussing plans to consolidate support among the packs, remove political opposition, and eventually challenge the crown."Elara's stomach dropped.She picked up the first page."I never wrote this.""It was discovered among restricted records con







