Chapter ten

The Intruder

The Great Hall was in chaos.

Blackstone warriors blocked every entrance while servants huddled together in fear. No one spoke. No one dared move without permission.

Miguel's voice cut through the silence.

"Search everyone."

Immediately, warriors began inspecting every guest.

Lynnek knelt beside the shattered goblet. The purple liquid had burned tiny holes into the stone floor.

"What kind of poison does that?" she whispered.

Miguel crouched beside her.

"It's called Shadow Venom."

She looked up.

"You know it?"

He nodded grimly.

"It doesn't kill instantly. It destroys trust."

Lynnek frowned.

"I don't understand."

"It attacks the mate bond. Victims begin to doubt each other. They become paranoid... angry... until they eventually turn on the person they love."

A chill ran through her.

"So someone wanted us to destroy ourselves."

"Exactly."

---

An hour later, every servant and guest had been questioned.

Nothing.

The poisoner had vanished.

General Kael approached Miguel.

"Alpha, we found footprints outside the eastern wall."

"Were they ours?"

Kael shook his head.

"No. Whoever entered the manor knew exactly how to avoid our patrols."

Miguel's jaw tightened.

"This wasn't a random attack."

Lynnek crossed her arms.

"Someone inside Lucaster must have helped them."

Miguel looked at her.

"I was thinking the same thing."

---

Late that night, Lynnek stood alone on a balcony overlooking the Blackstone territory.

The moon hung high above the mountains.

She couldn't sleep.

Too many questions haunted her.

Who was the rogue leader?

What was the Moonfang Bloodline?

Why had someone risked everything just to poison her?

Footsteps approached behind her.

"You'll catch a cold."

Miguel draped his cloak over her shoulders before she could protest.

She looked at him.

"You don't have to keep doing that."

"Doing what?"

"Taking care of me."

He leaned against the stone railing.

"I made a promise."

"I never asked for one."

"No."

His eyes met hers.

"But I gave it anyway."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Lynnek smiled.

A real smile.

"You surprise me, Miguel."

"So I've been told."

She laughed softly.

The sound caught him off guard.

It suited her.

Far better than sadness.

---

A sudden scream shattered the peaceful night.

"Help!"

Miguel and Lynnek exchanged a glance before running toward the sound.

They reached the eastern courtyard to find a guard lying on the ground, clutching his bleeding shoulder.

"He... he escaped..." the guard gasped.

"Who?" Miguel demanded.

"The intruder."

Miguel's eyes flashed.

"Seal the gates!"

Warriors rushed in every direction.

Lynnek noticed something glinting near the wounded guard.

She picked it up.

It was a silver pendant shaped like a crescent moon.

Her heart skipped.

She had seen it before.

In the vision Evelyn had shown her.

"This..." she whispered.

Miguel looked at the pendant.

"Do you recognize it?"

Before she could answer, Evelyn's voice echoed from behind them.

"That pendant belongs to the Moonfang family."

Everyone turned toward the elderly woman.

She looked pale, but her eyes were filled with certainty.

She stared at Lynnek.

"It belonged to your mother."

Lynnek's breath caught.

"My... mother?"

Evelyn nodded slowly.

"And if someone has it now..."

She looked toward the dark forest beyond the walls.

"...then the person hunting you knows the truth about your past."

The wind howled through the courtyard.

Somewhere in the darkness, hidden beyond the trees, a hooded figure watched the manor.

A cold smile spread beneath the hood.

"The game has only just begun."