The Second Plot

Lana had learned a very important lesson since arriving in her own novel.

Knowing what would happen beforehand, didn't automatically make her good at preventing it.

In fact, knowing what would happen, seemed to make her life more complicated.

She knew another assassination attempt was coming.

She remembered the scene clearly from her novel.

“I think.. An assassin would be entering the castle through a narrow passage.”

She placed a finger on her lips.

'Hmm.. Where was it again?'

She snapped her fingers.

“Right, behind the old kitchens.. He was to hide there until the evening patrol changes, then slip into the eastern corridor.. His mission had been to strangle Isadora to death.”

She had known about it, because she had written it herself.

That was why she intended to stay as far away from that passage, as possible.

Lana made a mental rule for herself.

'Do not go near the old kitchens, your own bedroom, or try to investigate strange noises.'

She nodded firmly.

“I can follow the rules.”

Elias, walking beside her, glanced over.

“Why are you talking to yourself, Luna?”

She shrugged.

“I try to motivate myself.”

“You do that often?” He questioned.

She smiled.

“Of course.. I need encouragement.”

Elias raised an eyebrow.

“From yourself?”

Lana shrugged lightly.

“Who else can I trust?”

Elias laughed, while she smiled in return.

For once, everything seemed under control.

Then, she smelled roasted chicken.

'Hmm.. Smells really nice.'

She stopped walking.

'My stomach definitely needs that.'

Elias took two more steps before noticing.

“What is wrong, Luna?”

Lana stared at the kitchen.

“That smells incredibly nice.”

Elias chuckled.

“But you've had breakfast.”

“I know.” She replied.

He sighed.

“So why are you staring at the kitchen?”

She licked her lips hungrily.

“Because lunch is already happening right before my eyes.”

Elias looked amused.

“You're impossible, Luna.”

She frowned slightly.

“I'm hungry, Beta.”

Elias shook his head.

“You ate breakfast.”

Lana frowned.

“That was hours ago.”

“Precisely, two hours ago.” He corrected.

Her brows furrowed.

“Exactly.”

Before Elias could argue, She marched towards the kitchen.

She knew the dangerous passage was nearby, but grabbing food wasn't dangerous.

She entered the kitchen, and immediately found a servant carrying a large platter.

“Is that chicken?” She question immediately.

The servant smiled.

“Yes, Luna.”

Lana's eyes brightened.

“Could you serve me some?”

“Of course, Luna.” The servant replied.

A few minutes later, Lana walked down the corridor carrying a plate piled with roasted chicken, and potatoes.

She was happy, until she remembered the passage.

Then, she gasp.

“The old kitchens.. They're behind me.”

She shook anxiously.

“The dangerous passage should be somewhere ahead too..”

She looked at the corridor, then, at her plate.

Finally, back at the corridor.

“I should probably turn around.”

She took another bite of chicken.

“This is excellent.”

She continued walking.

“I should definitely turn around.”

She took another bite.

“Definitely after finishing this.”

Unfortunately, she became so focused on her food, that she stopped paying attention to where she was heading.

She turned to a corner, then to another.

Finally, she stepped through a narrow doorway.

The moment she entered, someone moved.

Lana froze.

A man was bending against the wall.

He wore dark clothing, while a dagger rested at his side.

His face was partially covered.

She stared at him, he stared back.

Both remained completely still.

The assassin looked confused, while Lana looked at her chicken.

Then, back at him.

Finally, back at her chicken.

“Oh crap!”

The assassin slowly reached for his weapon.

Lana's eyes widened.

“Oh, hell no!”

He stood.

She shook fearfully.

“Don't you dare come near me, or i'll definitely scream.”

Then, she screamed.

“Aaaaah!”

The assassin flinched.

“What brought you here?”

Lana screamed even louder.

“Help!”

The man ran towards her.

She ran.

Halfway through the hallway, she threw her plate.

Chicken flew through the air, potatoes smashed the wall, while a chicken lap landed directly on the assassin's shoulder.

He stopped, and stared at it.

Lana glanced at him.

“I’m sorry about the chicken!”

She turned, and ran.

“Help me!... Beta!.. Alpha!.. Anyone, help me!”

The assassin chased after her.

'Why am i being targeted all the time?'

She had survived the poison, and had barely gotten over the mind-reading issue.

Now, she was being chased because she had gone after chicken.

“Someone, help!”

Footsteps approached from the opposite corridor.

Cassian appeared with two guards behind him.

His expression changed, the moment he saw Lana running toward him.

“Isadora!”

Lana pointed behind her.

“Assasin!”

Cassian drew his sword.

The assassin stopped halfway.

For a second, the corridor became silent.

Then, the assassin ran in the opposite direction.

“Stop him!” Cassian ordered.

The guards chased after the assassin.

He grabbed Lana's arm.

“Are you hurt?”

Lana shook her head.

“No.”

He looked her over.

“Are you certain?”

She nodded.

He gazed at her.

“What happened?”

Lana opened her mouth, then closed it.

'How am i supposed to explain this?'

She swallowed.

“I was walking.”

Cassian stared.

“Yes?”

She continued.

“Then, I walked into him.”

He looked uncertain.

“You walked into an assassin?”

She nodded.

“Exactly.. Didn't you hear what i just called him?.”

Cassian's expression became flat.

Lana sighed.

“Although, it was an accident.”

“I see.”

He clearly didn't believe her.

Elias arrived moments later, breathing heavily.

He looked at Lana, then at the corridor ahead.

Finally, at the scattered food trailing down the hallway.

“Why are there chicken crumbs on the wall?” He questioned.

Lana pointed at the hallway.

“Its an evidence.”

Elias raised a brow.

“Evidence of what?”

“An attack.” She said.

He looked at her.

“Did you throw food at an assassin?”

She shrugged.

“I had to defend myself.”

“With chicken?” He questioned, completely amused.

“It was effective.” Lana defended.

Elias shook his head.

Cassian rubbed his forehead.

“That's enough.”

A guard hurried towards them.

“Alpha!”

He turned.

“We lost him.” The guard reported.

Cassian's jaw tightened.

“Search every passage.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

The guard hesitated.

“There is something else.”

“What?” He questioned.

“We found this.”

He held out a small silver token.

Cassian took it.

His expression changed.

“Where did you find it?”

“Near the passage.” The guard admitted.

Lana looked at the token.

She recognized it.

In the original story, the token belonged to a servant, secretly working as an assassin, and a spy.

Her eyes widened.

“He works here.”

Everyone stared at her.

She froze.

Cassian's eyes narrowed.

“Who?”

“The…”

She needed to think, but it was too late.

“The spy.”

Silence returned.

Elias stared at her.

Cassian stepped closer.

“What spy?”

Lana swallowed.

“I mean…”

She looked around.

“Maybe there isn't one.”

Cassian's expression hardened.

“You just said there was.”

Lana didn't respond immediately.

Elias crossed his arms.

“You knew there was someone inside?”

She smiled weakly.

“I guessed.”

Cassian looked at the token, then at Lana.

“How?”

Her mind raced.

Obviously, she couldn't tell them she wrote the spy herself.

She looked toward the guards.

“His shoes.”

Cassian closed his eyes briefly.

Elias groaned.

“Not the shoes again.”

She shrugged.

“You needed information, so...”

Cassian looked at her.

“Who is the spy?”

She swallowed.

“The servant with a scar on his left hand.”

A guard immediately stepped forward.

“We have three servants matching that description.”

Lana's confidence disappeared.

“Oh..”

Cassian looked at her.

Then, she quickly added.

“Check all three.”

The guards left.

***

Minutes later, one of them returned with a pale-faced servant.

The man had a scar across his left hand.

Cassian looked at him.

“You.”

The servant dropped to his knees.

“Alpha, I can explain.”

Cassian's voice was cold.

“Who sent you?”

The servant said nothing.

His eyes hardened.

Lana watched silently.

She couldn't believe she had done it again.

Cassian looked at her.

There was something different in his expression.

Something closer to reluctant admiration.

“You knew.”

She straightened.

“Of course.”

Elias looked at her.

“You didn't.. You only screamed.”

“That was part of the plan.” She defended.

He chuckled.

“I presume, throwing chicken was also part of the plan.”

Lana shrugged.

“It was a strategy?”

Elias stared at her, entirely amused, while Cassian's expression remained unimpressed.

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Of course.. Or do you have a choice?” She questioned.

Elias chuckled.

“No.. Luna.”

She sighed.

“Nobody appreciates strategy anymore.”

Cassian turned toward the guards.

“Seize him!”

They obeyed.

Once the corridor was quiet, Lana looked at the remains of her meal.

A piece of chicken was still lying on the floor.

She sighed.

“What a shame.”

Elias glanced.

“What is it, Luna?”

She made a sober face.

“My chicken.”

He looked surprised.

“You almost died, Luna.. And all you can think of, is chicken?”

Lana lowered her face.

“The chicken didn't deserve that.”

He laughed.

Cassian shook his head, in disbelief.

Lana felt satisfied with herself.

She had survived another assassination attempt, exposed the assassin, and had even managed to escape without being stabbed.

'Honestly, i deserve recognition.'

'Perhaps, a medal... A very large, gold medal.'

Cassian looked at her.

He could hear every thought.

His mouth twitched.

Lana noticed.

“What's funny?”

His smile disappeared.

“Nothing.”

She stared at him, suspiciously.

“You're smiling.”

He looked at the chicken on the floor.

“I was thinking about your strategy.”

Lana smiled proudly.

“See?.. It was brilliant.”

Cassian said nothing.

Brilliant wasn't agreeable.

He would have called it reckless, chaotic, and dangerously lucky.

Those were more accurate.

Yet, he couldn't deny one thing, his Luna had once again survived.

And somehow, she had uncovered something no one else had noticed.

Cassian watched her walk away with Elias, still complaining about the wasted chicken.

His expression slowly became thoughtful.

She was safer when he was near her.

But, each time he let her out of sight, she somehow found herself in the middle of danger.

He looked toward the corridor.

Perhaps, the problem wasn't simply about Isadora knowing too much.

Perhaps, keeping her close was the only way to keep her alive.

For the first time, Cassian began wondering if keeping Isadora close may be safer than allowing her out of his sight.