THE GARDEN SHADOW

Elaris's POV

Elaris still watches from the window, her hand absentmindedly brushing against the soft swell of her abdomen as she gazes down at the form beneath the old oak

Virelle doesn't hurry

She waits with an almost languid confidence, as if she knows precisely how many of the palace's defences she can safely ignore on her way back

For several long seconds, Elaris finds herself unable to reconcile this with the orders Averic had given her only hours ago

Virelle was to be confined and guarded at all times

Yet here she was, wandering freely in the garden

Virelle raises one hand in a languid gesture, neither an apology nor a threat but something in between

Elaris's stomach tightens

She doesn't move from the window until Virelle finally turns and vanishes between the trees

Only then does Elaris turn away from the window and pull the bell rope until it slaps against the wood

"Call the nearest guard," she snaps, her voice steadier than she feels

"Wake the whole watch

Find Alpha Averic

NOW

"

The guard reaches her door within seconds, his companion following shortly afterwards

Elaris indicates the gardens

"Someone was beneath the old oak

" Who?"

"Virelle

"

The warrior stiffens visibly

"That can't be possible, Lady Elaris

"

"She was there

" Elaris watches his face as he turns towards the window, his gaze flickering over the garden

"She was watching this room

before slipping into the shadows

"

The guard's face loses whatever confidence it had held

"She is under confinement

"

"Then someone failed to keep her there

"

The second warrior reaches for his weapon

"I'll inform the captain

"

"No,

" Elaris bites off the words

"Alert everyone

"

The first guard hesitates

Elaris meets his gaze

"If she was able to get this far without being seen, you don't know where else she might have been

"

That finally gets him moving

Boots sound along the corridor as he hurries away, barking orders down the wing

Elaris waits by the window as the palace stirs around her, hushed voices speaking of a watch being roused

For once, Elaris feels as though the very walls of the palace are closing in around her

Someone knew how to get past the palace's many guardians

Now, for the first time in her life, she knows that she cannot trust them

The quiet of the sleeping palace is shattered within minutes

Warriors flood the corridor, torches glowing, doors opening as commands echo down the wing

Averic finally appears, clad only in a hastily pulled on shirt, his hair still loose from where he had thrown it back in sleep

His sword is already in his hand as he strides forward

He wastes no time on pleasantries

"Where?"

Elaris indicates the garden

"Under the old oak

She was watching this room

"

Averic's gaze tracks her meaning, his expression darkening

"Did she see you?"

"Yes

" Averic's jaw tightens

"Seal every exit

" His captain falls into step beside him as they stride back towards the corridor

"Nobody leaves the palace grounds

Search every garden path, servant passage, storage rooms, the outer corridors

" He turns back to Elaris

"Stay inside this wing

"

"I can help

"

"You already did

" There is no dismissal in his tone this time, only concern

He gestures to two of the warriors

"Stay with her

"

Then he is gone, striding towards the garden with the rest of the watch

Elaris watches his retreating back with a sinking heart

The sight of the sword at his side does little to reassure her

If Virelle had been able to escape confinement, steel might not be enough to stop her

Elaris waits as the search stretches on through the gardens

Neryss reaches her side a short while later, fastening the clasp of her cloak

"My lady

"

Elaris turns

"Where were you?"

"Asleep until someone nearly tore my door off its hinges

"

Neryss exchanges a glance with Elaris

"Is it true?"

Elaris nods

"Virelle was there

"

Neryss's face tightens

"She was supposed to be locked away

"

"That is what everyone keeps telling me

"

Neither woman speaks for several long seconds

If Virelle had been able to appear beneath Elaris's window after being formally confined, then either the guards assigned to her care had been spectacularly incompetent, or they had never intended to keep her there

Neryss lowers her voice

"Do you think she came here to frighten you?"

Elaris's fingers brush against her abdomen

"No

" She surprises herself with the certainty of that answer

"She wanted me to see her

"

"Why?"

"I don't know

" Elaris's fingers curl over her stomach

"But she knew exactly where to stand

"

Neryss's expression is unreadable

"Was she alone?

"

Elaris looks up sharply

"What do you mean?"

"If someone helped her escape, they may still be here

"

Elaris's heart pounds against her ribs

The thought of someone lurking in the palace, waiting for the right moment to strike, sends a chill down her spine

She remembers the strange footsteps she had heard outside her chamber earlier

The people who had not been part of Averic's assigned watch

Her stomach tightens

If Virelle's would-be assassins had been able to get this far, what else might they be able to do

Averic returns before dawn breaks in full

Elaris can tell from his expression that the search has been in vain

"She is gone

"

Elaris's shoulders sag despite herself

"Gone from the garden?"

"Gone from the palace

" Averic's captain falls into step beside him as they return to the corridor

"We found the guards assigned to her rooms

"

Elaris turns

"Where?"

"In a storage chamber behind the eastern servants' passage

"

The captain hesitates

"They were both bound

They were unconscious when we found them

"

Neryss swears under her breath

Averic's hand tightens around the hilt of his sword

"How long?"

"The healer estimates they were struck roughly an hour before we arrived

"

Elaris thinks of the figure she had seen beneath the old oak

An hour, perhaps less

Someone had been able to subdue the guards, release Virelle, and guide her through the palace with apparent ease

Averic exchanges a glance with his captain

"Were the doors forced?"

"No

" The captain's expression darkens

"Locks broken?"

"No

"

Averic's jaw tightens

"Then someone opened them from the inside

"

The captain nods

"We believe so, Alpha

"

Elaris watches the two men for a long moment

The implications of their words are staggering

Virelle had not simply escaped

Someone had opened the doors for her

How many others in the palace might be willing to do the same

Elaris studies the warriors surrounding them

How many knew the palace's secret passages

How many had access to the private wing?

The thought makes her skin prickle

Averic turns to his captain

"From now on, nobody is cleared simply because they wear my crest

" The captain looks surprised

"Alpha?"

"Check over every guard assigned to Virelle's care

Check their families, their pay, their movements

Find out who authorised their posts

"

Elaris watches Averic's face as he speaks, noting the tension in his jaw

It is not the reaction of a man who believes the breach is minor

Averic is thinking several moves ahead

Caedmon had already worked with Virelle

The outer packs had received her letters

Clearly, someone within the palace had helped her escape

Elaris exhales slowly

"There is another person

"

Neryss watches her carefully

"At least one

"

Averic listens intently

"There may be more

" He looks towards the servants' corridor

"If one traitor had access to Virelle, we cannot assume the breach stops with her

"

Elaris thinks of Maevra

The altered medicines

The stolen bottles

The missing guards

The ones who had once accepted Virelle's accusations without question

The danger suddenly seems much greater than a single woman seeking revenge

Averic takes charge of the palace with renewed urgency

"Seal the private wing

" Warriors move to obey his orders

"No servant may enter without being identified by two guards

" Another order is shouted

"No healer may change Maevra's medication unless the captain and Harwin both verify it

"

The captain nods

"Double the guard outside Elaris's chamber

"

Elaris starts to protest

"The guard outside her room is adequate

"

"She was wrong about the confinement

" Averic's gaze tracks back to Elaris

"Someone has already proven they can move through my walls

"

Two warriors fall into place beside Elaris

Then Averic turns to Maevra's chamber

"Her guard also doubles

No one approaches her without authorisation

"

The palace is changing around them

Doors are barred, watch rotations altered, servants questioned

Elaris knows she will never walk these familiar corridors with quite the same confidence

Virelle's escape has forced Averic to admit what he had been reluctant to say aloud

The palace is compromised

The blood moon draws close

Once the initial orders have been fulfilled, Averic finally dismisses the others, leaving only Neryss, the captain, and two trusted guards

He turns back to Elaris

"You're staying with me

"

She studies his face

"That sounds like another order

"

"It isn't

" Averic's answer is immediate

"I am asking

"

Elaris looks towards the garden

"You said nobody would enter or leave without my permission

"

"And someone did

" Averic's jaw tightens

"You were certain the confinement would hold

"

"I was

"

There is no excuse in his response, only the weight of having been wrong

Elaris folds her arms across her chest

"What happens when your orders fail again?

"

Averic doesn't look away

"I change the system

"

"And if the person helping her is someone you trust?

"

"Then I find out

" His hand loosens around the hilt of his sword

"I won't send you away while I search for Virelle's would-be assassins

"

The words surprise Elaris

She could have said she preferred to be guarded

Averic, however, clearly values her safety

"All right,

" she says quietly

Averic nods

"Stay beside me

"

They return to Maevra's chamber together

The healers still work, but the older woman's breathing remains steady

Harwin meets them at the doorway

"She has held steady

"

Elaris exhales

"Is she awake?"

"Not yet

" Harwin's voice is hushed

"The poison damage is still there, but the improvement only means we stopped adding to it

"

Averic listens to the news

"How long before you know whether she will recover?"

"I can't promise that

" Elaris walks to Maevra's bedside

The older woman looks as if she has been worn down by her illness, her bones almost translucent against the soft padding of the pillows

The room is filled with suspicion, every vial and folded strip of cloth in question

Elaris takes Maevra's hand in her own

"I'm here

"

Averic stays nearby, his presence a silent reassurance

The ghost of Virelle lingers overhead, but neither Elaris nor Averic seem inclined to speak of her

Elaris watches the older woman's face

"She came to the garden

"

"I know

" Averic's gaze tracks hers

"She wanted me to see her

"

"Perhaps

" Elaris shakes her head

"No, she wanted me to understand something

"

Averic waits

"She can still reach me

" Her voice is quiet

"And that is exactly what we're going to stop

"

Averic moves towards the doorway where his captain waits

Elaris stays by Maevra's side but listens as they speak

"How far has the search reached?"

"The western gardens are clear, but the servant passages are being checked again

" The captain turns his head

"And outside?

"

"We've sent trackers into the surrounding woods

"

Averic's jaw tightens

"Look for signs of a second person

"

"We will

" His voice is grim

"Not just Virelle's trail, but footprints, disturbed soil, discarded clothing...anything that would suggest she was escorted

"

The captain nods

Elaris hears another warrior mention an outer path leading towards the northern road

The same road used by messengers

Her thoughts return to the letters

The blood moon

The approaching audience

The warning that outside packs may challenge Averic

Had Virelle escaped to deliver something?

Or had she already delivered it?

Averic asks

"Any contact with the border patrols?"

"Nothing yet

" Keep checking

"

Elaris looks down at Maevra

The palace is searching outside

Yet she feels as though the most dangerous thing may still be inside the palace

Footsteps sound outside the chamber

A young warrior appears at the doorway, his breathing still heavy from running

"Alpha

"

Averic turns

"What did you find?"

The young man holds up something delicate in his hands

"Something near the wall of the garden

"

He crosses the room and offers the object to Averic

It is a slender chain of silver, the clasp broken

Elaris recognises it at once

"Virelle

"

Averic looks at her

"You're certain?"

"She wore it constantly

"

Elaris finds herself thinking of the chain as she watches Averic inspect it

It had always been there, resting against Virelle's throat, catching the light as she moved

Even when she had pretended to be nervous when delivering her accusations, the chain had been there

Virelle had even touched it once when pretending to be nervous

Elaris reaches towards it, but stops herself

"Where exactly was it found?"

"Beside the garden wall

"

"On the inside?"

The young man nods

Elaris's mind races

If the chain had broken while Virelle climbed the garden wall, it could support both versions of events

But if she had deliberately left it there...

Averic comes to the same conclusion

"Search the wall again

"

The young man starts to turn

"Wait

"

Elaris notices something caught around the broken clasp

A thin strip of parchment

Her stomach tightens

"There is something attached

"

The young man looks surprised

Averic takes the parchment and chain from him

The room feels suddenly smaller

Neryss moves closer

"Is that a message?"

Averic doesn't reply immediately

He carefully separates the strip of parchment from the chain

Elaris watches Averic's fingers as he examines the chain

It feels less like evidence and more like an invitation

Virelle wanted them to find it

She wanted someone to carry it into this room

Averic unfolds the paper

The page is small enough to fit in his palm

There is no writing upon it, simply four words carefully etched upon the parchment in Virelle's hand

Averic's expression darkens

Elaris watches Averic's face closely

"What does it say?"

He doesn't immediately respond

She moves closer

"Alpha?"

Averic finally turns the page towards her

Four simple words stare back at her, written in Virelle's unmistakable hand:

"The child dies first."

Elaris's hand instinctively covers her abdomen

The room feels suddenly colder

This is no longer a message meant to threaten her

It is a pronouncement

Virelle knows about the child

She knows where Elaris sleeps

She knows how to get past the palace's guards

And, most worryingly, she has made sure that Averic will know exactly what she intends to take from him