UNHOLY ALLIANCES

Elaris’s POV

There was absolute silence within the grand reception hall following Averic's statement, the title of Royal Caretaker protecting me from being seized by Caedmon or any other elder.

For some time, I was unable to grasp what was going on.

Just minutes ago, I had been facing the council with the accusation.

Now, I had a chance to hold an official position under Maevra’s patronage.

Averic had intervened using his power to prevent me from being removed from the position.

But there was no time to celebrate.

The frightened voice of the maid resounded in my mind.

Maevra had fallen.

And I knew exactly which power she had used.

My gaze shifted to Virelle.

She was standing as rigid as ever.

Too rigid.

Caedmon clenched his jaw tightly, his eyes piercing me with hatred and bitterness before bowing to Averic.

"This is not the end."

Averic's tone was icy cold.

"It is the end for today."

Caedmon glanced at the elders.

"The council cannot be dismissed like that."

Harkan Elder shook his head.

"The Alpha has already given his ruling."

Caedmon turned his eyes to me again.

"Do you really believe that your title will protect you for eternity?"

He held my gaze.

"I don't need forever."

He furrowed his brow.

"I just need the truth to last long enough."

His expression grew darker.

Averic stepped between us.

"Leave."

Caedmon paused.

Then, he spun around and walked towards the doors with the elders behind him.

But Virelle stayed where she was.

Her eyes were fixed on me.

And murder flashed in her gaze.

Virelle retreated from the council and shot me an enraged look from under a mask of a serene smile, her eyes narrowing into dangerous slits of fury.

"You've definitely climbed up the ranks quickly."

I didn't say anything.

Instead, she moved closer to Averic.

"Congratulations on your new caretaker."

Averic didn't look at me.

"Go to the east wing."

Virelle frowned slightly.

"I just wanted to—"

"Right now."

Virelle bowed her head in respect.

"As you wish."

She walked away.

But when she walked past me, she whispered,

"Hope you enjoyed your little triumph."

I watched her go.

"What did you do?"

Her smile appeared again.

"You'll know soon enough."

And then, she disappeared through the side doors.

An awful dread filled me.

As the elders made their departure, Averic stepped down from his throne, walking toward me, enveloping me with his overwhelming Alpha presence.

“You shouldn’t have left my mother.”

“I was afraid.”

“So was I.”

His eyes scanned mine.

“You shouldn’t have gone there alone.”

“I couldn’t allow Caedmon to change what occurred.”

Averic sighed.

“I understand.”

He gently caressed my skin with his fingers.

And then his face softened.

“You were standing before them knowing they could’ve sentenced you.”

“I didn’t have anything left to confess.”

The lie almost made me choke.

I had everything left to confess.

My pregnancy.

The bottle.

My doubts regarding Virelle.

And now Maevra falling apart.

Averic noticed my silence.

“What is it that you aren’t telling me?”

My heart clenched.

Before I got to answer, I suddenly felt waves of nausea attack me.

“You are safe with me, Elaris,” he whispered, his dark eyes scanning my face. “Nothing that would happen at that council would separate you from this place.”

It made me feel slightly relieved of my fear of being abandoned.

“Thank you.”

“You don’t owe me your gratitude for protecting you.”

I looked down.

“You keep saying that.”

“Because it’s true.”

He took my hand.

“Whatever happens with Caedmon, you won’t be going back to him.”

My throat tightened.

“What about Virelle?”

He looked wary.

“What about her?”

“She thinks she belongs here.”

“She’s here by force of law.”

“And if the law changes?”

“We’ll work around it then.”

Those were words I had hoped to hear.

But what would Averic think when he learned that the woman who carried his child was secretly conspiring against his own mother?

I thanked him quietly, but just as I made to move away, an overwhelming wave of nausea struck, forcing me to gag down on bile.

I bit down on my lip.

Here?

Not here.

Not in front of him.

Averic noticed instantly.

“Elaris?”

“I’m fine.”

He frowned.

“You look sick.”

“Really, I’m not.”

He reached out to me.

I pulled back.

He reacted immediately.

“Aye, are you sick?”

“No.”

Lying tasted foul.

I could not chance his finding out about the pregnancy.

Not after everything that had happened.

Not when Maevra was under scrutiny by the healers.

“I just need some fresh air.”

He didn’t look convinced.

“I’ll go with you.”

“No.”

His reply was swift.

Averic glared at me.

Lowering my tone to a whisper, I continued.

“Please.”

After an anxious moment, he nodded.

“Fine.”

Before he had a chance to see my terror, I stepped away from him.

I hid behind the alcove wall, pressing my stomach between the cold stones as I prayed no one would see the physical signs.

My breathing became irregular.

The sickness began to subside.

Closing my eyes, I silently wished for safety.

Keeping my hand pressed against my stomach, I heard steps coming my way.

Straightening up, I listened to voices come from behind the hedge.

Male.

Female.

I recognized them.

Moving toward the lattice, I listened to a male voice speak.

“You said the old Luna would be dead by now.”

My blood ran cold.

Caedmon.

Crouching behind the stone wall, I listened to his voice speak again.

“She lived through the first dosage.”

Virelle.

My heart started racing.

“She will not live through the second.”

Murmuring voices sounded through the hedge lattice in the secluded side balcony.

I pressed myself against the wall and listened.

Caedmon seemed extremely agitated.

"Why didn't you finish it?"

"I needed to have the hearing first."

"You gambled with everything."

"No."

Virelle's tone stayed calm.

"I made a mess."

I clenched my fingers.

"You brought the council into this."

"I used Caedmon's grievance."

"You said Averic would be separated from me."

"He will be."

Caedmon spoke quieter.

"And what about the woman?"

"Elaris is useful."

My stomach felt sick.

"For what?"

Virelle whispered, laughing.

"She will be blamed for the death of the old Luna."

I clapped my hand to my mouth to avoid making an audible gasp.

They did not intend to only scare me.

They prepared to make me their killer.

I looked between the trees and stopped in horror - Virelle stood in the shadows hand in hand with Caedmon.

For a moment I could not believe my eyes.

Caedmon looked at her.

"Are you sure the medicine will kill Maevra?"

Virelle nodded.

"The poison is very slow."

My blood went cold.

"So when she dies everyone will think it was the caretaker."

Caedmon grinned.

"Particularly when the poisoned bottle will be found with Elaris."

Virelle squeezed his hand.

“And I’ll make sure it is.”

My stomach churned.

The stopper.

The bottle.

The medication.

It all fit together now.

She hadn’t been after my death at first.

She needed me alive for me to take the fall.

And that was when Caedmon posed the one question that froze my heart.

“And the child?”

A look passed across Virelle’s face.

“If Elaris’s pregnancy becomes known before the accusation, then the Alpha would rather have her than me.”

Caedmon’s eyes narrowed.

“So?”

“So the pregnancy, like her reputation, must be eliminated.”

“Averic thinks the baby is his,” Virelle said to Caedmon with a cold laugh. “With the Luna out of the way, the pack throne is ours.”

Caedmon’s face hardened.

“But you haven’t told him the truth yet.”

“There’s no need.”

“And what if he finds out about our agreement?”

“He won’t.”

Virelle moved closer.

“And by the time he realizes who did it to Maevra, Elaris will already have been found guilty.”

Caedmon looked doubtful.

“And if she confesses?”

Virelle smiled.

“She won’t have any proof.”

I almost laughed.

I had the stopper.

Except Virelle pulled a second small glass vial from her robes.

“This will seal her fate.”

Caedmon looked at it.

“Are you going to plant it?”

"Not yet."

"When?"

"After Maevra dies."

The blood turned cold in my veins.

Virelle placed the vial out of sight.

"Then all will think that Elaris wanted her dead."

Heart beating wildly in my chest, I realized that Virelle and Caedmon had been planning in secret to dismantle Averic’s power from within.

The pieces of the puzzle began to connect.

Caedmon was taking revenge.

Virelle was out for Averic.

Both were after the throne.

And Maevra’s murder was their golden opportunity.

But there was more.

Caedmon referred to Virelle's baby as a potential heir.

It meant that he was sure that she had conceived Averic's child.

Nevertheless, he conspired with her.

I suddenly realized the degree of his hatred.

Reclaiming me was not what he desired.

He wanted Averic destroyed.

And Virelle planned to use me as the tool of her vengeance.

Looking towards the palace, I noticed Averic who was inside.

Unaware of the truth.

Maevra was fighting for her life.

And only I knew about the danger coming his way.

I had to warn him.

Without hesitation.

Stepping backwards, I was very careful not to reveal myself.

Then my heel scraped against something brittle.

As I moved out of sight to avoid discovery, my hands by accident broke off a dry twig on the stone path – and Caedmon’s cold sharp voice instantly rang out into the night,

“Who is sneaking around there?”

My whole body froze.

Virelle turned.

Her eyes scanned the garden.

“Did you hear that?”

“Yes.”

Caedmon moved back from the balcony.

“Search the garden.”

I hid myself deeper into the shadows.

I felt as if my heart would jump right out of my chest and be audible to them.

The sound of two sets of feet came closer.

Then three.

I gazed toward the palace.

Too late.

I could not run without being discovered.

Suddenly a hand covered my mouth from behind.

I nearly shrieked.

A familiar voice murmured in my ear,

"Don’t make a noise."

Averic.

He drew me back into the shadows just as Caedmon entered the garden.

I gazed at him in horror.

His face was stern.

He had been following me.

And the look in his eyes told me that he had heard enough to know that something terrible had happened.

But before either of us could say anything, Caedmon stopped just a few feet away from us.

“Search everywhere.”

Virelle moved to his side.

And then she pointed straight at the spot where Averic and I were hiding.

“Over there.”

My blood turned to ice.

She had found us.