A table of wolves

The evening bells echoed across Blackthorn Keep.

Their deep, steady chimes rolled through every corridor and courtyard, announcing the evening meal.

In the Moon Wing, Lyra stood motionless before the tall window.

Outside, snow drifted gently across the mountains, turning the fortress into a sea of silver and white. Below, servants hurried between buildings carrying lanterns that glowed warmly against the growing darkness.

Everything looked peaceful.

Too peaceful.

It was hard to believe that only hours earlier, someone had tried to kill her inside the Moon Temple.

Her reflection stared back at her from the glass.

She barely recognized the girl looking back.

No patched cloak.

No worn leather boots.

No windblown hair.

Instead, she wore a simple sapphire-blue gown that flowed to her ankles. Silver embroidery shimmered along the sleeves like tiny stars. Her dark hair had been brushed smooth and tied back neatly with a matching ribbon.

She looked...

Different.

Not richer.

Not nobler.

Just unfamiliar.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in."

Elara entered carrying a small silver box.

"I thought you might like these."

She opened the lid.

Inside lay a pair of delicate moonstone earrings.

Lyra immediately shook her head.

"No."

"They're only jewelry."

"They're expensive."

"They belong to the Moon Wing."

"Exactly."

Elara smiled patiently.

"And you're staying in the Moon Wing."

Lyra laughed nervously.

"I still feel like someone will walk in and tell me this is all a mistake."

The maid's smile faded.

"I don't think anyone could make that mistake."

"You'd be surprised."

Elara carefully lifted one of the earrings.

"May I?"

After a brief hesitation, Lyra nodded.

The moonstones caught the candlelight beautifully.

When Elara finished, she stepped back with an approving smile.

"There."

Lyra looked into the mirror.

The girl staring back looked almost like someone from the stories they used to tell the orphans during winter nights.

Except...

She still didn't feel like herself.

A heavy knock sounded at the door.

Much firmer this time.

Elara opened it.

A Blackthorn guard stood outside and bowed respectfully.

"My Lady."

Lyra sighed quietly.

"I'll never get used to that."

"The Alpha requests your presence in the Great Hall."

Her stomach immediately tightened.

"It's already time?"

The guard nodded.

"The guests have gathered."

When the door closed again, Lyra looked toward Elara.

"What if I say something foolish?"

"You probably will."

Lyra stared.

Elara burst into laughter.

"I'm joking."

"I wasn't sure."

"You'll be fine."

"What if they don't like me?"

The maid's expression became gentler.

"My Lady..."

"They decided whether they liked you long before they met you."

The words settled heavily inside Lyra.

She knew Elara was right.

Outside the Moon Wing...

Kael stood waiting beside the corridor windows.

His hands rested behind his back as he watched snow fall over the inner courtyard.

Below, warriors changed shifts while torches were lit along the fortress walls.

Security had doubled since the attack.

Archers occupied every tower.

No one entered or left the Keep unnoticed.

Even so...

He couldn't shake the feeling that someone had already slipped through.

The doors behind him opened quietly.

He turned.

For a brief second...

His thoughts stopped.

Lyra stepped into the corridor beside Elara.

The blue gown suited her far better than the worn clothing she had arrived in.

Yet despite the elegant dress...

She still held herself like the orphan from Grey Hollow.

Her shoulders remained slightly tense.

Her eyes searched every corner as though expecting someone to tell her she didn't belong.

Kael found that strangely reassuring.

Power had not changed her.

Not yet.

"You came."

Lyra raised an eyebrow.

"Were you expecting me to escape through the window?"

"It crossed my mind."

She folded her arms.

"I considered it."

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Kael's mouth.

Rowan, who had just arrived from the opposite hallway, stopped in surprise.

He blinked.

Did the Alpha just...

Almost smile?

The moment disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

Kael looked toward Lyra.

"Ready?"

"No."

"We're going anyway."

She sighed dramatically.

"I was afraid you'd say that."

Rowan chuckled quietly.

Lyra looked toward him.

He placed one hand over his chest.

" Rowan."

She smiled politely.

"It's nice to meet someone who doesn't stare at me."

"Oh..."

Rowan grinned.

"I've already stared."

Lyra groaned.

"Wonderful."

"I was simply curious."

"So is everyone else."

"That's true."

The three began walking toward the Great Hall.

The corridors grew busier with every turn.

Servants carrying steaming dishes stepped quickly aside.

Young soldiers bowed as Kael passed.

Older nobles paused their conversations.

Their eyes immediately found Lyra.

Whispers followed.

"That's the girl..."

"She looks so ordinary."

"Can that really be the Moon Goddess's choice?"

"I heard the Royal Moon Crest appeared."

"I heard she's only an orphan."

"I heard she nearly died at the temple."

"I heard...

The voices blended together until Lyra could no longer distinguish one from another.

She kept walking.

Head high.

Heart racing.

Kael noticed.

Without looking at her, he spoke quietly enough that only she could hear.

"Ignore them."

"I'm trying."

"They'll stop."

She looked sideways.

"When?"

He answered honestly.

"When they find something else to gossip about."

Despite everything...

She laughed.

The sound surprised even her.

For a brief moment...

She forgot she was walking into a room filled with people waiting to judge her..

The towering doors of the Great Hall swung open.

Warmth washed over Lyra immediately.

Hundreds of candles burned from enormous iron chandeliers suspended high above the hall. Their golden light danced across polished black stone and long oak tables already laden with steaming platters of roasted venison, fresh bread, butter, vegetables, baked potatoes, and bowls of thick winter stew.

The rich aroma filled the air.

For one brief moment, Lyra forgot to breathe.

She had never seen so much food gathered in one place.

The orphanage could have eaten for a month with what rested on a single table.

Then...

The conversations stopped.

One after another.

Like falling dominoes.

Forks paused halfway to mouths.

Goblets froze in midair.

Musicians lowered their instruments.

Nearly every pair of eyes turned toward the entrance.

Toward her.

The silence became almost unbearable.

Lyra instinctively slowed her steps.

She wanted to disappear.

To turn around.

To return to the quiet safety of the Moon Wing.

Instead...

Kael continued forward without hesitation.

She forced herself to follow.

The whispers started almost immediately.

"So that's the orphan."

"She doesn't look like royalty."

"She's younger than I expected."

"I heard the Moon Goddess herself chose her."

"They say an assassin tried to kill her."

"They say she carries the Royal Moon Crest."

"They say...

"They say too much."

The final voice was calm.

Firm.

The whispers stopped.

Kael hadn't raised his voice.

He hadn't needed to.

The hall fell quiet once more.

At the center of the room stood a raised platform where the Alpha's table overlooked the rest of the hall.

Kael walked toward it.

Every step echoed.

Lyra's heartbeat seemed just as loud.

As they reached the table, Kael pulled out a chair beside his own.

"Sit."

She blinked.

"Here?"

"Yes."

She looked around uncertainly.

Every person seated there wore fine clothing embroidered with the symbols of noble families.

Silver rings.

Gold necklaces.

Decorated cloaks.

She wore borrowed clothes.

"I don't think I belong here."

Kael met her eyes.

"You belong where I tell you to sit."

A few councilors exchanged uneasy looks.

Lyra slowly lowered herself into the chair.

The murmurs began again.

Across the table, Lady Selene watched quietly over the rim of her goblet.

She looked relieved.

The girl had arrived safely.

For now.

Yet the unease in her heart refused to leave.

Someone inside these walls wanted Lyra dead.

She could feel it.

And whoever it was...

Hadn't given up.

A servant began serving the meal.

Bowls of soup.

Fresh bread.

Slices of roasted venison.

Honey-glazed carrots.

Lyra stared at the plate placed before her.

She had never eaten food that smelled this good.

She hesitated.

Unsure which utensil to use first.

Unsure whether she should begin eating before everyone else.

Unsure...

Of everything.

A cheerful voice interrupted her thoughts.

"If you keep staring at it, it'll get cold."

She looked up.

A young man had dropped into the empty seat opposite her without asking permission.

He looked to be in his early twenties.

Dark hair refused to stay neatly combed, falling into bright gray eyes filled with amusement.

Unlike the nobles around him, his posture was completely relaxed.

Almost lazy.

"I'm Jer."

He reached across the table with an easy grin.

Lyra shook his hand carefully.

"Lyra."

"I know."

His grin widened.

"Half the Keep has been talking about you since breakfast."

She sighed dramatically.

"I was hoping that wasn't true."

"Oh, it's true."

He leaned closer.

"I've even heard three completely different stories about you today."

She frowned.

"There are only three?"

Jer laughed loudly enough to earn disapproving looks from several elders.

"I like you already."

Kael looked toward him.

"Jer."

"I'm behaving."

"Barely."

Jer ignored him and looked back at Lyra.

"So..."

"Which rumor is true?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"What rumors?"

"One says you're secretly a princess."

She shook her head.

"No."

"Another says you defeated the assassin yourself."

"No."

"The last one claims you turned into a white wolf the size of a horse."

Lyra blinked.

"...People actually believe that?"

"You'd be surprised."

Despite herself...

She laughed.

A genuine laugh.

The sound carried farther than she intended.

Several heads turned.

One elderly noble frowned deeply.

"She's laughing."

Another answered quietly.

"Should she not?"

"Not at the Alpha's table."

Jer rolled his eyes dramatically.

"They complain about everything."

Kael almost smiled again.

Almost.

A servant refilled everyone's goblets.

Dinner finally began.

Lyra cautiously tore off a piece of bread.

It was still warm.

Soft.

She closed her eyes briefly after the first bite.

Jer noticed.

"Good?"

She nodded.

"The best bread I've ever tasted."

He pointed toward the butter.

"Try that."

She did.

Her eyes widened.

"This is unfair."

Jer burst into laughter.

"You've never had butter?"

"Not like this."

"You've been deprived."

Kael quietly continued eating while listening to the conversation.

He noticed something interesting.

Every time Lyra forgot people were watching...

She smiled.

When she remembered...

The smile disappeared.

Across the table...

One council elder observed the same thing.

His expression remained unreadable.

He quietly stood.

"I've lost my appetite."

No one questioned him.

He left through a side door.

Lady Selene watched him go.

Her grip tightened around her goblet.

Something was wrong.

That man never left meals early.

Never.

She glanced toward Kael.

He was focused on Lyra.

He hadn't noticed.

Or perhaps...

He was pretending not to.

Far beyond the Great Hall...

The elderly councilor entered a narrow stone passage hidden behind the kitchens.

His footsteps echoed in the darkness.

He stopped before an old wooden door.

Three knocks.

A pause.

Then two more.

The door opened just enough for a hooded figure to appear.

The councilor spoke only four words.

"The girl has arrived."

A gloved hand emerged from the darkness.

The councilor placed a small pouch inside it.

The unmistakable sound of coins clinked softly.

The hooded figure disappeared without another word.

The door closed.

The corridor fell silent once more.

Back inside the Great Hall...

Lyra suddenly felt as though someone was watching her.

Not the curious stares from the nobles.

Something else.

Something colder.

She slowly looked toward the far end of the hall.

For only a heartbeat...

She caught sight of a hooded figure standing behind one of the massive pillars.

Completely still.

Watching.

The moment their eyes met...

The figure stepped backward...

And vanished.

Lyra's smile disappeared.

"...Kael."

He immediately looked at her.

"What is it?"

"I think..."

She swallowed.

"...someone was watching me."

Kael turned sharply toward the pillar.

There was no one there.

But something deep inside him stirred.

The same instinct that had warned him before the assassin struck at the Moon Temple.

His hand slowly rested on the hilt of his sword.

The feast continued.

The laughter returned.

No one else noticed anything.

No one except Kael...

Who suddenly realized the enemy might already be inside Blackthorn Keep.