Elara's POV

The moon hung high over the kingdom of Blackwood. Its light brought me no peace.

I sat alone in my chamber. The silk of my gown feeling like sandpaper against my skin.

Every time I closed my eyes. I saw her. That ghost of a girl with her strange clothes. She was a rot in my garden. A weed that refused to be plucked. She was ruining everything I had spent years building.

Alaric is changing. I can feel it in the way he speaks. The way he carries himself. Most dangerously, the way he looks at her.

He is no longer the predictable tyrant I need him to be. A tyrant is easy to lead; you simply point him at an enemy and watch him tear them apart. But Alaric is softening.

He is looking for "truth" and "justice" instead of the raw, bloody revenge. Revenge that would keep this kingdom in a state of chaos.

If he finds out the truth about his mother's death. He might not kill the people I need him to kill. He might actually think. And a thinking King is a King I cannot control.

This nameless girl is the catalyst for his transformation. She is the anchor holding him back from his wolfish nature. My heart burned with a rage so hot I feared it would sear the very air in the room.

"She has the audacity to challenge me." I whispered to the empty room.

"Me. The woman feared by every wolf in this pack. The woman who should be wearing the crown."

Morgana stepped out from the shadows. Her face pale. She had been waiting for my mood to shift. But tonight, there was no shifting. There was only the fire.

"What do you think, Morgana?" I asked.

My voice cracking like a whip.

"Tell me how a peasant from nowhere is making the future Queen of Blackwood look like a bumbling fool."

Morgana bowed her head.

Her voice hushed. "My Lady, the girl is... unexpected. She does not play by the rules of the court because she does not know them. But she is making you look weak in the eyes of the other wolves. I hear the whispers in the servant halls. They say the 'Ghost Chef' has the Alpha's ear. They say she is untouchable."

I gripped the arm of my velvet chair. My knuckles turned white.

"Weak? They think I am weak?"

"They see a girl survive your wrath and come out stronger." Morgana said.

"We need a more dangerous plan. Something that does not just shame her, but leads directly to her execution. She is too small to be competing with the Lady of Blackwood, yet here she is, standing in your light."

"She is just a fly." I spat.

"A fly that needs to be swatted and crushed until there is nothing left but a stain on the floor."

"I believe you can handle her, My Lady." Morgana said.

She tried to soothe me.

"We just need more time to gather the right pieces. A plan that leaves no room for her to slip through."

I stood up. I paced the length of the room. The sapphire silk of my dress hissed against the stone.

"Time? We do not have time. Alaric is already searching for evidence. He threatened to bring proof against those involved in the old queen's passing. If he finds that proof before she is gone, she will protect him from the fallout. I want him hungry for blood. Not balanced by her 'mercy'."

I turned to Morgana, my eyes narrowed.

"Tell me one thing. How was it possible for Sophie to win that dinner? I watched the tray shatter. I saw the food hit the dirt. There was nothing left. How did she produce another meal in minutes?"

Morgana bite her lip.

"Only Cook Damien can answer that, My Lady. He was in the kitchen while we were... changing your attire."

I paused.

A slow, cruel smile began to form on my lips.

"Smart girl. I didn't think about that. Damien is the key. He is weak, and weak men are the best tools."

"Get me Damien." I commanded.

Morgana looked at the heavy curtains.

"It is really late, My Lady. The bells have already tolled for the third watch. Why don't we wait until morning? It might look suspicious if he is summoned now."

I turned on her. My voice low and dangerous.

"You sounded smart a minute ago, Morgana. Now you sound incredibly stupid. Do you not realize it is better if no one sees him coming here? Under the cover of darkness, he is just another shadow. You were there when Alaric threatened me. You stood in that hall and heard him. And now you tell me to wait?"

"I'm sorry, My Lady!" Morgana cried, dropping to her knees. Her voice trembled with genuine fear.

"I didn't mean... I will go at once."

"Get Damien now." I hissed.

She rushed out of the room. Her footsteps were frantic.

I sat back down and waited. I looked at the small, ornate box on my vanity. Inside sat the solution to my problem.

It didn't take long. The door creaked open. Morgana slipped back in. She led a trembling Cook Damien. He looked as though he had been pulled straight from a nightmare.

"Damien." I said.

My voice sweet as poisoned honey.

"How did that ghost chef come up with another meal minutes after I crushed her food? Tell me the secret."

I looked at him furiously. My gaze bored into his skull.

Damien shook his head. His eyes darting around the room.

"I... I wouldn't know, My Lady. You only asked me to prepare something special for the Alpha. I was focused on my own tray. When I saw her food fall, I thought it was over. I went to serve the King, but then..."

"Shut your mouth!" I interrupted.

I stood up and walked toward him. The height of my heels making me tower over his cowering form.

"Shut your mouth, you good-for-nothing chef. Do you think the position of Chief Royal Chef is a joke? Do you think I placed you there so you could lose to a girl who fell out of the sky?"

Damien nodded frantically. His voice a mere whisper.

"No, My Lady. Of course not."

"You are supposed to fight for that position with your life." I said.

My voice rising.

"You are supposed to do everything possible to make sure that ghost is destroyed. You allowed her to outshine you. You allowed her to make the Grand Prince laugh while your 'traditional' food sat cold and forgotten."

"But... she moved so fast." Damien started.

His hands wringing together.

"She had kept some back. She said she knew accidents happened. She was prepared."

"Be quiet! I am not done talking!" I shouted, the sound echoing off the stone walls.

I reached for the vanity. I picked up a small, green bottle. It was no larger than my thumb. It held enough power to change the history of Blackwood.

"I chose you, Damien, because I know how determined you are." I said.

My tone shifting back to a terrifying calm.

"I also know things about you. I know you have a family in the East. A wife. Three small children. You wouldn't want anything bad to happen to them, would you?"

The color drained from Damien's face. He looked like he was about to faint.

"My family? My Lady, they have nothing to do with the kitchen."

"They have everything to do with your loyalty." I replied.

I stepped closer. The smell of my perfume clashing with the scent of grease and sweat that clung to him.

"The next time that ghost cooks, you will pour this in the food. Not all of it. Just enough. And leave the rest to me."

I stretched my hand out. The green bottle glinting in the candlelight.

Damien didn't move. His hands were shaking so violently. He couldn't have held a spoon, let alone a delicate vial.

I didn't wait. I grabbed his hand. I dropped the bottle into his palm, and closed his fingers over it forcefully.

"Remember your family, Damien." I whispered into his ear.

"Think of their faces when you consider saying no."

"But..." Damien's voice cracked. A tear escaping his eye.

"She... she saved my hands. When the King was angry, she took the blame. She saved me."

I felt a surge of disgust so strong I wanted to strike him.

"Oh? You now question my authority? You choose the gratitude of a peasant over the commands of your Lady?"

I pushed him back. My eyes flashing with malice.

"Do what I have asked you, or watch all your family wiped out of the surface of the earth. I will start with your eldest son. Do you understand me, Damien?"

He looked at the bottle in his hand as if it were a live coal. He looked at me. I was not playing. I was a wolf in silk, and I was hungry.

"I understand." He choked out.

"Good. Now get out of my sight. And remember, not a word to anyone. If Silas or that girl suspects a thing, you will wish the Alpha had cut off your hands when he had the chance."

Damien turned and fled.

Morgana trailing behind to ensure he was hidden.

I stood in the center of my room, breathing heavily. The pieces were back on the board.

The ghost would cook her final meal. Alaric would finally see what happens when you trust the wrong woman.

Magnus's POV

I sat in my chamber. The silence pressed against my ears like a physical weight.

Beside me, the fire crackled in the hearth. It was meant to provide warmth. But tonight, the sound was nothing more than irritating noise.

I stared into the dancing orange flames. I watched them consume the logs. Much like I intended to consume the throne of Blackwood.

My thoughts were dark. Alaric is no longer the person I can control.

For years, I have carefully cultivated his rage. I have fed his hunger for revenge like one feeds a starving beast. I needed him to be a tyrant.

I needed him to be hated. So when the time came, the coup would feel like a liberation rather than a betrayal. But now, his focus has shifted. He is obsessed with a ghost who fell from the sky.

I had initially dismissed Elara's warnings as the bitter ramblings of a jealous woman.

I was wrong. I have seen it with my own eyes. Alaric is softening. He looks at that chef not with the eyes of a King. But with the eyes of a man who is finding peace.

Peace is a luxury I cannot allow him to have.

A sharp knock at the door disrupted my thoughts.

Elder Hrothgar stepped into the room. He looked anxious. His eyes darting toward the shadows.

"Ahhh, my partner in crime." I said.

My voice dripping with sarcasm.

"What are you doing here so late at night? To what do I owe this midnight visit?"

Hrothgar did not smile. He sat across from me. His hands wringing together.

"I am bothered, Grand Prince. The Alpha is well. He is no longer going accordingly to our plan. The trajectory of his rule is shifting away from the darkness we require."

I narrowed my eyes.

"I was thinking the same thing. But when you say the Alpha is well. What do you mean by that? Is he supposed to be sick? Or perhaps at the point of dying?"

Hrothgar went quiet. He looked like a man caught with his hand in a neighbor's grain sack. He did not respond. His silence told me everything I needed to know.

"Don't tell me you were the one who sent a rogue to attack him in the forest." I inquired.

My voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

"I am sorry, Grand Prince." Hrothgar said. He finally found his voice.

"I thought it was the right time to strike. He was alone with the ghost girl. I believed that if he died there, everyone would think the Moon Goddess had punished him for defying the sacred ritual. It would have been clean. All I did was ensure you get the crown. I wanted a new era to begin in the Blackwood Kingdom."

"You did it for yourself, Hrothgar." I spat.

I leaned forward until I could smell the stale ale on his breath.

"I told you I would let you know the right time to strike. You acted on your own will, and you failed. Now, Alaric is alert. He is hunting for enemies in his own woods."

Hrothgar looked guilty. But his incompetence still filled me with bile.

"Now the Alpha has sent Eunuch George to get his mother's last draft." I continued.

"He wants to know the late Luna's final wishes for her offenders. We both know the truth of that woman. She was soft hearted. She would never wish anything bad for another wolf, even those who poisoned her. She will tell him to forgive. If he reads those words, he will find mercy. It will destroy our plans of portraying him as a tyrant. We cannot dethrone a man the people see as a saint."

"Grand Prince Magnus..." Hrothgar started.

"You better have a very good plan for me after the rubbish you just did." I interrupted. My eyes flashed with anger.

"I already have Eunuch George in my custody." Hrothgar said.

I paused. The anger in my chest was replaced by a surge of genuine amusement.

I looked at him. My eyebrows raised. "You kidnapped Eunuch George?"

"Yes." Hrothgar said.

He was gaining a bit of confidence.

"I knew he was close to finding the draft. I did not want him to ruin our plans. So I took him. I am here to ask the way forward."

I let out a foolish laugh. A deep, guttural sound like a man drunken with wine. I leaned back in my chair. The tension leaving my shoulders.

"You are indeed my partner in crime." I said. Pointing a finger at him.

"But next time, start with the best news instead of beating around the bush. This changes everything. Now we have a new plan in place."

Hrothgar looked confused.

"What do you mean? What will we do with him?"

"You should know me by now, Hrothgar." I said.

"What do you think I would do?"

"You would use Eunuch George against Alaric?" he asked.

"Smart man. You really are just like me. We will turn his most loyal servant into the instrument of his downfall."

"With all due respect, Grand Prince." Hrothgar said. "That is a terrible idea. We all know how loyal Eunuch George is to Alaric. He will never speak against the King."

"I know that, Hrothgar. Just watch how I plan this out. Logic is a weak shield against a broken heart. Tell me, how are the rogues we are training in the south camp?"

"They are doing well, Grand Prince." He replied. "They are strong and hungry."

"Good. Very soon, they will go on a mission to capture the chief royal chef. That is where we will start. I want to see what they have learned so far. If we take the girl, Alaric will lose his mind. A man who loses his mind is a man who makes mistakes."

"No problem, Grand Prince Magnus." Hrothgar said.

"As for Eunuch George, keep him. I will attend to him when the time comes. And the rogue who shot the King... send him to me. I know Alaric will find him eventually, so I want to make sure he says exactly what I want him to say before he is executed."

"I will do all that you have asked." Hrothgar said.

He hesitated for a moment.

"But I am still bothered about the late Luna's last draft. We know she is soft hearted. If she says Alaric should forgive, we won't be able to trigger his anger."

I let out that drunken laugh again. I shaked my head at Hrothgar's lack of vision.

"You are too shallow, Elder Hrothgar. That is exactly where Eunuch George comes in."

Hrothgar leaned in. His curiosity piqued. "How?"

"We will not give Alaric the whole truth." I explained.

"We will tear the draft in half. We will only give Eunuch George the portion where she listed her offenders. Seeing that his own family, the Grand Queen Mother, was part of the plot will be enough. It will trigger Alaric's anger beyond anything we have seen. I know Alaric too well. I know what triggers him. Leave the manipulation to me."

"And the other half?"

"Burned." I said. "Along with her mercy."

I stood up and walked to the window. I looked out over the dark expanse of the kingdom.

"But we need more. We need a visual. We will find the late Luna's mother. The old woman who ran mad after her daughter was poisoned. We will bring her out of the shadows. We will feed her, clothe her, and tell her exactly what to say. We will give her a dress stained with blood and tell her to claim it is the clothes the late Luna wore the day she died."

I turned back to Hrothgar. My face wore a mask of cold ambition.

"I will watch Alaric turn into that uncontrollable tyrant that he is. He will see blood, and he will want more. The palace will flow with blood that day. In the chaos, the people will beg for a new leader." I laughed lightly.

I yelled. "They will beg for me!"

Sophie's POV

The morning light hit the stone floor. I woke up. My heart was heavy. I reached for my bedside table.

My hand met cold wood instead of my phone. The realization hit me again. My phone was gone. The Ledger was gone.

I sat up. I forced myself to move. Grief is a luxury I cannot afford here. I had work to do.

I needed fresh ingredients. The palace stores only had dried meats and grains. I needed vibrant flavors of the earth. I needed herbs and spices that hadn't been seen in this season.

I got ready quickly. I tied my hair back. I smoothed my apron. I headed straight for the Alpha's wing. I needed permission to leave the grounds.

I found Alaric near the courtyard. He looked restless. His eyes were dark. Probably from lack of sleep.

When I told him I was heading out. To go get the fresh ingredients. His posture changed. He straightened up. His golden eyes scanned the perimeter.

"I will see you off." Alaric said firmly.

"And I will assign someone for your protection."

He followed me to the palace gates. The stone archway felt like a boundary. Between the world and a prison.

He signaled to Cassian.

"Follow her." Alaric commanded.

"Ensure her safety above all else."

Cassian nodded.

We began walking away from the gates. I heard the crunch of gravel behind us.

I looked back and saw Alaric talking to Roland, the Chief Guard. They thought they were speaking in whispers. But the morning air carries sound well.

"Do they look like a couple to you, Roland?" Alaric asked.

I stiffened.

I kept walking. But I strained my ears. Roland sounded confused.

"The Chef and Cassian, Sire? They look like a girl and her guard."

"They look too close." Alaric grumbled.

"I am going to change my attire. I am following them."

"Your Majesty!" Roland's voice rose in a warning.

"At this point, everywhere is dangerous. The Alpha King should not be roaming about the public squares."

"What do you mean by that?" Alaric sound offended.

"Are you telling me I am roaming? I am securing my interests."

I couldn't hear the rest.

Their voices faded as Cassian and I cornered the outer wall.

I looked at Cassian. He was grinning.

"The Alpha King will follow us in disguise." Cassian said.

"That is a lie." I replied. I rolled my eyes.

"He was joking. He has a kingdom to run."

"I know Alaric." Cassian said.

"You will see."

We walked in silence for some minutes. The path to the market was in sight.

"Why do you want to go home so badly Sophie?" Cassian asked suddenly.

"I want my normal life back." I said.

My voice was caught in my throat.

"Here it feels like dying is an everyday meal. Every day is a new threat. Every person is a potential enemy."

"You shouldn't think of leaving." Cassian said.

He nudged my shoulder.

"The Alpha King is falling for you. You might become the next Luna. Imagine that. A girl from nowhere wearing the Blackwood crown."

My stomach flipped.

I felt heat rush through my cheeks.

"Alpha Alaric doesn't like me to that extent." I argued.

"I am just a chef who keeps him fed."

Cassian made a gesture with his nose. It was a clear sign of disbelief.

He turned his head. His eyes searching the crowds of people gathering near the market entrance.

"You won't believe he is here." Cassian muttered.

"Who?" I asked.

"Just look back." He said.

I turned around.

Standing right in front of me was Thomas the Jester.

He wasn't wearing his colorful bells. He was dressed in plain dark clothes. But I recognized his face instantly.

"The man who deceived me about going home." I said. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I was doing my job Chief Royal Chef." Thomas said with a small bow.

I saw a figure standing behind him. A tall man in a heavy hooded cloak. The hood was pulled low. But the jawline was unmistakable.

Cassian laughed.

"I told you. I know him so well."

Alaric scoffed. He pulled his hood back just an inch.

Cassian faced him. His hands on his hips.

"What are you doing in a disguise Alaric?" Cassian asked.

"The Alpha King is not supposed to be out of the palace at such a delicate time."

"That is exactly why you have to return to the palace." Alaric responded.

"You must ensure everything is in place. I am after the interest of the Kingdom I am not 'roaming,' Cassian."

"The elders will ask for you." Cassian warned.

"They will gather for the morning assembly soon."

"Take care of it." Alaric said dismissively.

"But you cannot go into an open place like this." Cassian pressed.

"I have Thomas and Roland here with me." Alaric said.

He gestured to the shadows where the Chief Guard stood in plain clothes.

"What more do I need?"

Before Cassian could argue further. Alaric grabbed my hand. His grip was warm and firm. He started walking. He pulled me along with him.

"Your Majesty!" Cassian whispered harshly from behind us.

Alaric did not look back. He kept moving.

Soon, the crowd swallowed us. Cassian was gone. He had likely returned to the palace to cover for the King.

Thomas and Roland trailed several paces behind us like silent ghosts.

We entered the heart of the market.

It was a chaotic mix of smells and sounds. I saw a stall selling small brass trinkets.

My eyes caught on an accessory. It was a bronze clasp shaped like a twisting vine. It looked exactly like the one depicted on the cover of the Ledger of Satiety.

I stopped. I picked it up. My fingers traced the cold metal.

"Do you like it?" Alaric asked.

He leaned down. His breath warm against my ear.

"No." I said.

I put it back.

"It just looks like something I have seen before."

We moved to the produce section. I began selecting herbs. I found wild rosemary. Garlic bulbs. Leafy greens.

Alaric watched me work.

"The jester will stay with you for protection." Alaric said.

"I must go with the Chief Guard to get a few things. Do not move from this area."

Thomas nodded. He stepped closer to me.

"I will be fine." I told Alaric.

He didn't wait for a response. He disappeared with Roland into the throng of people.

I finished gathering my ingredients. I paid the merchant with the coins Alaric had given me.

Five minutes passed. Then ten. Alaric was not back.

"I want to check something nearby." I told Thomas.

"Wait here in case the Alpha returns."

"Alaric said I must stay with you." Thomas argued.

"I am fine." I insisted.

"I am only going a few yards away. To look at the cloth merchants. I am not going far."

I walked away before he could stop me.

I wanted a moment of peace. I wandered through the aisles. I looked at the vibrant dyes. The handmade pottery.

I saw so many things I wanted to buy. I saw life happening around me. It was beautiful and terrifying.

I realized I had stayed away too long. I turned back to return to the spot where I left Thomas. I pushed through a group of traders. I saw Alaric.

He was standing in the center of the square. He looked worried. His hood had fallen back. His eyes were darting frantically across the crowd. Thomas and Roland were nowhere to be seen. They had likely gone to find me.

"Alaric!" I called out.

But my voice was drowned out by a passing wagon.

I started running toward him. I wanted him to see me. I wanted to stop the look of panic on his face. I was already very close. I could see the gold in his eyes as he turned his head.

Suddenly, a sharp force hit me from behind. It was heavy. A calculated blow. My breath left my lungs. My feet went out from under me.

I was heading for the ground.