Elara POV

I paced the floor of my chamber. My silk skirts hissed against the cold stone.

I heard the whispers through the heavy oak door. The servants were talking. They said Thomas caught Morgana in the northern forest. They said the royal physician was dead.

"A simple job I could do in the blink of an eye." I hissed to the empty room.

"This stupid girl got caught doing it."

I gripped the back of a chair. My knuckles turned white. I hope the whispers I hear are not true. If Thomas has Morgana, the thread leads directly to me. This stupid girl wants to destroy me.

I do not tolerate failure. Morgana was my shadow. Now she has become a noose around my neck.

I walked to the center of my chamber. I stopped in front of my mirror. My face looked pale. My hands trembled. I tried to smooth my hair. I needed to appear calm. I needed to maintain my mask.

If the rumors are true, my life is in danger. Alaric is no longer the man I controlled. He is a hunter.

The heavy doors to my chamber flew open. The wood hit the stone wall with a loud crack.

Alaric stood there. He did not wear his crown. His golden eyes glowed with rage.

"Alaric." I said. I tried to make my voice soft.

"You look tired. What has happened?”

I did not move. I did not show fear.

He did not speak at first. He walked toward me. Every step was a threat. He stopped an inch from where I stood.

"Where is your maid, Elara?" Alaric asked.

His voice was dangerously low.

"I do not know where she is." I said.

I met his gaze. I did not blink.

Alaric grabbed my wrist. His grip was firm. I gasped.

"Don’t you dare lie to me." Alaric roared.

"Thomas caught her. She was trying to kill the physician. She was trying to bury the truth in the dirt."

"I know nothing about it." I sobbed.

I looked into his eyes with innocence.

"Why would Morgana do such a thing? Someone must have tricked her." I lied.

He leaned closer. I could feel his breath on my skin.

"Your tears are useless now." He said. "The game is over Elara.”

I forced my hand out of his grip.

"You have been accusing me without evidence for days." I said.

I smoothed my dress.

"You blame me for everything that goes wrong in your kingdom. It is beneath you, Alaric. You are chasing ghosts because you cannot control your own kingdom."

He looked at me. His eyes widened. I felt the rage radiating off his skin.

"The evidence is in a prison cell." He said.

His voice was a terrifying whisper.

"Thomas is beginning the interrogation. When Morgana speaks, you will be brought to book. You will be exposed in front of the entire kingdom."

“I am leaving now to watch your shadow bleed. Enjoy your last night of freedom." Alaric added.

He pushed past me. He walked out of the chamber. He did not look back.

I stood there in the silence. I had to act. If Morgana talks, I die. I cannot let them torture the truth out of her.

I waited till it was dark.

I grabbed a dark cloak. I pulled the hood over my head. I took a small leather bag. It is full of gold coins. I moved through the secret passages. I reached the palace prison.

A guard stood at the gate. I stepped out of the shadows. I did not say a word. I held out the bag of coins. The coins cling.

"I was never here." I said.

The guard took the bag. He tucked it into his belt. He nodded once.

"I understand, my Lady." The guard said.

He turned the heavy key. He let me into the cell block. The air was damp. It smelled of blood.

I walked past the empty cells. I reached the end. I saw Morgana. Her hands were chained together. A wood was placed on her neck. Her face was bruised. It was swollen.

"My Lady." Morgana said faintly.

Her voice was a dry rasp.

"Oh, my love." I said.

I rushed to her where she was. I knelt down in the straw.

"Look what they have done to you."

"They have tortured me." Morgana whispered.

She coughed.

"But I did not say anything. I can never betray you."

"I know you would never betray me." I said.

I brought out a small bowl of water. I had hid it in my cloak.

"Take. Drink. You look thirsty."

I held the bowl to her lips. She drank greedily. She did not see my other hand.

I reached into the pocket of my cloak. I removed one of Morgana's silver hairpins. It took it from her dresser. It was long and sharp.

"Thank you, My Lady." Morgana said.

She finished the water.

"It is alright, My love." I said.

I leaned in close. I pressed my cheek against hers.

"I will get you out of here. I promise."

“Will you get me out of here tonight?” Morgana asked.

“Yes I will. I can't watch you suffer. I can't let them torture you like this.” I replied.

"Thank you My Lady. I will be forever loyal to you." Morgana said.

I gestured to hug her. I smoothed her matted hair.

I found a soft spot on her neck. I drove the silver pin deep into her throat. Morgana stiffened. Her eyes flew open. She tried to breathe, but her lungs filled with blood.

"M...my l...ady." She whispered. Those were her last words.

The light left her eyes. I pulled the pin out. I took her cold hand. I placed the hairpin in her palm. I closed her fingers around the metal. It looked like suicide. It looked like she chose death over the Alpha's questions.

"I am sorry." I said to the corpse.

"This is the only way I can get you out of here."

I walked out of the cell. I did not look back. I signaled to the guard. He locked the gate.

I moved back through the shadows toward my chamber. My hands were clean. The witness was gone. I have survived the night.

Alaric POV

I stomped out of Elara's chamber. The heavy wooden doors slammed behind me.

I headed for my quarters. My boots struck the stone floor with a rhythmic thud.

It had been a long day. I needed to rest.

I entered my room. I sat on the edge of my bed. I could not rest. I was restless.

I paced the floor. I watched the shadows of the flickering candles on the wall. Elara seemed to look innocent. She was firm. She did not show fear. Her eyes were like stone.

Could someone have paid Morgana to do this to the young prince? I asked myself.

The air in my room felt thick. Who could they be? Thomas said the physician did not mention names. She said they were many. This implies a network of traitors.

I called for Thomas. He came almost immediately. He stood by the door. His leather armor was dusty.

"Have you been able to get any information from Morgana?" I asked Thomas.

"I have tortured her enough to make her talk." Thomas replied.

He looked at his hands.

"But it seems the person she is working for is paying her enough to make it worthwhile."

"Go and torture her more." I roared.

I felt the wolf inside me growl.

"If she refuses to talk, prepare the execution blade. Maybe that will make her change her mind. I must know the people behind all this."

Thomas bowed and left. I sat in the dark of my room. I did not light more candles. I did not call for wine.

I could not sleep. It had been a week of chaos. Sophie is always caught in the middle. She is the woman I love. She is also the target of every hidden blade in this palace. I need to end this once and for all.

I watched the hourglass on my desk. The sand fell slowly. Just then, Thomas returned in a haste. He did not knock. He burst into the room. He was panting.

"Your Majesty, Morgana is dead." Thomas said faintly. He tried to catch his breath.

I stood up immediately. My chair fell backward.

"Dead?" I asked.

"How is that possible? She was under guard."

"I don't know, Your Majesty." Thomas responded.

"It looks like suicide. She preferred death than to face your wrath. She chose the silent grave over the rack."

My heart felt heavy. The weight of the kingdom pressed against my chest. The only lead remaining committed suicide. The trail was cold. The truth was buried in a prison cell.

"Who was the guard on duty at the prison entrance?" I asked.

My voice was a sharp edge.

"It is Ryker." Thomas said.

"He confirmed nobody visited her. She was alone. She chose death over punishment."

I dismissed Thomas with a wave of my hand. I did not want to see anyone. Thomas left.

I sat in the silence of the night. My thoughts were louder than any other sound in the palace.

Indeed, it is not just the work of one person. Many people are working together. They want to make sure the truth does not come to light. They are organized. They are close.

I did not know the sun was already rising. The light began to bleed through the window. My thoughts overshadowed me. I could not sleep. I could not even close my eyes. Every time I did, I saw the physician with an arrow in her throat. I saw Morgana cold on the floor.

A knock distracted my thoughts. Cassian walked in. He looked tired. He held a scroll in his hand.

"Your Majesty, the elders are gathered for the morning assembly." Cassian said.

"They say they must see you today. You have been too busy. You have not attended to the affairs of the Kingdom for a long time now."

I looked at him. I knew he was saying the truth. I had neglected my duties to protect Sophie. Maybe I should address the matters of the Kingdom. This is the only way to get to the root of this matter. I need to see who speaks and who stays silent in the Great Hall.

"Give the Alpha some minutes to get ready." I said to him.

Cassian nodded and left. I washed my face with cold water. I put on my royal tunic.

I headed for the Great Hall. The halls were filled with the smell of morning incense. The whispers stopped as soon as I got there. The elders stood in a semi circle. I sat on the throne. The wood felt hard against my back.

"Update me on what is happening so far in the Kingdom." I commanded.

They began to speak. They talked about the Young Prince. They talked about tax and levy. They talked about the concerns of the pack.

I did not hear much of what they said. My mind was distant. I thought about the hairpin in Morgana's hand. Something felt wrong about her death.

I heard the last thing the elders said. It snapped me back to the present.

"The envoy of the northern clan arrived yesterday for their annual reckoning." Elder Hrothgar said.

"Alpha Stone from the Moon Crescent Pack has requested the same offerings given to them last year."

I turned to him slowly. I narrowed my eyes.

"The northern clan arrived yesterday?" I asked.

"How come I am just hearing about it now?"

"You have refused to attend to any palace duty for more than a week now, Alpha." Elder Matthias replied. He sounded bold.

"Is that why they are requesting that we give them the same offering as last year?" I asked with anger.

"Are we not the one to give them what we please?"

"M...maybe they like what we gave them the last time." Elder Hrothgar stuttered.

He looked at my uncle.

"Grand Prince Magnus?"

"Ha..ha..ha" Magnus made his drunken laugh. The sound filled the hall.

He smelled of cheap ale.

"Ermm. Yes. You are correct. What did you say again?" Magnus asked.

"You are drunk this early morning, Uncle." I faced Magnus.

"Anyways, how have you received them so far?" I asked Elder Hrothgar.

"They have refused to eat the food made by the chef of Blackwood Kingdom." Elder Hrothgar said.

"In fact, Alpha Stone came with three of the finest chefs known in this time. He said he cannot eat the kind of food we eat here."

"Then let him starve!" I yelled.

I stood up.

The hall became noisy. The elders whispered among themselves. They looked worried.

"Silence!" I roared.

The room went still.

Elder Matthias cleared his throat.

"Ermm, Your Majesty, letting them starve is a bad reception. It might bring war between both Kingdoms. We need peace for the harvest."

"If he refuses to eat what we eat, should he be forced?" I asked.

"He brought three of the finest chefs known in this time." Elder Hrothgar replied.

"I doubt he would starve."

"Better for him." I said.

I prepared to dismiss them.

"But Your Majesty, he has requested a competition." Elder Matthias stated.

"He wants a match between his chefs and the chefs of Blackwood Kingdom. He said he had heard of the ghost chef. He said he doubts she is competent enough to compete with his chefs."

I opened my eyes wide.

My heart hammered.

I have not finished unraveling the mystery that Sophie is entangled in. Now they want to put her life at risk again.

They want to put her on a stage in front of our enemies.

Magnus POV

They think I am too foolish for politics. I play the part of the court jester. I act drunk at every meeting. I stumble over my words. I spill wine on my tunic.

No one suspects me because they only see a shell of a man. Alaric is the Alpha. He is strong. He is fast. He is the leader of the Blackwood Kingdom. But he would never believe I am the architect of all this chaos.

He looks at me and sees a harmless uncle. He does not see the predator in his own house.

I watched Alaric during the morning assembly. I saw the fear in his eyes when Matthias talked about the competition. His jaw tightened. His hands gripped the arms of the throne.

He tries to protect that ghost chef at every point. It is a weakness. I will use that weakness to trap him. I will force him to become a tyrant. I will make him burn his own kingdom to save a girl.

Alaric dismissed us all with a sharp wave of his hand. He was angry. I stood up. I pretended to trip over my own feet.

The elders filed out of the Great Hall. Elder Hrothgar cornered me in the hallway. He looked frustrated. He pulled me into a stone alcove.

"Grand Prince, you were silent all through the morning assembly." Hrothgar said. He hissed the words.

"When I called for your support, you could not say anything meaningful. We are trying to push the Alpha. You are not helping."

"I know what I am doing, Hrothgar." I said.

I leaned against the cold wall. I made sure my voice was low.

"You should know me by now. But it seems you are not paying attention to the board."

"What are you saying, Grand Prince?" Hrothgar asked.

He looked around to see if guards were near.

"Alaric almost got close to finding the truth the last time. He caught Morgana. He almost had the physician. We are lucky they are dead."

"But he did not find the truth." I cut him short.

I gave him a cold look.

"He found bodies. He found silence. That is all he will ever find."

"So what do we do now?" Hrothgar asked.

"The northern clan is here. The pressure is rising."

"We use the competition to our advantage." I said.

"What do you mean, Grand Prince?" Hrothgar asked.

"Leave that to me." I said.

I let out a loud, wet belch.

I made an irritating sound that shows I am filled with alcohol. It was a signal for him to leave.

"Send the rogue who killed the physician to my chamber immediately." I whispered.

I left him standing there. He was trying to figure out what I will do next.

I walked toward my chamber. I kept my gait uneven. I hummed a tuneless song.

I reached my room and locked the door. I sat in my favorite spot by the fireplace. The heat felt good on my skin.

I picked up the jar of wine I left on the table. I poured a cup. I drank the first. I drank the second. The liquid was warm and sharp.

Just as I was pouring the third round, a young man in a dark hood walked into my chamber. He came through the servant passage.

"Grand Prince." He said.

He bowed very low.

I dropped the wine jar on the table. It made a heavy thud. I raised my head slowly to look at him. My eyes were no longer glazed. They were sharp.

"Why did you allow that jester to escape?" I asked.

"He was too fast, Master." The man said.

He did not look up.

"So with all the training you received, you could not kill a mere jester?" I asked.

I stood up.

"How can I trust you with the next mission? You let Thomas live. He is the eyes of the Alpha."

"Sorry, Master." He said.

"Sorry for yourself!" I yelled.

I kicked the table.

"You almost made us get caught. If not that little viper was wise and I sent her a letter immediately I heard of the situation, we would have been caught. Elara had to kill her own maid because of your failure."

"It will not happen again, Master." The man stuttered with fear.

"No, it will not." I said.

I stood up slowly. I walked to the wall. I drew out a sword that was beside me. The steel sang as it left the scabbard. I felt the weight of the hilt.

"I won't let it happen again." I said.

I lifted the sword high above my head. I swung it down with a great force.

Clang!

The blade sliced through the air. The man flinched. He shook.

I looked at him as he checked if his head was still intact. The sword had missed his neck by an inch. Instead, it cut through a large potted plant on the pedestal.

"You see how the sword cut this plant flat?" I asked.

I gestured to the green leaves on the floor.

"Y...yes, yes." The man said.

He was trembling.

"Next time, the only thing that will be flattened is your neck." I threatened.

I leaned in close to his face.

"I believe we both understand each other."

"Y...ye..yes, Master." The man said.

He panicked.

"Get out!" I yelled.

The man stumbled out through the secret door. He ran like a dog.

I adjusted my tunic smoothly. I sat down calmly. I placed the sword back in its position on the wall.

I stared at the destroyed plant. It was a rare species. I had been grooming it for years. It soothed my heart to see it ruined.

This is how I have groomed Alaric for years. I have fed him. I have taught him. I have raised him just to destroy him later.

I let out a wicked laugh. My plans will soon become a reality.

I stood up. I headed to the guest secretariat. I walked through the palace. I kept my shoulders slumped. I looked like I did not know what I was doing. No one paid attention to me. After all, I am the drunken uncle.

I reached the secretariat where the visitors stayed. I met Alpha Stone. He was a large man with a thick beard.

"Ahhh, Grand Prince of Blackwood Kingdom." Alpha Stone said with excitement.

He stood up from his chair.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of hosting you?"

"Oh, leave the pleasantries for later." I said.

I sat down without being asked.

"I am here to talk business."

"Oh, business? How so?" Alpha Stone asked.

He sat across from me. He looked curious.

"I heard you asked for a competition between your chefs and the Blackwood chefs." I said.

"Yes." Alpha Stone stated.

"I have heard so much about the ghost chef. Her fame has spread. I would love to see what skills she possesses. My chefs are the best known at this time."

"Well, I love your curiosity." I said.

I leaned forward.

"But I want you to make the stakes higher. Do not just ask for a match. Ask for his throne."

"Why would I do that?" Alpha Stone asked.

"Alpha Alaric is very confident in the ghost chef." I explained.

"He thinks she is untouchable. He would agree to anything you say. I know the Moon Crescent Kingdom lacks most of the things Blackwood Kingdom has in abundance. That is why you requested the same offering as last year. You are hungry for our resources."

Alpha Stone made his face in a way that says I am telling the truth. He nodded slowly.

"You can tell him that you want a new prize." I continued.

"Tell him that if you win, you will have the right to harvest all the plants and herbs planted in all of Blackwood Kingdom. You will take our medicine. You will take our food."

"And what if he asks what we have to offer when we lose?" Alpha Stone asked.

He looked worried.

"I cannot risk my own lands."

"You cannot lose." I said.

I smiled.

"Just tell him you will discuss with the council and get back to him on the stakes. Do not give him an answer yet."

"Why are you so sure we cannot lose?" Stone asked.

"Do all what I said and leave the rest to me." I added.

"I will make sure you win. I will ensure the ghost chef fails in front of everyone."

Alpha Stone smiled. He nodded.

"This is a great thing for the Moon Crescent pack." He said.

"I will do as you have said. I will demand the harvest rights."

I let out a wicked smile.

I stood up and left the room.

I walked back into the hallway. I felt the cold air of the palace.

Alaric thinks he is fighting for a girl. He is actually losing his kingdom.

I have set a great trap. Alaric will fall for it.