Chapter 15: Whispers of Betrayal
Elder Mira’s hands trembled as she painted the silver marks on Liana’s forehead. The cool paste slled of moonflowers and old magic. "Hold still, child," she whispered. "The markings must be perfect." Liana sat cross-legged on the stone floor of the preparation room. Outside, the sounds of fighting had faded, but tension still hung in the air like smoke. "Will it hurt?" Liana asked. "The Trial?" Elder Mira’s eyes clouded. "Pain of the body is nothing compared to pain of the mind. The Moon Goddess will strip away your lies, child. She will see everything." A crash from outside made them both jump. Liana’s heart raced. "What was that?" "Just the wind," Elder Mira said, but her eyes darted nervously to the door. Sothing wasn’t right. Liana could feel it in her bones. The door burst open and Talia stumbled in, her red hair wild around her pale face. "Liana!" She grabbed her friend’s hands, not caring about the wet silver paste. "I saw it again—the vision!" Elder Mira frowned. "Young oga, this is a sacred preparation—" "Blood on silver stairs," Talia interrupted, her voice shaking. "And a crown made of bones. Soone’s going to die tonight!" Liana squeezed her friend’s hand. "Breathe, Talia. Tell exactly what you saw." Talia’s eyes were wide with fear. "You were going up silver stairs. But with each step, you left bloody tracks. At the top stood three wolves—one black, one gray, one white. And behind them was soone wearing a crown of bones, laughing." Elder Mira dropped her brush. "The Bone Crown. That’s impossible." "What’s a Bone Crown?" Liana asked. "A symbol of the old magic," the elder whispered. "Before the Moon Goddess, wolves worshipped darker powers." A horn heard in the distance—the pack’s warning signal. "I need to finish your preparation," Elder Mira said, picking up her brush with shaking hands. "The Trial must begin at moonrise." Talia grabbed Liana’s arm. "Don’t go tonight. Please." "I have to," Liana said. "For Rowan. For all of them." As Elder Mira continued painting the marks, the door opened again. Jace slipped in, his face grim, his shirt torn from fight. "Sothing’s wrong," he said without welco. "Soone’s been stealing from Elder Mira’s cottage." The old woman’s head snapped up. "What?" "Dried black rose petals, ravens’ feathers, wolf’s bane." Jace counted on his fingers. "All missing." Elder Mira paled. "Those are ingredients for the Binding Ritual." "What’s that?" Liana asked. "Dark magic," the elder whispered. "To force a mate bond or break one." Liana’s stomach twisted. Soone was planning to manipulate the mate link—her bond. But who? And why? "Where’s Rowan?" she asked suddenly. "With healers," Jace said. "The curse is spreading faster. He doesn’t have much ti." And Kael?" Liana tried to keep her voice calm, but sothing about the eldest triplet had been bothering her. He’d been detached since their eting with Alpha Thorne. "Patrolling the borders," Jace answered, but his eyes slid away from hers. Liana stood, ignoring Elder Mira’s protests about the unfinished marks. "I need to speak with him. Now." "The Trial begins in an hour," Elder Mira warned. "I’ll be back in ti," Liana promised. She found Kael alone on the east wall, looking out at the dark forest. His broad shoulders were tense, his jaw tight. "You’re avoiding ," she said, coming to stand beside him. "You should be preparing for the Trial." His voice was cold, distant. "Look at ," she ordered. When he turned, his gray eyes were filled with sothing she hadn’t seen before—fear. "What aren’t you telling , Kael?" He paused, then sighed. "I’ve been having dreams too. Like Talia." Liana’s heart skipped. "What dreams?" "I see you choosing one of us," he said quietly. "And when you do, the other two die." "That’s not going to happen," Liana maintained. "What if it does?" His hand gently touched her cheek, his touch surprisingly tender for such a strong wolf. "What if my feelings for you doom my brothers?" "Your feelings?" Liana whispered. "Are real," he admitted, his voice rough with emotion. "I’ve tried to fight them. To keep my space. But I can’t anymore." For the first ti, the stern, controlled heir to the Alpha let his guard down. His eyes glowed with golden light as he leaned closer. "I’m afraid, Liana," he admitted. "Not of Darius or the rogues, but of losing you—or worse, being the reason my brothers suffer." Before she could reply, howls erupted from the west side of the compound. Kael instantly straightened, the vulnerable mont gone. "Go back to Elder Mira," he ordered. "It’s almost ti." As Liana hurried back through the mansion’s hallways, she noticed small things that sent chills down her spine. A door that should have been locked stood ajar. Silver powder—like what Elder Mira used for protection spells—had been scattered across a threshold but then swept away. Soone was destroying the mansion’s magical defenses from within. When she reached the preparation room, Elder Mira was alone, mixing sothing in a stone bowl. "Where’s Talia?" Liana asked. "She left to check on Rowan," the older said, not looking up. "Drink this. It will help you connect with the Goddess during the Trial." Liana took the cup but didn’t drink. Sothing felt off. "Did Jace co back?" she asked lightly. "No," Elder Mira answered, still focused on her work. Liana’s wolf stirred. Wrong answer, it growled. Jace had told them he would return to help Elder Mira prepare the Sacred Grove. "Is sothing wrong, child?" The older finally looked up. Liana set the cup down. "I just need a mont alone before the Trial. To center myself." The elder nodded. "Of course. But hurry. Moonrise approaches." As soon as Liana reached her temporary room, she locked the door and leaned against it, heart racing. Soone was lying. Soone close to her. She looked around the room, looking for anything that might help her understand what was happening. The silver dagger Alpha Thorne had given her for safety glead on the bedside table. As she reached for it, she noticed sothing on her bed that hadn’t been there before. Sothing dark against the white sheets. A dead raven, its neck broken, its wings spread in a grotesque show. Liana’s blood turned to ice. Even as an oga, she knew what this ant. In werewolf society, a dead raven was the ultimate death threat—a promise that she would not live to see another dawn. A small piece of parchnt had been put in the bird’s beak. With shaking fingers, Liana pulled it free and unfolded it. The ssage was written in what looked like blood: The Trial is a trap. Trust no one. Not even the ones you love. From sowhere in the house, a wolf howled in pain. The Trial was about to begin, but soone didn’t want her to reach the Sacred Grove alive. And that soone might be wearing the face of a friend. The silver markings on her skin began to glow as moonrise neared. She had to make a choice—and
Reviews
All reviews (0)