"Are you sure?" Gabriel frowned, his skepticsm etched into the hard lines of his face.
"I’ve only heard the whispers, Gabriel. No one ever uses these thods openly, or if they do, the witnesses don’t tend to survive to tell the tale," Carlos explained.
"I’ll go to Zedrion," Karn volunteered imdiately. "If there is even a shadow of a lead there, I’ll find it."
"You need to bring a bloodsmith back here at any cost. Do you truly think you can handle that?" Louis questioned him. "These aren’t n you simply hire; they are fanatics of their craft."
"I’ll convince them," Karn said confidently, a small, daring smile playing on his lips. "But," he added, glancing at the Beta, "I won’t stop you from accompanying , Louis. Your negotiation skills might be useful."
Louis leaned back, his gaze shifting to Gabriel. "I don’t want to work for free for you, Gabriel. This is a suicide mission. Give sothing in return."
"What do you want? Money? A high-ranking position in the court?" Gabriel arched an eyebrow, his patience thinning.
"I have more than enough family wealth; I don’t need your gold," Louis cleared his stance, his expression turning deadly serious. "Make your right-hand man."
"I’m his Beta," Karn snapped, his posture stiffening. "Weren’t you always the one annoyed with Gabriel’s every move? Now, you suddenly want to be his right-hand man while I’m standing right here?" He looked at Louis with deep skepticism, sensing a hidden motive behind the sudden desire for political power.
"I think I will love working for Gabriel. People have started respecting him more than ever," Louis stated. "I don’t know if the royal family is truly aware of the shift, but after Gabriel rescued a distressed runaway oga and made her his wife, a large faction of the common people have begun to admire him. They see him as a protector, and soone who can uplift them as well."
Carlos studied Louis for a mont. He realized the man was a visionary; Louis didn’t just see the King, he saw the potential for a legend. He knew Gabriel was capable of things others weren’t, and he wanted to tether his own legacy to that rising star.
"Karn is my right-hand man," Gabriel stated flatly, leaving no room for negotiation. "While Denzel is my left-hand man. Both my hands are already full, Louis. Furthermore, you may find that you won’t benefit from as much as you think after a while. I can guarantee you a seat on the High Council, however."
"I don’t want that. The Council is a room full of fossils," Louis asserted. "Make your Advisor, then."
Gabriel chuckled, the sound low and slightly dangerous. "Why are you so persistent to be by my side? Most n would prefer to keep as much distance from as possible."
"Because I will benefit from you in the future. My na will grow if I stay by your side," Louis stated with startling clarity. "I am quite honest about what I want. You may not want to lose a gem like , Gabriel. I’ve always helped you, even if, in the past, it was mostly because I feared you."
"I’ll think about it," Gabriel said, his voice neutral. He wasn’t refusing, but he wasn’t handing over the keys to his inner circle just yet.
"Wonderful! Don’t disappoint ," Louis said, a triumphant glint in his eyes. "I will go with Karn and bring the bloodsmith here. You have my word."
"One more thing," Gabriel began. "My wife isn’t an oga. She is an Alpha. Her wolf was simply sealed because of a curse."
Louis paused, his confident expression faltering for a split second. "Oh. I wasn’t aware of that. Please forgive my ignorance, Your Highness," he said, bowing his head deeply to hide his surprise. An Alpha Prince wife changed the political landscape entirely; it ant Gabriel’s line was twice as strong.
Suddenly, a sharp ringing broke the tension. Carlos pulled a small device from his pocket, his brow furrowing as he saw the na flashing on the screen. He answered imdiately.
"Brother, I am right outside the palace," Mona’s voice crackled through the speaker, sounding breathless and urgent. "The guards are refusing to let in. Please, co out and get ."
"What? Why are you here?" Carlos asked, his voice rising in shock.
"Who’s here?" Gabriel asked promptly.
"Mona," Carlos replied, looking at Gabriel with a confusion and worry. "She’s standing at the main gate."
"I’ll bring her in." Karn rose to his feet imdiately and headed outside.
It took Karn ten minutes to reach the heavy iron gates of the palace. Mona stood there as she gripped the handle of a large trolley bag, appearing small as the royal guards maintained a wary periter around her.
"Karn? Why have you co to fetch ?" Mona inquired, her confusion evident as she looked past the armored n.
The guards bowed to Karn, stepping back to grant him passage. "Miss Mona is the cousin of Carlos," Karn inford them. He then turned to her with a curt nod. "Follow ."
Mona began pulling her heavy trolley across the cobblestones, struggling slightly to keep up with his long strides. "You shouldn’t have co to the land of wolves," Karn said, not looking back. "It’s a dangerous ti for your kind to be seen near the palace."
"But witches are permitted to travel here," Mona countered defensively. "Besides, I thought Alie might need ."
"No one needs you," Karn murmured under his breath.
"I heard that!" Mona snapped. "I may not be a master of the magic, but when it cos to protection and warding, my spells are unparalleled. Brother Carlos might have a use for , even if you don’t. And honestly, I’ve always wanted to explore this country. It’s beautiful."
She paused, watching the way Karn walked with a rigid, protective grace. "Do you always stay this close to my brother? At this rate, people will start to think you’re his lover," she remarked with a mischievous tilt of her head.
Karn stopped dead in his tracks. Mona nearly collided with his back. He turned slowly, his eyes flashing with a cold, predatory glare that silenced her instantly.
"Don’t joke about such things," he said. "You are in the palace. If such rumors spread, you will take full responsibility for the consequences of your tongue."
He sounded so deadly serious that Mona felt a chill run down her spine. She twitched her lips, wanting to offer a witty retort, but the intensity in his gaze made her swallow her words.
"Now, walk quietly and do not irritate further," Karn commanded sternly, turning back toward the drawing room.
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