Chapter 159: The Bait

Seraphine's POV

Lucian's face shifted—something careful slid into place, like he was deciding how much truth I could handle. That look alone made my stomach drop.

"She claims," he started slowly, "that a friend of hers saw Lyralei. In Ironfall Pack territory."

The room spun. I grabbed the back of the nearest chair to keep from swaying. "When? How long ago?"

"Three weeks, maybe four." Orion stepped closer, his voice even and measured. "The friend's name is Raina. She's mated to one of Kieran's border guards."

Three weeks. While I'd been here—sleeping in Kaelen's bed, working in the garden—Lyralei had been seen. Alive. Close enough to touch.

"What else?" My voice came out hoarse.

Lucian exchanged a glance with Orion. "The description matches. Blonde hair, green eyes, heart-shaped face. Young, maybe seventeen or eighteen." He paused. "She was caught stealing food from a market stall. Kieran's patrol detained her."

The memory hit me like a punch: Lyralei sneaking away while I slept to steal scraps, thinking she was being helpful. Finding her surrounded by men with guns.

I should have been there. I should have kept her safe.

"Detained?" I forced the word out. "What does that mean? Is she in a cell? Is she hurt?"

"We don't know the details." Orion's tone stayed carefully neutral.

"Then get more details." My hands were shaking. "Call this Raina. Call Kieran. Get someone on the phone right now and—"

"Seraphine." Cordelia's voice cut through my spiral. "We need to think about this clearly."

"Clearly?" I laughed, and it came out jagged. "My sister is locked up and you want me to think clearly?"

"This could be a trap," she said quietly.

I stared at her. Behind her, Jason and Derek had moved closer to the door—not blocking it, but ready to if I tried to bolt.

"You think I don't know that?" My voice climbed. "You think I haven't considered that Vespera is lying?"

"Then why are you reacting exactly how she wants you to?" Cordelia shot back.

The truth of it stung. Vespera had dropped this bomb knowing I'd fall apart. Knowing Kaelen wasn't here to steady me.

The mate mark pulsed hot against my throat. I pressed my palm to it, felt the echo of his presence somewhere far away, too far to reach.

Come back. Please come back.

"We should wait for Kaelen," Lucian said.

"No." The word came out sharp and final. "I'm not waiting."

"If she's even there at all," Orion pointed out.

I rounded on him. "So what's your suggestion? Ignore it?"

"I'm suggesting we verify the information before you do something reckless." His amber eyes held mine. "You've been manipulated before, Luna. What makes you think this is any different?"

My chest tightened. The image of Lyralei behind bars, cold and hungry, made rational thought impossible.

"She mentioned specifics," I said, grasping at anything. "The heart-shaped face, the stealing—that's exactly something Lyralei would do."

"Because she's smart," Cordelia said gently. "Because she listens. You talk about your sister when you're in the garden. When you're at the bakery. People hear things, Seraphine."

The implication settled over me like ice water. I'd spilled pieces of my past to anyone who'd listen. Martha at the bakery. The kids at the school. Anyone could have picked up those details and fed them to Vespera.

"Fuck." I pressed the heels of my hands against my eyes.

A warm hand landed on my shoulder. Cordelia, steady and solid.

"We'll figure this out," she said. "But we do it smart. We verify. We investigate."

I took a shaky breath. "Okay. What do we do first?"

Lucian stepped forward. "We bring Vespera back in. Under controlled conditions. Get the full story—every detail she has."

It made sense. It was logical and exactly what Kaelen would do if he were here. But every cell in my body screamed to move, to act.

"Yes," I said, even though the word tasted like acid. "Bring Vespera back."

---

She took her sweet time returning. When Jason finally led her back through the door, Vespera wore a small, satisfied smile that made me want to rip it off her face.

Cordelia's hand tightened on my arm in warning. I forced myself to breathe.

"Well," Vespera said, settling back into the chair. "I see we're ready to be reasonable now."

"Cut the bullshit," Lucian said flatly. "Tell us everything you know. Names, locations, exact dates."

Vespera's smile widened. "Raina Miller. She's mated to a border guard named Thomas. They live on the eastern edge of Ironfall territory, near the market district."

I grabbed the notepad from the side table, started writing. My hands still shook but I managed to get the words down.

"The girl was caught three weeks ago. Early afternoon. She'd been stealing bread and dried meat from one of the vendors."

Three weeks. Two weeks before I dreamed her in hell and Damien's attack.

Fuck, my dream is real. This bitch can't know my dream.

"What happened after she was caught?" Orion pressed.

"Kieran's patrol took her into custody. Standard protocol for theft—they hold the accused for twenty-four hours, then the Alpha decides whether to press charges or release them."

"And?" I couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Was she charged? Was she released?"

Vespera's gaze slid to me. "Raina didn't say. She only mentioned seeing the girl, hearing her name. Apparently she was quite vocal about having a sister named Seraphine who was looking for her."

My heart stopped. Then started again, pounding so hard I thought it might crack my ribs.

She was calling for me. She told them about me.

"That's it?" Lucian's voice was sharp. "That's all the information you have?"

"That's all Raina shared." Vespera examined her nails. "I was lucky to get that much out of her."

"Lucky," I repeated, the word bitter. "Or you paid her."

Vespera's expression didn't change. "I don't know what you're implying."

"I'm implying that you have every reason to feed me false information." I leaned forward, ignoring Cordelia's attempt to hold me back. "You want me gone. What better way than to send me charging into enemy territory on a wild goose chase?"

"Enemy territory?" Vespera laughed. "Ironfall is our ally."

"Treaties can be broken." I was on my feet now, crossing the space between us. "People can be bought."

Vespera stood to meet me. "You're paranoid."

"I'm smart."

"You're desperate." She said it softly, almost kindly, which somehow made it worse. "Desperate enough to believe anything if it means finding your sister. Even if it comes from me."

The truth of it burned. I was desperate. Desperate enough that I'd let her sit in my home, listened to her poison just for the slimmest chance that Lyralei was within reach.

Vespera tilted her head, her voice dropping into something that almost sounded sincere. "Look, I'm only trying to help. I'm telling you the truth."

"The truth." I let out a bitter laugh. "Right."

"If you don't believe me," she continued, spreading her hands in a gesture of openness, "why not go see for yourself? It's not like Kieran would deny our Luna's request to visit."