Chapter 67 The Poison Within
SERA
The letter haunted me for three days.
I kept it. Even after Kael burned the original, I remembered every word. Every curve of that educated handwriting. Every threat wrapped in careful language.
Someone in our court wanted Nyx dead.
Someone close enough to leave letters on my pillow.
"You are thinking too loud," Kael said. We were in his study. Maps spread across the table. Plans for defense. Offense. Everything.
"I am thinking the right amount for someone who had a death threat placed on her pillow while she slept."
"Lyra is investigating."
"Lyra has been investigating for three days. We have nothing."
"We have everything. Too much." He threw down a report. "Seventeen nobles had access to our chambers that day. Twenty-three servants. Twelve guards. Any of them could have left it."
"So we suspect everyone."
"We always suspect everyone. That is how we stay alive."
A knock interrupted. Lyra entered without waiting. She looked excited. Dangerous combination.
"I found something. Not who left the letter. But who is funding the next attempt." She spread papers across the table. "Financial records. Money moving through shell accounts. All leading back to one source."
"Who?" Kael demanded.
"House Morweth."
My blood went cold. "Cassian is dead."
"His house is not. His younger brother Daemon took control. And he is smarter than Cassian. More patient. More dangerous." Lyra tapped a document. "He has been quietly building alliances. Gathering support. Waiting for the right moment."
"To do what?"
"To declare you unfit to rule. To claim Nyx is corrupting the throne. To start civil war." Her smile was sharp. "He moves in two weeks. During the Harvest Festival. When the entire realm gathers here."
"How do you know this?"
"Because I have someone inside his house. Someone who wants him dead almost as much as we do." She pulled out another paper. "His own sister. Lady Mira Morweth. She is willing to testify against him. To expose everything. In exchange for protection and a seat on the council."
Kael studied the documents. "This is convenient."
"This is opportunity."
"This is a trap."
"Maybe. But it is also our best chance to destroy House Morweth permanently." Lyra looked between us. "We meet with Mira. Hear what she knows. Then decide."
"When?"
"Tonight. She is waiting in the lower city. Alone. Says she will only speak to the queen."
Every instinct I had screamed danger. Trap. Ambush. Death.
But we needed information. Needed to know what was coming.
"I go," I said.
"Not alone." Kael stood. "We go together. With guards. With backup. With every precaution."
"She said only the queen."
"Then I follow at a distance. But you are not walking into the lower city alone to meet someone from a family that wants us dead."
"Protective."
"Practical." He grabbed my face. "I am not losing you to stupidity."
"How romantic."
"I stopped being romantic when assassins started leaving letters on our bed." He kissed me. Hard. Fast. "We leave in an hour. Prepare."
I found Nyx in her room. Reading. Always reading. Books about history and magic and things that should not be taught to eight-year-olds.
"I am going out tonight," I told her.
"Where?"
"Lower city. Meeting someone who might have information about threats against you."
She looked up. Those red eyes too knowing. "You think it is a trap."
"Probably."
"But you are going anyway."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because sitting here waiting for them to attack is worse than facing danger directly." I sat beside her. "Stay in the palace tonight. Do not leave your rooms. Theron will guard you."
"I do not need guards."
"Yes you do. You are eight years old."
"I am also powerful enough to stop every guard in this palace simultaneously." She closed her book. "But I will stay. Because you asked. Not because I need protection."
"Thank you."
"Mother? Be careful. I have a bad feeling about tonight."
"You and me both."
We left at midnight. Me, Kael, and twenty guards dressed as merchants. Lyra leading. All of us armed. All of us expecting violence.
The lower city at night was different. Darker. More honest than the palace ever was. People did not bow here. They watched. Calculated. Decided if you were threat or opportunity.
We reached a tavern called The Broken Crown. Fitting.
Inside was smoke and noise and too many people. Lyra led us to a back room. Private. Quiet. Dangerous.
Lady Mira Morweth sat alone. She looked nothing like Cassian. Where he was golden and beautiful, she was dark and plain. Forgettable except for her eyes. Green. Sharp. Missing nothing.
"Your Majesty." She did not bow. "Thank you for coming."
"You have information." I sat across from her. Kael stood behind me. "Talk."
"My brother plans to kill your daughter during Harvest Festival. Public execution disguised as justice. He has support from six houses. Maybe more." Her voice was flat. Empty. "He will claim she is too dangerous to live. That the prophecy warned of this. That you are too blinded by love to see the truth."
"Why tell us?"
"Because he killed my son. Two years ago. Claimed it was accident. Training gone wrong." Her hands clenched. "But I know. He murdered my boy because he was weak. Because Daemon believes weakness is worse than death. And he will kill every child in Nocterra who does not meet his standards if he takes the throne."
"So this is revenge."
"This is justice. And survival. And making sure my son's death means something." She leaned forward. "I have names. Allies. Plans. Everything you need to destroy him before he destroys you. But I want immunity. For myself and my household. And a seat on your council."
"That is a high price."
"That is the price for saving your daughter's life."
Kael's hand touched my shoulder. Warning. This could still be trap. Could still be manipulation.
But the pain in Mira's eyes was real. Grief did not lie like that.
"Show me proof," I said. "Names. Documents. Something that proves what you are saying."
She pulled papers from her cloak. Spread them across the table. Letters. Contracts. Agreements between houses. All signed. All damning.
"Daemon moves in thirteen days. During the festival. He will arrest Nyx publicly. Claim she used magic on nobles. Controlled minds. Whatever lie he needs." Mira's finger traced one document. "Then he executes her before you can respond. Makes you look weak. Makes the court demand new leadership."
"And he steps in."
"He already has agreements. Six houses support him. Three more will follow once they see momentum. He takes the throne within a week."
My hands clenched. "We stop him first."
"How? He has not committed treason yet. Just talked about it. Planning is not illegal." Mira looked at me. "Unless you have evidence of action. Of attempted murder. Of something concrete."
"We will find it."
"You have thirteen days."
We left the tavern. My mind racing. Thirteen days. Not enough time. Too much time. Everything in between.
"She is telling the truth," Lyra said when we reached the street. "I verified most of it. The houses she named. The agreements. It matches intelligence we already had."
"Or she is very good at lying," Kael said.
"Both can be true." I looked at him. "But we act like it is real. Prepare like he is coming. Because even if Mira is lying, someone wants Nyx dead. We know that."
We made it three blocks before they attacked.
Shadows. Movement. Blades appearing from nowhere.
Not assassins this time. Something worse. Something magical. Creatures made of darkness and hate. Sent. Summoned. Controlled by someone with power.
"Protect the queen!" Theron roared.
They were already on us. Claws raking. Teeth snapping. I threw shadows at them. My power met theirs and exploded.
The creatures screamed. Reformed. Attacked again.
Kael was cutting through them with blade and magic combined. His eyes black. His power absolute. But more kept coming. Too many. Always too many.
"Fall back!" Lyra shouted. "To the palace!"
We ran. Fighting. Bleeding. Dying. Three guards went down. Then five. The creatures were endless.