Chapter 106

I sat cross-legged on my bed, staring at the unfolded pieces of paper I had pulled from the box hidden inside Selene’s diary. My eyes traced the lines of coded notes, hoping for some epiphany to strike—but nothing came. Frustration simmered in my chest as I considered the possibility that whoever had given me this diary intended to torment me.

The notes bore three distinct handwriting styles, none of which belonged to Selene. That realization only fueled my suspicion: these were secret messages she’d received, likely from collaborators. The more I scrutinized the notes, the more patterns began to emerge. They seemed to share the same encryption method, but any hope of deciphering them felt maddeningly out of reach.

A sharp knock on my door shattered my concentration.

“Just a minute!” I called, hastily shoving the papers under my bedsheets before rushing to open the door.

Standing there was Varen, his expression both curious and concerned. “I came to check on you and see how you’re feeling,” he announced, stepping into my chamber without waiting for an invitation.

Relief washed over me. If anyone could distract me from my spiraling frustration, it was Varen. Grateful for his company, I busied myself brewing tea and setting out a box of biscuits Freya had once gifted me as an emergency snack.

“So,” he began, leaning against the table, “are you all right? After your chat with Mr. Renfield, you looked absolutely terrified.” His wry smile made it clear he already knew the answer.

“I was terrified,” I admitted with a sigh, “and honestly, I still am. The real problem is that I can’t get to Hadrian. Without him, I can’t join the negotiations.”

Varen shrugged casually, a cunning smile creeping across his face. “If you can’t attend the peace negotiations, then maybe we just need to make sure Selene can’t attend either.”

I chuckled despite myself. “Oh, really? What’s your grand plan—trip her on the stairs?”

He snorted. “Not likely. Even if she shattered every bone in her body, nobles’ regeneration would have her up and about in no time.”

His dark humor drew a genuine grin from me. Varen had a rare gift for lifting my mood, even in the direst moments. Still, our banter felt like a thin veil over our shared helplessness. I couldn’t imagine what it would take to keep Selene from that negotiation table—until my mind returned to the papers hidden beneath my bedsheets.

“I might have an idea,” I said, excitement bubbling in my chest. “Though I’m not entirely sure what it is yet.”

Varen raised an eyebrow, clearly baffled by my cryptic remark. “All right…?”

Without explaining further, I darted to my bed, retrieved the notes, and laid them out on the table in front of him. “Here,” I declared triumphantly.

“And I’m looking at what, exactly?” he asked, his expression skeptical as he alternated between the papers and my eager grin.

Only then did I realize I should probably explain. I grabbed Selene’s diary and handed it to him. He flipped through the pages, studying the handwriting and skimming the entries.

“This is definitely Selene’s,” he confirmed. “The handwriting and phrasing are unmistakable. Plus, I’ve heard about some of these events from the royal servants.”

Relief surged through me. “Then the messages must be real too, right?”

He nodded thoughtfully. “They could be. But deciphering them will take time.”

“Can you do it?” I asked, my hope rekindling.

“It’s tricky without the keyword…” His lips curved into a wry smile.

The look in his eyes told me he already had an idea. “It’s a Vigenère cipher, isn’t it?” I asked, the mere mention of the name making my head throb.

“Exactly,” he said with a chuckle. “If we’re lucky, we just need to figure out one word—or maybe a phrase—Selene used as a key. Then, we follow the letters in the alphabet to decode the messages. But…” He paused, his expression turning serious. “Knowing her, she might have used different keywords depending on the day or situation.”

My optimism wavered. “So it’s either a quick solve, or it could take forever.”

“Don’t worry,” Varen said, patting my shoulder. “I’ll take some of these notes and try to work out the key. My guess is she used something personal—something meaningful to her. It’s probably not too complex.”

His reassuring smile should have comforted me, but I couldn’t shake the creeping disappointment. For a brief moment, I’d felt like I had the upper hand. Now, all I could do was hope the pieces would fall into place.

The most pitiful part of my thoughts was how easily I pictured myself striding up to Hadrian and confidently proclaiming I'd uncovered something on Selene. In truth, I had nothing—just an old diary that proved little and over twenty messages written in an alien script.

“Varen... I need your opinion,” I blurted, clutching the diary. “Someone left me this, along with those messages. I’ve no idea who or why. Do you think it’s worth trying to decode? What if it’s some twisted joke to keep me chasing shadows?”

Varen snorted, leaning back with that familiar air of skepticism. “Selene doesn’t have the patience for anything like this. Her games are blunt—nine out of ten times, she leaps before thinking. And honestly, who stands to gain by handing you a riddle?”

“I don’t know…” I replied with a nervous laugh. “I guess I just wanted to hear you say that figuring this out might mean something.”

“We’ll never know if we don’t try.” He winked, tucking a few notes into his pocket before giving me a brotherly pat on the head. Then, just like that, he was gone.

I stared at the notes he left behind, the coded gibberish glaring back at me. My choices were simple: wallow in my endless musings about Hadrian or throw myself into cracking this maddening cipher. With a resigned sigh, I powered up my laptop.

Online decoders could handle Vigenère ciphers well—if you had the key. I didn’t. All I had was determination. I grabbed a sheet of paper, scribbling down every word I associated with Selene, then scratched out the expletives. The final list boiled down to three possibilities: queen, scheme, and Hadrian. None worked. Frustrated, I tried others. Still nothing.

“This is worse than playing the lottery,” I muttered, groaning. After hours of futile attempts, I slammed the laptop shut. My frustration was boiling over, so I called it a night. Later, Freya appeared with dinner.

I told her about missing Hadrian and running into Kenzo in the garden instead, omitting the part about my panic attack and how he’d held me until I calmed down. I also mentioned the diary someone had mysteriously left in my room.

“All the more reason to talk to the King again!” Freya declared, arms folded like an immovable force.

“Freya, he hasn’t even given me clearance to enter the main building! I’m sick of sneaking around like some lovesick fool. It’s humiliating,” I snapped.

“That’s how it is right now. But you can’t give up. This is your chance to fix things! Besides…” She grinned mischievously. “Men are forgetful. You’ve got to remind the King of your charm.”

I rolled my eyes, annoyed by her persistence. “I shouldn’t have to fight for someone who’s already claimed to love me,” I grumbled, though her words stirred an unsettling doubt. What was Hadrian planning with Selene? Was he seducing her? Was there a line he wouldn’t cross?

“Just try one more time,” Freya pleaded, her tone softening. “If it doesn’t work, I promise I’ll never nag you about it again.”

“Fine!” I relented, throwing my hands up. “I’ll use the stupid passage and try to talk to him. Happy now?”

“Ecstatic!” she chirped. “Oh, by the way, negotiations start tomorrow at nine. I’ll bring breakfast early so you can get ready.”

Freya left, radiating confidence, as though certain I’d meet Hadrian and convince him to let me join the vampire-werewolf talks. I wished I had even a fraction of her optimism. Instead, I felt like a thief creeping through that hidden passage, my steps dragging me toward Hadrian’s door. I knocked, holding my breath.

Silence.

Heart sinking, I returned to my room, cursing Freya’s foolish ideas. Restless and disheartened, I reopened my laptop and the coded messages, throwing every absurd word I could think of into the decoder. Nothing worked. By the time dawn arrived, I was a bundle of frustration and exhaustion.

Then, with a sudden bang, Freya burst into my room, startling me out of a shallow doze.

“I knew you could do it!” she exclaimed, practically bouncing with excitement.

“Do what?” I mumbled groggily.

“Join the negotiations, of course!”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, squinting at her, barely processing her words.

“You didn’t know?” Freya’s wide eyes filled with confusion. “It’s mandatory. The peace treaty depends on it.”

“Who demanded that?” I asked, blinking away sleep.

“I assumed it was the King. You spoke to him yesterday, right?”

“No, I didn’t,” I sighed, dragging myself out of bed.

“Then it must have been someone else.” She shrugged, moving to my closet. “Doesn’t matter. What matters is you’ll be there.”

I forced a smile, but my thoughts raced. What in the world was going on?