Chapter 157

Chapter 157
Lyra's POV


I didn't immediately accept her proposal. Instead, I countered with a question: "Why should I trust you?"


Without hesitation, she raised her right hand, palm upward, as if cradling an invisible sliver of moonlight.


"I, Sylvia, swear by the Moon Goddess—everything I'm about to say is the truth."


"If I lie, may the Moon Goddess reclaim my wolf spirit, render me forever unable to shift, and bar me from her hunting grounds after death."


Her voice was soft, but the oath carried undeniable weight.


I studied her. The sorrow and worry in her eyes—emotions she couldn't quite mask—felt achingly familiar. I'd seen that same expression reflected back at me when Orion had been injured.


"Alright," I said. "I believe you."


Sylvia closed her eyes briefly, as though finally allowing herself to breathe.


Then, just as quickly, she snapped back into her efficient demeanor.


"Kaelum's guard is down right now—this is our best chance. The casino is underground, beneath the abandoned steel mill on the east side. The entrance is hidden behind the base of Furnace Three."


"I've rarely been there myself, but I'm almost certain—if Kaelum isn't at his compound, he'll be at the casino."


I cross-referenced her description with the intelligence Caius had provided earlier: underground casino, property of a vampire progenitor, VIP rooms with member-referral-only access.


Every detail matched.


The lunar eclipse had ended less than twenty-four hours ago. Kaelum's strength likely hadn't fully recovered yet. If we were going to move, now was the optimal window.


I didn't waste time deliberating. I pulled out my phone and called Darian.


"Darian, I need a team. People you trust who can handle themselves. We move tonight."


There was a beat of silence on the other end before his voice came through, low and laced with concern.


"Luna, given the timing, don't you think you should reconsider? The Alpha just left. There are still matters at the estate that require your presence. I could send scouts ahead—you don't need to go yourself—"


"Darian." I cut him off, my voice level but edged with a new hardness I seemed to have acquired overnight. "I'm giving you an order as Luna of the Blackwood family. Mobilize them. Now."


Another pause. Then, as if coming to a decision, he replied, "Yes. I'll arrange it immediately."


Once the team arrived at the manor, Sylvia and I led them to Kaelum's compound first.


Following her directions, we reached his quarters.


The door was ajar. The room was empty.


On the table sat a half-finished cup of tea, the porcelain cold to the touch.


Kaelum wasn't here.


"Straight to the casino, then," Sylvia said.


I nodded, then called out to stop her as she turned to leave.


"Change first. If Kaelum had someone impersonate you to drug me, it means he's already planning to eliminate you—he's just hoping to use the Blackwood family to do it for him."


"If we show up at the casino as ourselves, we might as well be walking into a trap."


We found an abandoned changing room and swapped our clothes for nondescript outfits we'd scrounged from the alleys near the casino.


Black shirt. Charcoal slacks. Hair tied back in a low ponytail.


Sylvia tucked her usually loose blonde hair under a baseball cap, concealing her most distinctive feature.


I glanced at my reflection and removed the moonstone necklace I habitually wore, tucking it into an inner pocket.


When I looked up again, the woman in the mirror could pass for an ordinary gambler testing her luck.


The casino was hidden beneath the abandoned steel mill on the city's east side.


The base of Furnace Three was encrusted with rust and strangled by dead vines, but along one side was an inconspicuous iron door. A faint golden glow seeped through the crack.


I positioned our team in the surrounding area, instructing them to wait for my signal before acting. Then I followed Sylvia toward the door.


A female vampire stood guard at the entrance, dressed in a sharply tailored black evening gown with a small blood-red brooch pinned to her collar.


She swept her gaze over us with bureaucratic efficiency, her voice smooth as velvet when she spoke.


"Welcome to Mr. Flint's private establishment. Entry requires one of two qualifications: proof of assets totaling at least ten million USD, or a referral from an existing member."


I wasn't surprised by her words. It didn't take much guesswork to realize that "Flint" was simply another name for Varyn.


After delivering her spiel, the vampire's gaze settled on my face.


"If you don't meet the requirements, please leave promptly."


Behind me, Sylvia muttered a curse under her breath. "I completely forgot about that."


She started to reach for her wallet.


I grabbed her wrist and pressed it down, lowering my voice.


"Have you forgotten why we changed clothes?"


Her expression faltered, clearly realizing her mistake. She withdrew her hand.


I turned my attention past the vampire's shoulder, scanning the main hall until my eyes landed on a middle-aged werewolf sitting alone at the bar.


He wore a well-cut charcoal suit and a discreet but undeniably expensive Patek Philippe on his wrist.


Drinking alone. No companions. No entourage. That meant he had time to spare—and no one making decisions for him.


The ideal mark.


"He's my referral," I said, nodding toward him.


Sylvia followed my line of sight and blinked. "You know someone here?"


"No."


"Then how—"


Before she could finish, the man apparently noticed my gesture. He set down his glass and walked toward the entrance.


I met his gaze and, before he could draw any boundaries, leaned in close to his ear.


"Get us in. I'll give you a cut of everything I win tonight."


He looked me over for a few seconds, then smiled—a grin that carried equal parts amusement and offense.


"You've clearly never set foot in a real casino. What makes you think you'll win anything?"


"Try me. If I lose, I'll pay you a million USD."


His pupils flickered. I'd hooked his interest.


"Fine," he said. "I'll give you a chance to see how the big leagues play."


He approached the vampire and exchanged a few quiet words.


She nodded and gestured for us to enter.


But as we passed, she fixed her gaze on Sylvia for a beat too long.


"You look familiar. Have you been here before?"


Sylvia's expression froze.


I answered before she could stumble. "My friend has one of those faces. People mistake her for someone else all the time."


The vampire's eyes lingered on Sylvia for another two seconds before she finally stepped aside.


Once we were inside, Sylvia whispered, "She's seen me before. I came here with Otto a few times—not often, but clearly enough for her to remember."


I kept my voice low. "Don't panic. Act natural. She won't figure it out."


The man led us through the hall and stopped at a Texas Hold'em table.


"Texas Hold'em. You play?"


I nodded, accepted the chips he handed me, and took the only open seat.


The moment I sat down, murmurs rippled around the table.


"Isn't that Greene? If he's here tonight, this table's no joke."


"Who's the woman? Never seen her before."


"Fresh blood. Probably here to lose money."


I ignored the whispers and began stacking my chips. Then Sylvia's knee nudged mine under the table.


She leaned in, her voice barely audible.


"Third seat to your right. Gray shirt, gold cufflinks. He's one of Kaelum's men. I've seen him at the compound before."