Chapter 8

Chapter 8
Violetta’s POV

The second body was discovered three days later.

I had barely finished dealing with the council’s complaints from the previous meeting when another guard came rushing into the throne room, looking like he had seen death itself.

“Your Majesty.” I looked up from the documents in front of me.

“What is it?”

He swallowed. “Another body was found.”

My fingers stopped moving immediately as my heart almost flew into my chest. “Where?”

“It was in the wolf territories. The unified pack.”

“Why exactly was a fae there? And how do we know so quickly?” I asked.

“Remember the missing persons report of one of our soldiers?” He asked me as he stepped closer.

I nodded slowly and leaned back in my chair. “Was it him?”

“Yes. The wife said she stopped feeling the magic and I went there to investigate last night with a couple of men in my division. And we saw the body.”

“How did you know where to investigate?” I raised my brows, starting to feel suspicious about the whole thing. I knew Luke, he was a trusted scout guard, but I just had to ask.

“The wolves sent word to us that they found another of our kind. They left the body untouched for us to see exactly how it was.”

I closed my eyes for a second.

Another murder.

Another dead fae.

Another reason for the council to start screaming about wolves.

I stood up immediately. “I shall go there.”

“Your Majesty, the council—”

“Can wait.”

I didn’t wait for a response before walking out. By the time I arrived—making sure to keep my presence in the wolf lands by glamour, it was late afternoon.

It was one of our soldiers whose throat had been cut—more like mauled with a claw—and his clothes were covered in dirt from where he had been dragged across the ground.

I looked around the area and surely enough, there were footprints that belonged here to that of a wolf.

My stomach sank immediately. The evidence was right there, almost painfully obvious.

I stood and looked toward the forest and for the first time since becoming queen, I wished I could simply disappear.

I already knew what the council was going on to say. They would want war and they would use this as another reason to question Thorne’s decision to put me on the throne.

I returned to the palace quite late at night because of the distance and surprisingly enough, they were all still awake and waiting for me when I entered the throne room.

“We heard you went to see the body.” Evander stood at the head of the table. “We cannot allow this to continue.”

I looked at him. “Then find whoever is responsible.”

“They are wolves.”

“That is what the evidence suggests,” I replied. “It doesn’t mean they are guilty.”

He stared at me. “You don’t believe it?”

“I believe evidence should be investigated before we start executing people.”

Another councilor scoffed. “How many more fae must die before you decide to act?”

I looked at her. “How many wolves must die before you decide that revenge isn’t justice?”

The room went quiet.

Evander’s expression hardened. “They have attacked us twice.”

“And we have no proof that they did either,” I said to him.

“We have wolf tracks!” He almost yelled, but kept his tone in check because no matter what, I was still queen. “Tracks can be planted.”

“You’re suggesting someone would go through the trouble of killing a fae and planting evidence just to make us angry?”

“Yes.” The answer came easily because it made too much sense.

Someone wanted us angry and wanted the wolves angry too. I knew it in my bones, but I couldn’t prove it because what if it revealed what I was?

“You’re allowing sentiment to cloud your judgment,” Evander said. “We know the winged might be responsible. I have a feeling about that, Thorne left the throne and his mate who knows exactly why. Who knows whether she’s doing it to revenge on the fact that Thorne left the throne. That woman is greedy as they come, she rules Kade’s land with him, but Kade does not rule hers. I am sure she wanted to do the same with Thorne. Weave her way into somehow becoming our ruler just because she has some magic and thinks she’s some worthy chosen person.”

I laughed bitterly. “And you’re allowing anger to replace yours. You said you have a feeling. The key word is feeling. Are you suggesting we start a war just because of a feeling?”

His eyes narrowed. “Your Majesty, you have an obligation to protect your people.”

“I know that, and I have been doing that.”

“Then why stop now? Why stop when you can retaliate? Kill one of theirs on your lands,” Lady Vykrael hissed.

“No.”

Several people then began speaking at once.

I raised my voice. “No.”

The room fell silent.

“I will not send fae soldiers into wolf territory based on footprints and assumptions.”

“They killed one of ours!”

“And if they didn’t?”

“If we retaliate and kill innocent wolves, what do you think happens next?” I asked.

“They retaliate,” another council member said.

“Exactly,” I responded.

“And then we defend ourselves,” Lord Evander said.

“And then they defend themselves again.” I shook my head. “That isn’t protection of my people. That’s a war that will destroy dozens if not thousands of innocent lives.”

Evander slammed his palm against the table. “Perhaps war is exactly what they deserve.”

I stared at him. “I said no.”

His face reddened. “You are making us look weak.”

“I would rather look weak than be stupid.”

A few councilors shifted uncomfortably as I turned away.

“Meeting dismissed.”

“Your Majesty—”

“I said dismissed.”

I left before they could argue again despite knowing that every conversation for the next few days would become the same.

The wolves had killed our people and the wolves needed to pay, and now the wolf leaders were getting away with murder because their queen was too afraid to act.

And eventually I would get tired of hearing it.

I needed to go to the wolf lands again. Perhaps early tomorrow morning and only leave a note for them so that I would speak to Lyra and find out whether she knew anything.

And perhaps, if I was being honest with myself, to see Selene again.

Selene’s POV

I knew something was wrong the moment Violetta arrived because of the look on her face.

She walked into the council room with several fae guards behind her, and the entire atmosphere changed. She hadn’t informed us she was coming or even said anything when we had sent a message about another dead body. We had only heard from scouts that there were sightings of fae in our skies, so an urgent meeting was called.

Lyra was already seated at the table with Kade while Beta Silas stood beside the window and Beta Qamar sat across from him.

I was sitting beside Lyra.

When she entered, her eyes found mine for half a second before she looked away.

“Alpha Lyra.”

“Queen Violetta,” Lyra replied with a polite smile. “You may have a seat.”

“I’d rather not. I shall go straight to the point. I believe we have a problem.”

Lyra leaned back. “I figured that much when I heard you were coming and you weren’t the one to tell me.”

Violetta’s jaw clenched. “A fae soldier was murdered. First time, it was just a commoner, and now it is one of our best soldiers.”

Kade frowned. “We heard.”

“And the evidence points toward your people.”

I felt instantly so irritated by the statement, and maybe that was all because of the bad blood between her and me. “Our people?” I asked.

She turned briefly to me. “Wolf tracks were found at the scene.”

“That doesn’t mean a wolf killed him.”

“It is convenient that you say that,” she commented. “Especially when what killed him was getting a slice to the neck that definitely wasn’t from a sword, but the claws of your kind.”

Lyra’s eyes narrowed. “Careful.”

Violetta crossed her arms. “I’m not accusing you personally.”

“You’re standing in her territory telling her one of her wolves murdered someone based on footprints,” I spat at her, my anger rising.

“I said the evidence points toward the wolves,” she deadpanned, rolling her eyes at me.

“And I’m saying that your evidence is fucking shit,” I yelled, standing up and slamming my hands on the wood table.

“Selene,” Lyra called softly, reaching for me.

“No, Lyra. I’m tired of this,” I continued, my chest heaving. “First, a fae dies near our border, drained of magic by the way—which a wolf can’t do. Then another one dies, and suddenly… let me guess, it’s your council that wants war? What? Are you now a pushover that you heed them and come here with a fight?”

Violetta’s expression changed. “They’re not the only ones asking questions, Lady Selene.”

“Then perhaps you should tell them to stop looking for excuses to start a war.”

Violetta’s eyes flashed. “You think I want a war?”

Lyra stared at her. “I think your people do,” she said calmly.

“My people don’t speak for me.”

“Then why are you here?” I spat at her.

“I am trying to work with you all to find out the truth, Lady Selene,” she said, somehow still being calm while I was raving inside. “If I wanted war, I wouldn’t be standing here talking to you.”

Kade glanced between the two of us. “She has a point.”

Lyra and I looked at him and shot him a glare. “Whose side are you on?” I asked.

“A peaceful side. I’ve had enough of war. I need peace for at least another ten years.”

Silas snorted and Qamar rolled his eyes.

“This is going well.”

I barely heard them as I was watching Violetta, who looked more exhausted than angry or hungry for revenge.

“You came here expecting us to admit we did it?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“I want to know if anyone has been behaving strangely or you have noticed anything strange rather than the constant dead bodies.”

Silas frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Missing patrols. Unexplained movements. Anyone leaving the territory without permission?”

Qamar shook his head. “Nothing that we’ve noticed.” He turned to Silas just then. “On your side? Anything strange?”
“I came here because my council is demanding retaliation. So I expect the wolves to know what is going on in their lands to prevent anymore deaths against our kind.”

I hissed in annoyance. “How about starting with stopping your people from coming to our lands and getting killed?”

“Lady Selene, I could have sent an army,” said Violetta, finally looking at me. God, the way her eyes bore into my soul… it made my knees weak, but at the same time made me want to explode with anger.

“Is that supposed to be a threat? Send your fucking army, we are ready for anything.”

“Actually, Selene,” Kade started, but I cut him off.

“Please save it, Kade.”

“What I am trying to say is that I didn’t send them because I don’t want more people to die,” she said through gritted teeth. “This is getting messy and trust me, it will be bloody if it continues.”

“Is that the only threat you’ve got up your sleeve?” I asked with a raise of my brows.