Chapter 42 Sorin's Manipulation (Sorin's POV)
Chapter 42 Sorin's Manipulation (Sorin's POV)
The rehearsal ends and I watch them all scatter like pieces on a board… Thalia to her mother, Lucien to face Ravenna, Casimir coordinating logistics with mechanical precision.
None of them see it. The pattern underneath the chaos. The web I've been spinning for five years.
"Uncle." Casimir appears beside me. "Your thoughts on tomorrow?"
"The ceremony will proceed as planned." I keep my voice neutral, professional seer reporting probabilities. "All major participants survive the event. Barring unforeseen interference."
"Good." He's satisfied with this answer. Doesn't question why I phrase it that way… "barring unforeseen interference" leaves room for intervention he won't anticipate.
He walks away to coordinate with security. I'm alone with my tablet and the futures only I can see.
I pull up the readings I've been tracking obsessively for months. Every timeline branches from tomorrow's ceremony. In some, Thalia marries Casimir and the pregnancy continues. In others, something disrupts the wedding and outcomes diverge wildly.
But the pattern remains constant: in every future where Thalia's child lives past infancy, my son dies.
Every. Single. One.
Marcus. Twenty-eight years old. Brilliant, reckless, currently hiding in Slovenia under false identity. My son who I've protected since he was born, who I've guided and shielded and loved despite his terrible choices.
My son who seduced Elara Dragomir five years ago under my direction.
I told him it was intelligence gathering. Told him Ravenna had ordered it. Told him to get close to the Alpha's sister, extract information, and leave before complications arose.
I didn't tell him I'd seen the futures where he stayed, where Elara died in childbirth, where Casimir spent the rest of his shortened life hunting the father. Didn't tell him that sending him away before the pregnancy was discovered was the only way to keep him alive.
But I underestimated Casimir's determination. Five years of investigation, narrowing suspects, building profiles. He's gotten too close. Another few months and he'll identify Marcus definitively. Then nothing I do can save my son from Dragomir justice.
Unless Thalia's child never lives to cause Marcus's death in the futures.
I've been tracking those timelines obsessively. In futures where the baby dies… miscarriage, stillbirth, accident… Marcus survives. Lives to old age. Sees his own grandchildren. Dies peacefully instead of executed or hunted.
The math is simple: Thalia's child or my son. Not both.
And I choose my son.
I've been preparing for this moment since I first saw the prophecy three months ago. Since I realized the Convergence child would be conceived, would be born, would grow into the instrument of my son's death.
"Excuse me." A security guard approaches. "We're locking down the hall for the night. If you need to stay, I can arrange accommodations… "
"I'll leave soon." I wave him off. "Just finishing some readings."
He moves away. I'm alone in the massive hall, surrounded by preparations for tomorrow's ceremony. Flowers being arranged, chairs positioned with geometric precision, the altar where Thalia will stand and promise herself to Casimir while carrying a child that will doom my son.
I can't let that happen.
The blessed silver blade sits in my jacket pocket, small and deadly. I had it made three months ago from a blacksmith in Prague who specializes in weapons that can kill what shouldn't be killed. Blessed silver works on Convergence wolves the same way it works on all wolves… bypasses healing, causes wounds that won't close, kills with certainty.
It also works on fetuses. Especially supernatural ones.
The original plan was to wait until after the wedding, until after Thalia was legally bound to Casimir and surrounded by Dragomir security. More witnesses, more chaos, harder for anyone to identify who delivered the killing blow.
But the futures shifted this morning. Something about Thalia's resolve crystallizing, about the mate bond between her and Lucien growing stronger despite the impossible circumstances. In timelines where I wait until after the ceremony, she survives my attempt. The baby survives. Marcus dies.
But in timelines where I act, while she's vulnerable and alone in Thornewood accommodations...
I check my tablet again, running the probabilities. Seventy-three percent success rate if I move in the next six hours. Drops to forty-two percent if I wait until tomorrow. Drops further to eighteen percent if I wait until after the wedding.
I've been feeding information to all sides for months, ensuring chaos, keeping everyone off-balance. Told Casimir about the Convergence bloodline significance. Guided Ravenna toward creating the blood curse. Suggested to Morrigan that suppressants would protect Thalia. Every move calculated to create circumstances where Thalia would be vulnerable, isolated, surrounded by enemies who could plausibly have motive for attack.
When she dies, suspicion will scatter in every direction. Ravenna wanting to prevent Convergence tyranny. Morrigan fearing her daughter's power. Random Voss operative eliminating a threat. Even Lucien could be suspect, mate bond driven mad by watching his beloved marry someone else.
No one will look at the quiet seer who's been helpful and supportive throughout. The uncle who guided Casimir's investigation but never quite found conclusive evidence. The prophet who warned everyone about dangers without actively preventing them.
I've been invisible in plain sight for five years.
I finish what I started when I sent Marcus away from pregnant Elara.
My phone buzzes. Text from Marcus: "Any updates on Casimir's investigation?"
He doesn't know how close Casimir has gotten. Doesn't know that the wedding tomorrow was going to accelerate identification by giving Lucien access to combined intelligence networks. I've been shielding him from the truth, telling him investigation has stalled, telling him he's safe, telling him to stay hidden just a bit longer.
All lies. Comfortable lies that let him sleep while I do what's necessary to ensure his survival.
I type back: "Investigation ongoing but no breakthroughs. Stay where you are. I'll update if anything changes."