Chapter 26
Abigail's POV
I returned to sit beside the bed, gently taking Orchid's hand. "The first thing you need to do now is rest. Get your strength back."
"Miss..." she said softly, another tear sliding from the corner of her eye. "You don't have to do this. I'm just a servant. If Luna wants to punish me—"
"She doesn't want to punish you," I cut her off, my voice turning cold. "She wants to hurt me. You're just the tool she chose. I won't let her succeed."
Orchid looked straight at me, her gaze full of gratitude and uncertain trust. "Thank you, Miss."
I gently squeezed her fingers. "Sleep for a while. Leave the rest to me."
She finally couldn't hold on any longer and closed her eyes, exhaustion dragging her completely into sleep. I stood up and walked to the window. The setting sun had begun to sink in the west, painting the courtyard and distant forest in shades of gold and red, stretching the shadows long.
I turned from the window, my gaze falling on Orchid lying in the bed. Her breathing was somewhat steadier than before, but her face remained pale, her brow still faintly tight with lingering pain.
"I won't let her hurt you," I said quietly. "I promise."
Hours slipped by quietly. The sun sank bit by bit, staining the sky a heavy orange-red. I sat at my desk, turning over everything I knew in my mind, trying to find the cracks in Mother's story. Behind me, Orchid slept restlessly, occasionally murmuring in her dreams, as if still being dragged through the dungeon's shadows.
When Autumn finally returned, it was already pitch dark outside. She slipped into the room like a shadow, closing the door with extreme care.
"Miss," she said in a low voice. "I found out about the witness."
I stood up immediately. "Tell me."
Autumn hesitated for a moment, her hands unconsciously twisting together. "Her name's Clara. She's a kitchen servant, been here about two years. The other servants say she left pack territory three days ago, said she was going to visit relatives."
My heart sank. "Three days ago? The same day the theft supposedly happened?"
"Yes, Miss." Autumn's tone grew heavy. "And... I asked around everywhere. Nobody knows where these relatives of hers are supposed to live. Nobody's ever heard her mention having relatives before."
"There's more," Autumn continued. "One of the stable hands saw her leave that morning, right before she left. He said Clara was with two guards, heading east."
"Which two guards?" I asked, though I already had a sinking feeling about the answer.
"Both Luna's trusted men, ones who've been seen at her side."
I closed my eyes, letting the pieces fit together one by one. Mother had moved the witness out of reach before anyone had a chance to formally question her story. Dead women tell no tales, and missing witnesses serve just as well.
Without Clara, without anyone able to question her face to face, all we had was hearsay. Luna's guards would solemnly testify that Clara had seen Orchid steal the jewelry with her own eyes, and there would be no one to prove otherwise.
A very clean setup.
"Did anyone see where exactly they went after leaving the territory?" I asked.
Autumn shook her head. "The stable hand only saw them head east. After that..." She stopped, frustration crossing her face. "I tried to ask more, but everyone's scared, Miss. They know better than to touch anything involving Luna."
I nodded, already thinking through what this meant. Finding Clara on my own, pulling her out of Luna's grasp, was nearly impossible. Evelyn had too many resources, too many people either loyal to her or afraid of her. If she'd tucked the witness away in some corner, trying to dig her out within three days would be a fool's dream.
But I didn't necessarily need to find Clara.
I only needed to prove her testimony wasn't credible—that she'd been coerced or bought off. For that, I needed someone whose reach extended further than mine: someone who could move freely, who could mobilize connections outside the pack, who wasn't afraid of Evelyn's influence.
I needed Nicholas. Though we had an agreement that he would fulfill any request I made, I hadn't expected to need him again so soon.
But did I have any other choice? Orchid's life hung by a thread. And this matter had already gone beyond one servant's fate. Evelyn was testing me, pushing forward one step to see where I would retreat to. If I backed down now, if I let her win this round, she would only press harder. Next time, the one locked in that cell might not be Orchid, but Autumn—or even myself.
I sat back down at the desk and pulled out a clean sheet of paper. As I dipped the pen in ink, I found my hand unexpectedly steady. Soon, clear characters appeared on the page.
Nicholas,
I need your help. My mother has framed my servant for theft and tortured her. The so-called witness has been moved off pack territory by Luna's trusted guards. I have only three days to prove her innocence. Without your resources, I cannot find the witness in time.
—A.
I read it through once from beginning to end, then folded the letter and carefully sealed it with wax.
"Autumn." I handed the letter over. "I need you to get this to Nicholas. Find someone reliable to deliver it—someone discreet who won't draw attention."
Autumn took the letter, her brow furrowing slightly. "Miss, are you sure about this? Getting him involved..."
"I have no other path left to walk," I said. "With just the two of us, we won't make it through these three days."
She was silent for a moment, then finally nodded. "I know someone. A boy in the stables, he's done messenger work before. He'll keep his mouth shut."
"Good. Give him sufficient payment and make sure he knows how urgent this is."
Autumn tucked the letter into her clothing and slipped out quietly once more. The room fell silent again, with only firelight dancing gently on the walls. I walked to the window and watched the last trace of sunlight slide beneath the horizon. The courtyard gradually sank into shadow, dark and bottomless.
Three days. I only needed to last three days.
Evening, Autumn returned with news. She deliberately kept her expression calm, but the moment she closed the door, her shoulders tensed involuntarily.
"The Alpha sent a reply, Miss," she said, pulling a folded paper from her pocket. "He said he'll help. He wants to meet you tomorrow night, on the northern edge of the territory, in that clearing near the old oak grove—he said you'd know where."
I did know. It was secluded enough not to be easily stumbled upon, yet not so far as to make people wonder why I'd go there.
"Did he say anything else?" I asked.
Autumn shook her head. "He said he'll bring people. And one more thing—he told you to be careful."
Of course. Nicholas never did things halfway. If he agreed, he would bring whatever personnel and means necessary to get it done.
A wave of relief, almost dizzying, washed over me. I'd been carrying this weight alone for too long; suddenly having someone who could share part of the burden actually made me feel somewhat unaccustomed. The feeling was strange, yet... relieving.
"Thank you, Autumn," I said softly. "For everything you've done."
She managed a small but genuine smile. "You don't need to thank me, Miss. We're in this together."
I nodded, a warm yet faintly aching emotion rising in my chest. "Yes. We are."