Chapter 18: The Traitor's Mask

The Royal War Chamber fell silent.

Magnus remained standing beside the stone table, his expression unusually grim.

Derek folded his arms and looked at him.

'Which council member?'

Magnus hesitated before answering.

'Lord Cedric Blackthorne.'

Kira frowned.

'The Minister of Finance?'

'The same.'

Derek's silver eyes narrowed.

Cedric had served the royal family for nearly twenty years. He had advised Derek's father before the old king died and remained one of the kingdom's most trusted nobles.

'Are you certain?' Derek asked.

'One of the palace guards saw him leaving the restricted archives shortly before sunrise. After searching the room, we found signs that someone had been looking through sealed royal records.'

Derek stayed silent.

He never judged a man before hearing him.

'Bring him here.'

'Alive?' Magnus asked.

'Unless he forces you otherwise.'

'Yes, Your Majesty.'

Magnus left immediately.

Kira glanced at Derek.

'Do you believe he betrayed you?'

'I believe someone wants me to think he did.'

'So this could be another trap?'

'Exactly.'

An hour later, the chamber doors opened.

Magnus entered with Lord Cedric walking beside him.

The elderly noble looked calm despite the armed escort.

'Your Majesty,' Cedric said respectfully.

'You wished to see me?'

'Sit.'

Cedric obeyed without hesitation.

'Someone entered the royal archives last night,' Derek began.

'Yes,' Cedric replied.

'I did.'

Kira blinked in surprise.

'You admit it?'

'Why wouldn't I? I had permission to review old financial records.'

Magnus shook his head.

'The financial records are kept upstairs. You entered the sealed royal archive beneath the palace.'

Cedric sighed.

'Then perhaps the records were moved years ago. I searched where I was instructed.'

Derek watched every movement on the old man's face.

Cedric showed no fear.

No panic.

No sign of guilt.

'Search his estate,' Derek ordered.

'Already completed,' Magnus replied.

'We found nothing suspicious. No coded letters. No enemy symbols. No hidden documents.'

Cedric smiled faintly.

'Exactly as I expected.'

Kira studied him carefully.

Something felt wrong.

Not because he looked guilty.

Because he looked prepared.

'Lord Cedric,' she asked softly.

'Have we ever met before?'

The old man smiled sadly.

'No.'

'But you resemble someone I once knew very well.'

'Who?'

'Your mother.'

Silence filled the chamber.

'You knew my mother?' Kira whispered.

'Only briefly.'

'She visited this palace once when you were still a baby.'

'That's impossible. My father told me she died before then.'

'Perhaps your father never told you everything.'

Before Kira could ask another question, a soldier burst into the chamber.

'Your Majesty!'

'Speak.'

'We've discovered another body near the eastern watchtower.'

'Take us there.'

Within minutes they reached the tower.

A dead man dressed in black lay on the ground.

The crescent emblem of the Shadow Blood assassins was stitched inside his cloak.

Derek searched the body himself.

Most of the assassin's belongings had already been removed.

Only a small leather pouch remained.

Inside rested a silver ring.

Kira gasped.

'I've seen that ring before.'

'Where?' Derek asked.

'In my father's study. He kept it hidden inside a locked wooden box.'

Derek examined the ring carefully.

Words were engraved inside the band.

'Blood remembers what history buries.'

Cedric's calm expression finally cracked.

'You've seen this ring before,' Derek said.

Cedric remained silent.

'Answer the King,' Magnus growled.

The old noble slowly lowered his head.

'I prayed this day would never come.'

'What day?' Kira asked.

'The day someone uncovered the King's Covenant.'

'What is the King's Covenant?' Derek demanded.

'That ring is proof that your history is built on lies.'

'Proof of what?'

Cedric looked directly into Kira's eyes.

'Your mother wasn't an ordinary wolf.'

'She belonged to the original Lycan royal bloodline.'

Kira felt her heart stop.

'Then who was my father?'

Cedric opened his mouth to answer.

A sharp whistle sliced through the air.

An arrow flew from the forest.

It struck Cedric directly in the chest.

'Protect the King!' Magnus shouted.

Soldiers rushed to surround Derek and Kira.

Cedric collapsed onto the stone path.

Kira knelt beside him.

'Please... stay with us.'

Cedric gripped her wrist weakly.

'North...'

'Moon Temple...'

'Find... the...'

His voice faded.

His hand slipped from hers.

Lord Cedric Blackthorne died before revealing the truth.

Derek stared toward the dark forest beyond the palace walls.

'They're killing everyone who knows the past,' he said quietly.

'Which means we're closer to the truth than ever before.'