bChapter /bb98 /b

    I could hear the air grow thick around bme/b, a suffocating silence that made my pulse roar in my ears. My heartfelt frogen in ce as I stood, unable to move, to breathe, to even process what was happening in front of me. It was like I was watching everything from far awayb, /ba nightmare ying out with no way to wake up.

    Then, a scream pierced the tension, sharp and desperate.

    It was Bex.

    He showed through the crowd, his face wild with panic, and reached Serena’s body, cradling her like he could somehow make her live again. “No! Serenal bYou /bbcan’t /bbe dead! Not like this! NOOOO!”

    He shouted, his voice breaking. His hands trembled as he held her lifeless form. His tears fell onto her still chest, mingling with the blood that had pdeled there

    I couldn’t bear my eyes away, but it didn’t feel real None of it did.

    Just this morning. Serena had smiled at ma, kissed Bex goodbye, and promised she’d be fine. The vision of her bright smile hadn’t even begun to fade from

    my mind. How had we gotten here so quickly?

    I took a step forward, numb, almost in disbelief, band /bstood over her body. My gaze fixed on the horrible wound. A deep gash, brutal and merciless, where her heart had been ripped out, left behind as a sickening message. I choked on my breath. My heart felt like it bhad /bshattered into a thousand jagged pieces

    “ra…

    Prisca’s voice broke through the chaos, pulling me back to the present. She stood beside me, her hand on my shoulder, her voice steady but with a tremor. “Are you alright?”

    I didn’t know how to respond. “No, Prisca… can’t be.” My voice was rough, strangled by the confusion and grief swirling in my chest. “How could this happen? Why?”

    I bgrabbed /bher hand, my grip tight, desperate. “We saw her! She was fine this morning so how is she lying there like that now?”

    Prisca’s eyes flickered toward the tablecloth where the blood soaked in, forming a scarlet message. Her expression hardened. “The Rogue King. This is his doing. He wanted us to see what happens to traitors.

    Rage flickered in her words

    I barely heard her. My mind was already racing, the pieces clicking into ce. “But… the bRogue /bKing is in the Great Canyon, right? He couldn’t have done this… Not in broad daylight.”

    Suddenly, realization struck me like a bolt of lightning. My eyes darted around the room, my skin crawling

    “He’s here,” I muttered, my voice low, almost to myself. “He could be anyone. Anyone in this room. Watching us. Watching me.”

    A chill swept down my bspine/b, and I scanned the bcrowd/bb, /bmy pulse hammering in my throat. I couldn’t trust anyone. Not anymore.

    Bex’s voice broke through the air like a p, harsh and using. His eyes locked onto me, filled with venom and heartbreak. “You said you’d keep her safe! You promised.”

    His words sturg They hit too bclose /bto the truth.

    $11.49 bWed/b, 30 Jul Er C

    1 froze, my chest constricting. He wasn’t wrong. I had promised. How had failed so miserably

    Dex’s body shook as he moved toward me, holling Serena’s bloodied form in his arms. “You let this happen he shouted, his voice raw with grief band /bfury. “I trusted you! I shouldn’t have trusted you”

    I couldn’t even speak, couldn’t defend myself. How could I The weight of my failure crushed me.

    Just then, a shadow moved in, breaking through the chaos.

    Thorn

    “Thome,” Prisca whispered, relief flooding her voice. “You’re back.”

    His beyes /bscanned the room, and the air seemed to still around him. He didn’t hesitate as he stepped forward, cing himself between Bex and me, blocking the storm bof /brage that was building in Bex’s eyes,

    “Bex,” Thome said, his tone bcalm/b, almost too calm for the moment, know you’re hurting. But this isn’t ra’s fault”

    Bex’s re was a weapon, and he aimed it straight at Thome. “What the hell are you talking about?” His voice was trembling, not with fear, but with anger. “She was supposed to protect Serona. She failed. Look at her!” He pointed, and his finger shook as he reached for me, using. “She was supposed to protect her, but she didn’t”

    Thorne’s jaw tightened. “Don’t you want to know who did this? Who’s responsible?”

    Bex stilled, the anger flickering in his eyes. He swallowed, his chest heaving with every breath

    “I know who did it,” he muttered under his breath.

    The room fell silent.

    I could barely breathe, my thoughts spinning wildly. Bex know something–something that could change everything.

    He turned and, with a shaking hand, pointed at someone in the crowd.

    “bYOU /b

    The room gasped. Every eye followed his finger.

    Mi.

    Her face went pale. “Me?” she stammered, her voice high–pitched, almost panicked. “Why would I kill Serena?”

    bBea’s /bface twisted with disgust. “You were with her all day! You were thest one with her. And we all know what you’re capable of

    Mi’s voice cracked. “I don’t even know her! I met her today!”

    Her words hit the air like a p. I could feel the weight of the room’s disbelief

    “She’s lying!” Bex shouted “She’s the one! She’s the killer!”

    “Stop!” Prisca shouted, stepping forward, her voicemanding. “Listen to me. Mi was with us. All afternoon. Her alibi checks out.”

    She turned to Bex, pleading. “Look at bSerena’s /bwound. No she wolf has ws that big. Serena bwas /bkilled by a man.”

    Bex’s body seemed to freeze, his face draining of color. He staggered back, the fight leaving him in ba /bslow, agonizing copse.

    Prisca gently ced a band on his shoulder, her voice soft but firm.i know this is hard, but Mi in’t bthe /bkiller. We need to bfocus /bon who really did this”

    Bex sank to his knees, his hands covering his face. His sobs were muffled, bdeep/b, and r

    SUJOI

    I stood still, paralyzed by the weight of the moment. My gaze turned toward Theme, who had moved beside me. He sat down, his presence solid basidia

    bΠΥΡ/b.

    “Don’t me yourself,” Thorne said, his voice low. “This… this isn’t your fault.”

    I shook my head. “No. It’s all my fault. I promised Hex I would protect her, I promised I wouldn’t let this happen.”

    Thorne’s gaze softened, but there was ba /bhardness in his tone when he spoke next, “ra, you know better than anyone–this is war. And in war, people die. It’s tragic, but it’s the reality.”

    I nodded slowly, the words sinking in.

    “You’re right,” I whispered, my voice shaky. “I forgot… I forgot how dangerous everything still is.”

    I took a deep breath, my eyes locking with Thorne’s. “We can’t wait any longer. We need to go to the Great Canyon now. Together. No more dys

    Thorne studied me for a moment, then nodded. “Even if it’s dangerous?”

    “Yes,” I answered firmly “We can’t let the Rogue King get away with this. We need to confront him, head–on. It’s time to end this war–for bgood/bb” /b

    Thorne’s lips curved into a rare, reassuring smile. “With you by my bside/bb, /b

    I know we can do it.”

    And with that, we made our decision. The next phase of this war was about to begin, and there would be no turning back.