Chapter 48 Preparing for battle 1

Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Preparing for battle 1

Talia’s POV

The days after the announcement blurred together.

I woke up each morning to the same routine: a servant brought me breakfast, I ate without even trying to enjoy the taste, I showered and dressed, and I walked the hallways, trying to keep my mind busy.

But my mind would not stay busy.

It kept going back to the Luna Celebration, to Mooncrest Hall, and to Vivienne.

The days kept counting down so fast, from seven days to six, then five.

Each morning that arrived, I counted down. And each morning, the weight in my chest grew heavier.

I tried to distract myself. I went to the library and read the same page three times without understanding a word. I walked to the garden and sat by the fountain, watching the water ripple and swirl. And I even tried to visit the training grounds, but the sound of wolves sparring made my chest tighten.

Nothing I tried worked.

Everywhere I went, I felt eyes on me, and whispers followed me like shadows. The pack knew that the celebration was coming, and they were waiting impatiently for it too.

Serena passed me in the hallway. She smiled, but her eyes were cold. "Five days," she said. "Are you excited, Luna?"

I did not answer. I just turned a different corner and walked away.

But her voice followed me. "I hope you are ready, because it would be such a shame if something went wrong."

I ignored her words, because I knew she was trying all she could to push me out of the Luna position, but she was failing, and that was making her desperate.

I knew that aside from Vivienne, I needed to watch out for Serena too, in case she was planning something as well.

On the third day, I visited Piper.

She was still staying with Nora in the servants’ quarters. Nora had kept her hidden, and no one had asked questions.

I knocked on Nora’s door, and Piper opened it.

Her face lit up when she saw me. "Talia."

"Can we talk?" I asked.

She pulled me inside quickly and closed the door.

Nora’s room was small, and it contained only a narrow bed, a wooden chair, and a small table with a bowl of water. The walls were bare, and the window was tiny.

But it was clean, and it was warm, and Piper had made it her own. Her bag sat in the corner, and her shoes were lined up by the bed.

"Are you okay?" Piper asked.

"I have to be," I said.

I sat on the edge of the bed, and Piper sat beside me.

"The Luna Celebration is in five days," I said.

"I know." Piper nodded.

"You said Vivienne is planning something, but we do not know what, we do not know when, and we do not know how," I said.

Piper nodded again. "I have been thinking about it too."

"And what did you come up with?" I asked, steadying myself.

"I think we need to be ready for anything." Piper grabbed my hands. "They could try to poison you or at least put something in your drink. They could plan to trap you in a room until the party is over, or they could try public humiliation, where she will try to make you look foolish in front of everyone."

My stomach turned. "That is what I am afraid of."

We sat in silence for a moment.

The fire crackled in the small hearth, and the shadows danced on the walls.

I thought about all the ways Vivienne could hurt me: poison in my drink, a knife in the dark, public accusations that I could not defend against, or even trying to kidnap me. I could not put any of it past Vivienne and Celeste, because I knew they could do it without blinking an eye.

They had done a lot to me in the past, but this time was different. Because this time, she had weeks to plan, weeks to gather allies, and weeks to find the perfect moment to strike.

"What if she tries to turn Kaelen against me?" I asked.

Piper frowned. "How could she do that?"

"She could lie and say I confessed something to her. She could also produce fake evidence. You know this is Vivienne we are talking about," I explained to Piper.

"Then we need to make sure Kaelen knows the truth before she gets the chance," Piper said.

I shook my head. "I cannot tell him. Not yet."

"Then you need to be careful. Do not give her any opening," Piper warned.

"What do we do?" she asked.

I took a breath. "We prepare."

"How?" she asked.

I thought about everything I had learned in Cresswood. Every trick Vivienne had used, and every trap she had set.

"First," I said, "you watch for poison. At the celebration, do not let me eat or drink anything that has not been tasted first."

Piper nodded. "I can do that."

"Second, watch the people around me. If someone looks nervous, or if someone keeps looking at Vivienne, tell me."

"I will," Piper said.

"Third, stay close, and do not let me out of your sight no matter what."

Piper squeezed my hands. "I will not leave your side."