Chapter 156

Chapter 156: Chapter 156

In the Palace prison, Varek sat alone in his cell.

The stone walls were cold and damp, the only light coming from a single torch in the corridor outside. He had been stripped of his fine clothes and dressed in rough prisoner’s garb. His hair was unkempt, his face gaunt. But his eyes—his eyes still burned with ambition and fury.

The guard arrived with his evening meal a bowl of thin gruel and a cup of stale water. Varek took the bowl without a word, waiting until the guard had retreated before examining it.

He stirred the gruel with his spoon, feeling for anything unusual. And there it was—a small capsule, hidden in the thick liquid. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then fished it out.

Inside the capsule was a slip of paper. Varek unfolded it, his heart pounding.

Be prepared. We move tonight.

No signature. No additional details. Just those five words.

Varek smiled.

He carefully refolded the paper and placed it back in the capsule, then swallowed the capsule whole. No evidence. No trace. He ate the rest of his gruel slowly, savoring each bite, his mind already racing with plans.

Tonight, he thought. Tonight, I’ll be free. And when I am, I will make the King pay for humiliating me. I will make them all pay.

He finished his meal and leaned back against the cold stone wall, waiting.

The training grounds at Shadowmoon Academy were bustling with activity.

Students from both academies were spread across the field, practicing their forms under the watchful eyes of instructors. The merger had brought changes new training methods, new faces, new rivalries. But today, Soren barely noticed any of it.

He was watching Finn.

The sandy-haired boy was across the field, practicing with a group of first-years. He moved through the drills with ease, his form significantly improved since his first days at the academy. To anyone watching, he looked like an ordinary student—friendly, hardworking, and completely unremarkable.

But Soren knew better now.

Varek’s son, he thought. Nyra’s cousin. A traitor hiding in plain sight.

He studied Finn’s face, searching for any sign of deception. But there was nothing—just the same easy smile, the same warm laugh, the same boyish charm that had fooled everyone for so long.

How? Soren wondered. How can someone be so good at pretending?

His mind wandered as he watched, questions swirling in his head. Why was Finn doing this? Was it for power? For revenge? For his father’s approval? And how deep did his betrayal go?

"Soren. Soren!"

Finn’s voice cut through his thoughts. Soren blinked, realizing that Finn had crossed the field and was now standing directly in front of him.

"What’s wrong?" Finn asked, that usual smile on his face. "You’ve been looking at me for a while. Is something wrong?"

Shit, Soren cursed internally. He forced a smile.

"I was just watching you train. Your stance has improved significantly. It’s not as bad as it was before." He reached out and patted Finn’s back, a gesture he hoped seemed casual.

Finn’s smile widened, showing his teeth. "You noticed also? I don’t know why Ragnar still hasn’t admitted that I’ve improved. He keeps thinking I’m still as bad as ever."

"Maybe he hasn’t seen you well enough yet. If he looks into you more, he’ll see more than what he’s seeing." Soren’s words carried a double meaning, but he kept his expression friendly.

Finn paused, his smile flickering for just a moment. Then he nodded, the grin returning. "Maybe. I’m no longer the Finn of before."

"Anyways, I have to get back to training before I’m caught slacking off. Thanks for the comments." Finn turned and jogged back to his group, waving as he went.

Soren watched him go, his hands fisted inside his pockets. I will uncover your secrets, he thought. No matter what it takes.

He kept the smile on his face until Finn was out of sight, then looked away, focusing on the other students.

Freya Thornridge walked through the corridors of her academy, her friends at her side.

Her school was a mixed academy—younger students from noble families, training together before they were old enough to attend Shadowmoon or Silvermoon. The corridors were bright and cheerful, filled with the chatter of students and the clatter of books.

"So, how was the training today?" Lila asked, adjusting her bag.

"Exhausting. I thought my arms were going to fall off." Freya rolled her shoulders. "But I’m improving. Father says so."

"He also says you’re too reckless," Mara added with a grin.

"Reckless and brilliant are the same thing."

They rounded a corner, and Freya’s breath caught.

Dain Blackfang was walking toward them, flanked by a group of his friends. He was tall and dark-haired, with the same gray eyes as his brother Ragnar but none of the brooding intensity. When he saw Freya, his face broke into a warm smile.

"Princess Freya." He stopped and bowed—a formal gesture, but with a hint of playfulness. "How is your day going?"

"Lord Dain." She curtsied, her cheeks flushing slightly. "My day is going well, thank you."

"I’m glad to hear it." His gray eyes met hers, and for a moment, the corridor seemed to fade away. "I was hoping I’d run into you. There’s a festival in the city next week—the Moonlight Carnival. I was wondering if you’d like to attend. With me."

Freya’s heart skipped a beat. "I... I’d have to ask my parents."

"Of course." He smiled. "I’ll wait for your answer. No pressure."

She nodded, barely able to keep her expression neutral. "Thank you for the invitation. I should... I should get to the cafeteria. My friends are waiting."

"Of course. Don’t let me keep you." He stepped aside, making way for her with a gentlemanly bow.

Freya walked past him, her friends trailing behind. As soon as they were out of earshot, Lila burst into giggles.

"He asked you to the carnival! He actually asked you!"

"Shh!" Freya’s face was bright red. "Don’t make a scene!"

"This is the opposite of a scene. This is the best thing that’s ever happened."

Freya shook her head, but she couldn’t suppress her smile.

In her dark shrine, Morgath sat cross-legged before the altar.

The candles flickered, their flames casting twisted shadows on the walls. The air was thick with incense and dark energy. Morgath’s ancient eyes were closed, her lips moving in a silent chant.

The ritual was nearly complete. The binding spell that would destroy Nyra’s soul was ready. But there was a problem.

The full moon had not come.

For two months, the sky had been dark. The Moon Goddess was withholding her light, punishing the realm for the death of her daughter. And without the full moon, the ritual could not be performed.

She’s stubborn, Morgath thought. Even now, she protects her child from beyond the grave.

But Morgath was patient. She had waited centuries for this moment. She could wait a little longer.

When the full moon returns, she thought, I will complete the ritual. And the Moonblood line will finally be extinguished.

But tonight, she had other work to do.

Varek was still useful to her. He had connections, resources, a network of loyal followers. And he was scheduled for execution in a week. She couldn’t let him die—not yet.

I will cast a protection spell, she thought. A ward that will keep him safe from harm. At least until he has served his purpose.

She reached for the ingredients—black candles, crushed bones, the blood of a shadow wolf. The spell was complex, but she had performed it many times before.

And as she chanted, she thought of the poison she had given Varek all those years ago—the poison that had killed Alexander, Nyra’s father, and his son Thorne. It had been slow, subtle, undetectable. Varek had fed it to them for months before delivering the final blow.

Nyra had escaped because of her Moonblood power the light in her veins had protected her from the toxins. But it didn’t matter now. Nyra was dead. Her soul was trapped in the Moon Court, beyond Morgath’s reach.

But not for long, Morgath thought. Soon, I will find a way to destroy her completely. And then, the Moonblood line will be no more.

Corvin moved through the dark corridors of the academy, his footsteps silent on the stone.

He had been watching Elias for days, waiting for him to make a move. And tonight, finally, Elias had slipped away from his dormitory and made his way to the abandoned east wing.

Corvin followed at a safe distance, keeping to the shadows. The east wing was dark and silent, its corridors empty. Elias moved with the confidence of someone who had been here many times before.

He stopped at a classroom door and glanced around before slipping inside.

Corvin crept closer, pressing himself against the wall. Through the crack in the door, he could hear voices.

"How is the plan moving?" Elias asked.

"Everything is in place," a voice replied—Xavier, Corvin recognized. "We move tonight."

"And the guards? The prison security?"

"Bribed. The escape route is secure."

"Good." Elias’s voice was hard. "Lord Varek must be freed tonight. The mission has to be successful."

Corvin’s heart pounded. They were going to break Varek out of prison. Tonight.

He had to warn the others.

He started to move, but his foot caught on something—a loose stone, a piece of debris. It clattered loudly in the darkness.

Corvin froze.

Inside the classroom, the voices stopped.

"Did you hear that?" Elias asked.

"What is it?" Xavier’s voice.

"Someone’s outside."

Corvin held his breath, his hand moving to his dagger. His back was pressed against the wall, his heart hammering so loudly he was sure they could hear it.

The door creaked open. He heard footsteps—slow, deliberate—approaching.

"Who’s there?" Elias called.

Corvin didn’t answer. He couldn’t.

The footsteps grew closer. And closer. And then—

A cat darted out from the shadows, yowling.

"Fuck," Elias muttered. "It’s just a damn cat."

Xavier laughed. "Jumping at shadows, Nightveil."

"I’m not jumping at anything." Elias sheathed his dagger. "Let’s get back inside."

But Xavier had already caught the cat. He twisted its neck with a sickening crack, then tossed the body aside.

"That’s its punishment for poking its nose where it doesn’t belong," he said.

They went back inside and closed the door.

Corvin remained frozen for a long moment, his heart still pounding. Then, slowly, he stepped out of the shadows and looked down at the dead cat.

A warning. A message.

If they had caught him, he would have shared the cat’s fate.

He slipped away as silently as he could, his mind racing. He had to tell Soren. He had to tell the others.

Varek was escaping tonight. And if they didn’t act fast, everything they had fought for would be lost.