Cassie moved cautiously through the palace corridors, the tension from earlier weighing heavily on her mind. Dietrich’s accusations, Theodoric’s cold rebuttals, and the ambush itself formed an intricate web that she was only beginning to unravel.

  Servants passed her in pairs, their hurried footsteps accompanied by hushed whispers. She slowed as two women crossed her path, their heads bent close as they murmured.

  “—not just sport,” one said, her voice carrying a note of urgency. “It’s how alliances are forged.”

  The other nodded quickly. “And funding is pledged. The houses watch the princes closely. Their performance decides everything—troops, resources, even loyalty.”

  Cassie feigned interest in the tapestry beside her as the two servants scurried down the hall. Their words resonated. The hunting competition wasn’t just tradition; it was a stage where the kingdom’s most powerful families evaluated its future rulers. Military support, financial backing, and noble allegiances were all at stake.

  She passed a group of courtiers next, their conversation tinged with barely restrained tension.

  “This debacle threatens everything,” one muttered, his finely embroidered robes swishing as he gestured sharply. “The nobles will hesitate now. A disrupted hunt makes the princes look weak—and the crown unstable.”

  “More than unstable,” another chimed in, lowering his voice. “You know what the hunt is tied to.”

  The first man hesitated. “The wards,” he said finally, his tone grim. “If the energy isn’t drawn properly…”

  Cassie froze, her ears straining to catch more as their voices faded down the corridor.

  Intent on understanding the significance of what she’d overheard, she turned toward the servant’s wing, hoping to glean more from those less careful with their words. Near the kitchens, a pair of footmen stood beside a supply cart, their conversation carrying over the clatter of utensils.

  “It’s not just about appearances,” one was saying. “The wards depend on it. Without the hunt, the capital’s defenses could weaken.”

  The other footman glanced around nervously. “That’s dangerous talk.”

  “Dangerous, but true,” the first replied. “The wards protect us from what’s beyond. If the hunt’s energy doesn’t replenish them—”

  He broke off as Cassie approached, his face pale. They quickly busied themselves with their work, muttering excuses as they disappeared into the kitchen.

  The weight of their words settled over her like a shroud. The hunting competition wasn’t just about political maneuvering. It was tied to the very survival of the capital, its magical wards shielding the city from the monsters that prowled Verona’s borders. The sabotage hadn’t just disrupted the princes’ chances to secure alliances—it had potentially left the kingdom vulnerable.

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  Her unease deepened as she made her way to the western courtyard, where Captain Hildiger stood near the training grounds. His sharp eyes tracked the soldiers drilling with spears, though his posture betrayed a tension that hadn’t been there before.

  “You shouldn’t be out here,” he said gruffly as she approached. “Not with what you’ve been through.”

  “I don’t have the luxury of staying still,” Cassie replied evenly. “I need answers, and you know what happened better than anyone.”

  Hildiger sighed, motioning her to follow him toward a quieter corner of the courtyard. “You’re not wrong,” he said after a moment. “But this isn’t just about the hunt anymore.”

  “It never was,” she replied.

  Hildiger nodded grimly. “The hunt’s always been a proving ground. The nobles pledge their loyalty, their funding, their soldiers, based on how the princes perform. It’s how the crown keeps the kingdom united.”

  “And now?”

  “Now it’s chaos,” Hildiger said, his tone heavy. “The sabotage wasn’t just an attack on Theodoric or Dietrich. It was an attack on the monarchy itself. Someone wanted to fracture the court, to make the crown look weak.”

  “And the wards?”

  Hildiger’s expression darkened. “That’s the worst part. The wards depend on the hunt. The energy drawn from the competition sustains them for another year. Without it…” He didn’t finish the thought, but the weight in his voice said enough.

  Cassie’s pulse quickened as the pieces fell into place. The political and magical stakes were intertwined, and whoever had orchestrated the sabotage knew exactly where to strike to cause maximum damage.

  As she returned toward the servants’ quarters, her mind churned with the implications of what she’d learned. The palace felt heavier now, its grand halls oppressive under the weight of the looming threat.

  Passing a disused storeroom, she paused. The door was slightly ajar, and a faint scent of ink and parchment wafted into the corridor. Something about it set her instincts on edge.

  She pushed the door open cautiously. Inside, the room was dimly lit, cluttered with shelves and papers. Most of the documents appeared mundane—ledgers and supply lists—but a bundle of papers tucked beneath a loose floorboard caught her eye.

  Cassie crouched, her fingers trembling slightly as she untied the frayed twine. The first few pages were written in a cipher, but certain phrases leapt out: fractured leadership… the fall of the crown… destabilization critical.

  Her breath hitched as she sifted through the remaining pages. The documents referenced coded meetings and plans to exploit the hunt’s disruption. Whoever had written this was targeting the monarchy’s foundations, weaving a web of chaos to fracture the royal family and destabilize the kingdom itself.

  A faint sound outside the room made her freeze.

  Her grip tightened on the papers as a shadow moved past the doorway. Her pulse quickened as she rose, slipping the documents into her tunic and drawing her dagger.

  “You’re clever,” a voice murmured suddenly, low and smooth.

  Cassie spun, her blade raised. A figure stood just beyond the doorway, their face obscured by a dark mask.

  “Careful where you dig, little spy,” they said, their tone almost amused. “You might not like what you find.”

  Before she could strike, the figure slipped into the shadows, their footsteps fading into the distance.

  Cassie pressed her back against the wall, her heart racing. Whoever they were, they had known she would be here. The documents weren’t just a clue—they were bait, or a warning.