Cassie slammed the door of her quarters, her chest heaving as she pressed her back against the cool wood. The dim room felt oppressively small as her pulse thundered in her ears, drowning out the faint sounds of the palace beyond.

  Her instincts screamed at her to go back and take them apart before their scheme could spread. She was made for this, her blades thirsty for the fight. But strategy warred with impulse.

  Killing them wouldn’t be the end of it. They were part of something larger, something webbed through the court. If she struck without understanding the full scale of their plan, the chaos might unravel faster and she’d be left cutting through enemies in every shadow.

  Her fingers curled into fists. It wasn’t fear holding her back but control. Calculated patience. She needed to know more, needed to find the head of this serpent. Only then could she sever it completely.

  Her jaw tightened as she turned toward her weapons, the decision solidifying in her mind. She’d start hunting them properly once she had the entire picture. For now, she’d wait, like a predator in the dark.

  The stolen documents’ broken crown motif burned into her mind. She needed more than scraps of evidence, more than half-heard whispers. But every step deeper into this conspiracy brought her closer to becoming another loose end to be tied off.

  Sleep eluded her that night, her mind plagued by restless visions of jagged crowns and darkened skies. When the knock came the next morning, she answered it with a blade hidden in her sleeve, her guard firmly raised.

  Theodoric stood in the corridor, his expression cold and controlled, though his sharp eyes betrayed urgency. “Come,” he said. “There’s something you need to see.”

  Theodoric led her to a small study tucked away in one of the palace’s quieter wings. A table in the center bore several items, laid out with precise caret. Among them are tattered fragments of fabric, faintly charred weapons, and small metal emblems bearing the unmistakable insignia of his personal guard.

  “Found near the hunting grounds,” Theodoric said, his voice low and even. “Left there to be discovered.”

  Cassie’s gaze flicked over the pieces, her stomach tightening. Each item was pristine enough to be recognizable but deliberately damaged to suggest a chaotic skirmish.

  “A frame job,” she said, her tone certain.

  Theodoric nodded. “Subtle enough to sow doubt, bold enough to provoke action. They want Dietrich to strike first or the court to turn against me.” He met her gaze, his expression unreadable. “You’ll investigate. Quietly.”

  Cassie stiffened. “You’re sending me alone?”

  “I trust your instincts,” he said curtly. “I need someone who’s not going to make a mess of it.”

  Cassie exhaled sharply, scanning the evidence once more. A trap within a trap. But before she could reply, Theodoric placed a final item on the table—a weathered parchment bearing an inked sketch of a creature with gilded antlers and piercing eyes.

  “The Golden-Horned Beast,” he murmured. “The hunt’s true objective. It was never finished. No victor, no claim to the land’s blessing.”

  Cassie’s fingers tightened around the edge of the parchment. The hunting competition had been cut short by the attack, leaving the sacred ritual incomplete. Without a declared champion, the court remained in limbo. Divided, uncertain, and ripe for manipulation.

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  “It only reveals itself to those it deems worthy,” Theodoric said. “Find the beast. Slay it. Take the blessing before someone else twists it to their advantage.”

  Cassie met his gaze, her decision already made. The hunt wasn’t just about tradition anymore. It was about control. And she would claim it.

  Her jaw tightened, but she nodded.

  Theodoric’s words echoed in Cassie’s mind long after she left his chambers, their weight pressing heavily on her. The assignment wasn’t just dangerous but also isolating. No backup, no room for error, and every move would carry consequences. She spent the night preparing, her thoughts racing with possibilities and pitfalls as she pieced together what little information she had.

  By dawn, she was on her way. The hunting grounds lay ahead, shrouded in an early morning mist that clung to the forest floor like a veil.

  The forest felt different now. The vibrant energy that had buzzed through the hunting grounds was gone, replaced by an eerie stillness. Cassie moved carefully through the underbrush, her steps silent as she scanned the terrain. The trees stretched high above her, their branches casting long, skeletal shadows over the uneven ground.

  Her pretense of retrieving a noble’s lost belongings had granted her access, but it felt flimsy under the weight of the task at hand. She crouched near a patch of disturbed earth, her fingers brushing over the remains of a campfire.

  The ashes were cold, but not old. Someone had been here recently.

  Her gaze caught on something glinting among the debris. She pulled it free—a small metal fragment bearing Theodoric’s insignia, its edges unnaturally clean. She frowned, turning it over in her hand. It had been placed here deliberately, just like the others.

  Further ahead, the trail shifted. Deep impressions in the soil suggested heavy footfalls, leading toward a cluster of trees where the canopy thickened. Cassie followed the path cautiously, her dagger drawn as her eyes scanned for movement.

  The hidden campsite came into view suddenly, tucked between two large boulders. Cloaks hung from branches like discarded skins, their dark fabric blending into the shadows. Weapons lay scattered, their designs mismatched but all bearing the same telling insignia.

  Cassie’s pulse quickened as she moved through the site, her movements precise. This wasn’t just a place to rest. It was a staging ground, meant to prepare and incriminate in equal measure.

  Near the edge of the camp, her foot caught on something half-buried. She crouched, pulling free a rolled piece of parchment. As she unfurled it, her breath caught.

  The map was crude but detailed enough to send a chill down her spine. Markings dotted its surface, highlighting what could only be weak points in the royal wards. Whoever had planned this wasn’t just framing Theodoric. They were also dismantling the kingdom’s defenses piece by piece.

  A twig snapped behind her.

  Cassie spun, dagger raised as her other hand shoved the map into her cloak. Shadows shifted at the edge of the camp, and figures emerged one by one, their faces obscured by dark masks.

  “You shouldn’t have come here,” one said, their voice cold and unfamiliar.

  Cassie’s grip tightened on her blade as her eyes darted between them. Four—no, five. They moved with practiced precision, their weapons drawn but held low, ready.

  “You’ve been busy,” she said, keeping her tone steady despite the rising tension.

  The figure chuckled darkly. “Not as busy as you. Pity you won’t live to finish your work like the others sent before you.”

  They spread out slowly, their movements deliberate as they began cutting off her escape routes. Cassie’s sharp eyes tracked each of them, cataloging their positions, the weight of their steps, the slight shifts in their stances.

  Her opponents had skills, no doubt about it, but they were not skilled enough. She adjusted her grip on her blade, the metal cool against her palm. She could handle them all in a clean fight; she was sure of it.

  What held her back wasn’t fear. It was experience. If they were bold enough to trap her here, they had an edge, something hidden. A trap, a signal, maybe reinforcements waiting just out of sight. Whatever it was, they wouldn’t have come unless they were certain it would give them the upper hand.

  “Let me guess,” she said, her voice cutting through the tension with a hint of dry humor. “Nothing personal? Just business?” She needed to buy time, force them to reveal something useful.

  The leader stepped forward, their weapon glinting faintly in the dim light. They tilted their head, their lips curving into a smug smile. “It always is.”

  Cassie’s eyes narrowed. There was no fear in her stance, only coiled readiness. “Funny thing about business,” she said, flipping the blade in her hand. “It usually ends badly for amateurs.”

  The leader’s smirk faltered, just for an instant, before they lunged.