Blood pounded in Cassie’s ears as she sprinted through the forest, every breath sharp and burning in the cold night air. Branches snagged her sleeves, and her boots skimmed over treacherous roots, but she didn’t falter. Behind her, the pursuit had gone silent. There was no crunch of boots, no low commands. Just stillness. Too much stillness.

  She’d left their bodies broken behind her, the fight almost laughably one-sided. The masked figures fell fast. Her blade had found throats, ribs, and spines with unerring precision. But then the arrows had come, slicing the air with deadly purpose, and the reinforcements followed: mercenaries, armored and disciplined, their insignias catching faint moonlight.

  Cassie’s jaw clenched as their formation tightened, cutting off every escape route. She could have stayed to fight, but their numbers, their patience wasn’t an accident. They wanted her delayed or dead. She refused them both.

  By the time the palace walls came into view, the pursuit had faded, and her breaths came hard and fast. She slowed only as the gates loomed ahead, masking the strain in her body. The guards watched her approach, oblivious to the blood she’d left behind in the forest.

  For now, she’d made it back alive. And with what she’d learned, that was all that mattered.

  When the palace walls finally loomed through the treeline, she slowed, her vision swimming from exhaustion. Her knees buckled as she stumbled forward, barely catching herself before collapsing. The gates, lined with vigilant guards, were a welcome sight, though she kept her approach controlled, hiding the tremor in her limbs.

  Captain Hildiger intercepted her just inside the gate, his sharp eyes narrowing as he took in her disheveled state.

  “Trouble?” he asked, his voice low and steady.

  Cassie forced a faint smirk, brushing dirt from her cloak. “Just the usual.”

  Hildiger crossed his arms, waiting.

  “I was at the hunting grounds,” she said, avoiding his gaze. “Investigating.”

  His frown deepened. “And?”

  Her hand rested briefly on the hidden bundle at her side. “I found enough to know this is bigger than we thought. But I need to speak to Theodoric.”

  Hildiger studied her for a moment longer, then gestured for her to follow.

  Theodoric’s private study was sparsely lit, the flickering glow of a single lantern casting long shadows across the walls. He stood near a table piled with papers and maps, his posture tense.

  When Cassie entered, he turned, his sharp gaze raking over her before settling on her face.

  “Report,” he said curtly.

  Cassie stepped forward, placing the forged insignias and other evidence she’d gathered onto the table. Theodoric examined the materials, his movements precise but heavy with frustration.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  As Theodoric examined the evidence Cassie had placed before him, his fingers tapped absently against the table, his sharp gaze flicking over her once more. Then, almost offhandedly, he asked, "And the Golden Horn?"

  Cassie hesitated, the briefest pause, but enough for him to notice. "I never saw it," she admitted. "If it was there, it didn't make itself known."

  Theodoric exhaled, leaning back slightly. "So it chose not to appear." His voice was thoughtful rather than accusatory, but there was an unmistakable edge of curiosity.

  His fingers traced the rim of a metal insignia as he added, almost to himself, "If someone like you wasn't worthy of its presence… what would it take to make it show itself?"

  He picked up one of the metal pieces, turning it over in his hand. “Fragments of my insignia,” he muttered. “Conveniently found near the hunting grounds.”

  “They wanted it discovered,” Cassie said, her voice calm but edged. “Whoever planned this wasn’t subtle. They wanted Dietrich to react—or the court to doubt you.”

  Theodoric’s jaw tightened as he set the piece down. “So, someone wants us to tear each other apart,” he said softly, his tone icy. “And they’re using my insignia to do it.”

  Cassie watched as he traced the edge of the map she’d found, his eyes narrowing at the marked weak points in the royal wards.

  “This isn’t just about me or Dietrich,” he said finally. “If the wards fall, the entire kingdom is at risk. But if word spreads…” He exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. “The court will descend into chaos.”

  “You want me to keep investigating,” Cassie said, more a statement than a question.

  Theodoric’s gaze met hers, steady and unyielding. “You’ve already proven yourself capable. But be discreet. Whoever these people are, they’ve already made you a target.”

  She nodded, the weight of his trust settling heavily on her shoulders.

  The palace corridors bustled with activity as Cassie moved through them, her senses alert. Conversations ebbed and flowed, each word weighed for its potential significance. Servants whispered behind partially closed doors, their voices low but urgent.

  “…can’t trust them, not after this,” one said.

  “Did you hear? They say Dietrich’s been meeting with foreign envoys in secret,” another replied.

  Cassie paused near an alcove, pretending to study a tapestry as the murmurs continued.

  “He’s positioning himself for something big,” the first voice said. “What if he’s planning to—”

  The sound of approaching footsteps silenced them, and the two servants scurried away.

  Cassie frowned, her mind racing. The rumors were spreading quickly, each one a carefully placed ember stoking the flames of division.

  That evening, Cassie sat in her quarters, the map spread across her desk. Her fingers traced the marked weak points in the wards, her mind racing as she tried to piece together the larger picture.

  A chill ran down her spine as she remembered the masked figures’ words: “Let the wards fail.” Whoever they were, they weren’t just attacking the monarchy—they were preparing for something far worse.

  The room was quiet, the faint rustle of leaves outside her window the only sound. She barely noticed the shadow that passed across the curtains until it stopped.

  Her hand shot to her weapon as a knife embedded itself in the wall beside her.

  “You people have been asking too many questions,” a voice said, low and edged with amusement.

  Cassie’s grip tightened on her dagger. “You people?” she repeated, frowning. “I haven’t asked anything.”

  The masked figure tilted their head. “Oh? Then maybe you should tell that to the others.”

  Cassie’s pulse quickened. Others?

  “Think playing dumb will save you?” the assassin continued, stepping forward with the unhurried confidence of someone certain of their kill. “Your little faction’s been sniffing around places they shouldn’t be. But you? You’re the one who made it out of the forest alive. That makes you the problem.”

  Cassie’s mind raced. Someone else was after the same answers, digging deep enough to get noticed. And now they thought she was one of them.

  The masked figures’s blade gleamed in the dim light as they took another step forward.

  “You should’ve stayed out of this.”