Chapter 12 #3
“Lucian.” Astra’s hand on his arm stops him mid-rant, though her own fear is visible in her trembling fingers.
“Seth is right. We need to be smart about this.” She takes a breath, some of her color returning as she sits up straighter.
“Besides, even if Zane does get too close to me, I can stop him. You know I can.”
The three of us all nod at the reminder of her unique power, which she discovered only about seven months ago: the ability to control a shifter’s wolf. It’s how she saved herself back then, how she proved she wasn’t helpless.
But Lucian’s expression doesn’t soften. If anything, it grows more tense.
“No.” His decision is absolute. “There’s still so much about your ability we don’t know, Astra.
We don’t know its limits, we don’t know if it works on everyone, and we certainly don’t know if it will work while you’re pregnant.
” His hand moves to cover hers on her stomach.
“I won’t take that chance. Not with you. Not with our child.”
Astra opens her mouth to argue, but Lucian continues, his voice quieter but no less fierce. “Please. Let me protect you. Let me keep you both safe.”
The plea in his voice stops whatever protest she was about to make. She nods slowly, her eyes softening.
A knock at the door interrupts the tender moment between them. A guard steps in, his expression troubled. “Commander, we searched the gardens thoroughly. We found no sign of Lord Radrick.”
My heart sinks. So, I did imagine it. The shame burns hot in my chest.
But the guard continues. “However, we did find traces of red powder in several spots near the rose bushes where Healer Selene reported seeing him.”
Seth inhales deeply beside me. “Red powder?”
“Yes, sir. We collected samples.” The guard holds up a small vial filled with crimson dust that sparkles in the light. “It matches the substance we found at the site where Lord Radrick was attacked.”
The room falls into a tense silence.
“That doesn’t mean he was actually there,” Lucian says slowly as he stands, his analytical mind working through the implications. “The powder could have been placed earlier. Or it could indicate something else entirely.”
“But it’s the same substance,” Seth argues, his grip on my back tightening. “That’s not a coincidence.”
“No, it’s not.” Lucian’s expression is grim. “Which means, whatever Zane’s plan is, he’s using that powder as part of it.” He turns to the guard. “Bring the samples to the warlocks,” he commands. “They’re already investigating the substance. This will give them more to work with.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” The guard bows and leaves quickly.
Lucian turns his attention back to us, and there’s a knowing look in his gaze as he addresses me. “Given what happened overnight—the sleepwalking incident—we need to understand what this powder does and how it’s affecting you.”
I stiffen. Seth told him. Of course he did.
“This is getting too dangerous.” Seth’s voice cuts through the room sharply. His hand on my back now feels almost possessive. “I’m pulling Selene out of it. No more meetings with Zane. No more playing along with his games.”
“Seth—” I start, but he doesn’t let me finish.
“I won’t risk my mate.” His eyes blaze as he looks at Lucian. “Not for this. Not for anything.”
“I agree,” Astra says immediately, her voice firm despite the worry and confusion etched across her features. She turns to Lucian. “What’s happening to Selene? Sleepwalking? And the powder? What has Zane done to her?”
“I’ll explain later,” Lucian says quietly, but his attention is focused entirely on Seth now.
A heavy silence falls over the room once more. Lucian studies Seth with an intensity that makes me uncomfortable, his expression unreadable. Finally, he speaks, his voice measured and calm.
“We wait.”
“What?” Seth is burning with fury.
“We wait,” Lucian repeats, leaning back against his desk with deceptive casualness. “First, we figure out exactly what Zane is planning and what he has already done to Selene. Then, we act.”
Seth takes a step forward, his hands clenching into fists. “You can’t be serious—”
“You’re not thinking clearly.” Lucian’s voice doesn’t rise, but the commanding tone in it stops Seth cold.
“I understand. She’s your mate. Your instinct is to protect her at all costs.
” His eyes soften fractionally. “But if there’s magic involved—and everything points to that—then there’s a very good chance that pulling Selene out now will cause Zane to accelerate his plans. Whatever they are.”
“Then we deal with that when it happens,” Seth snarls.
“And risk walking into something we don’t understand?” Lucian’s voice hardens. “The sleepwalking proves he has some kind of hold on her. The mating bond between you two clearly isn’t deterring whatever magic he’s using.”
I feel Seth’s fury through our bond, feel the way his wolf rages against Lucian’s reasoning even as his mind recognizes the truth behind it.
“We need information,” the King continues, his tone gentler now. “We need to understand the magic, how to counter it, and what Zane’s ultimate goal is. The warlocks can help with that. But if we tip our hand now—if Zane knows we’re onto him—we lose any advantage we have.”
“Some advantage,” Seth mutters bitterly, but the fight has gone out of his voice.
“I know it’s hard.” Lucian’s eyes move between Seth and me. “But we’re close to answers. Let the warlocks examine Selene. Let them analyze the powder. Give us a few more days to understand what we’re dealing with before we make any moves.”
Seth’s hand finds mine and grips it tight enough that it starts to hurt. I can feel the war raging inside him—the desperate need to keep me safe battling against the cold logic of Lucian’s words.
“Fine.” The word comes out of Seth sounding strangled. “But the moment—the second—I think she’s in real danger, I’m pulling her out. King or no king.”
Lucian’s lips curve into the hint of a smile. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
As we move toward the door, Seth’s hand slides to intertwine his fingers with mine properly, his thumb stroking my knuckles in a gesture that’s both soothing and possessive.
“Stay with me,” he murmurs, low enough that only I can hear. “Don’t go anywhere without me.”
“I wasn’t planning to,” I whisper back, and I mean it.
He gazes at me with protective fury, but his touch remains gentle.
“Good girl,” he breathes, and despite the fear curling in my stomach, despite Zane’s shadow hanging over everything, the praise makes warmth bloom in my chest.
Because whatever comes next, whatever magic Zane has woven around me, I’m not facing it alone.
Not anymore.