Chapter 184
The morning sun filtered through the heavy curtains, casting a golden hue across the room. I sat on the edge of my bed, the events of the previous day replaying in my mind. The stolen emblem, the mysterious runes, and the note slipped under Alex's door—all pieces of a puzzle that seemed to grow more complex with each passing hour.
A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.
"Astrid, you up?" Tomas's voice called.
"Yeah, come in," I replied, standing to stretch.
He entered, followed closely by Anna and Alex. The trio looked determined, a stark contrast to the uncertainty swirling in my mind.
"We've got a lead," Anna said, holding up a small vial containing a shimmering liquid.
"What's that?" I asked, intrigued.
"A truth serum," she replied. "Well, a diluted version. It won't force someone to spill their deepest secrets, but it might loosen their tongue."
I raised an eyebrow. "And where did you get that?"
"Let's just say I have connections," she said with a wink.
Alex stepped forward. "We think it's time to confront Becky. She might know more than she's letting on."
I nodded, the memory of the obsidian shard she left behind still frfresh.Then let's do it."
This whole case was bugging me . I just wanted to know who was behind this and why
We found Becky in the kitchen, her hands deep in a bowl of dough. She looked up, startled, as we approached.
"Can I help you?" she asked, wiping her hands on her apron.
"We need to talk," Alex said, his tone firm.
She glanced around nervously. "I'm busy."
"It won't take long," I assured her.
Reluctantly, she led us to a small storage room off the kitchen. The scent of spices and dried herbs filled the air.
"What is this about?" she asked, crossing her arms.
Anna held up the vial. "We believe you know more about the emblem's disappearance than you've told us."
Becky's eyes widened. "I already told you everything."
"Then you won't mind taking a sip," Anna said, offering the vial.
Becky hesitated, then took the vial and drank. Moments passed in silence.
"Now," Alex began, "tell us about the night the emblem was stolen."
Becky's gaze became distant. "I was cleaning the dining hall when I saw someone slip out the side door. I followed, curious. They went toward the archives."
"Did you see who it was?" I asked.
She shook her head. "They were cloaked, but they dropped something—a pendant with a crescent moon."
"Crescent Clan," Anna murmured.
"That's Jeremiah's region," I added, the knot in my stomach tightening.
Becky continued, "I picked it up, but I was scared. I didn't want to be involved."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Tomas asked.
"I was afraid," she whispered. "I didn't want to be blamed."
We exchanged glances, the pieces starting to fit together.
Later, as we walked through the courtyard, I spotted Jeremiah with the same woman from before. They stood close, laughing, their heads tilted toward each other. My heart clenched, but I forced myself to look away.
Not today.
I wouldn't let this distract me.
Alex noticed my tension. "You okay?"
I nodded, focusing on the path ahead. "We have more important things to worry about."
He didn't press further, and I was grateful.
That evening, we gathered in the common room, maps and notes spread across the table.
"We need to find out who had access to the archives that night," Anna said, tapping a list of names.
"Jeremiah's name is on here," Tomas pointed out.
I frowned. "We can't jump to conclusions."
"But the evidence points to someone from the Crescent Clan," Anna argued.
"Or someone trying to frame them," I countered.
Alex leaned back, deep in thought. "We need more information."
The next morning, we visited the archives, hoping to find overlooked clues. The room was dimly lit, the scent of old parchment filling the air.
As we searched, I noticed a loose floorboard near the back. I pried it up, revealing a small compartment. Inside was a folded piece of parchment.
I unfolded it, revealing a map with marked locations.
"These are the runes we've found," I said, pointing to the symbols.
"And this one," Tomas added, indicating a spot near the eastern border, "we haven't checked yet."
"Then that's our next stop," Alex declared.
The eastern border was dense with trees, the canopy casting shadows that danced in the breeze. We moved cautiously, senses alert.
As we approached the marked location, we found another rune etched into a tree trunk. Fresh.
"Someone's been here recently," Anna observed.
Suddenly, a rustling sound caught our attention. We turned to see a figure darting through the trees.
"After them!" Alex shouted.
We gave chase, weaving through the forest. The figure was fast, but we managed to corner them near a clearing.
"Stop!" I commanded.
The figure froze, then slowly turned. It was a young man, eyes wide with fear.
"Who are you?" Tomas demanded.
"I'm... I'm just a messenger," he stammered.
"From whom?" Anna pressed.
He hesitated. "I can't say."
Alex stepped forward, his presence imposing. "Tell us, or we'll take you to Alpha Oliver."
The messenger swallowed hard. "I was hired to deliver messages between someone here and an outsider."
"Who?" I asked.
"I don't know their names," he insisted. "Just that the outsider wanted to disrupt the summit."
"Why?" Tomas asked.
"To prevent the unification of the councils," he replied.
We exchanged glances, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
Back at the estate, we reported our findings to Alpha Oliver. He listened intently, his expression grave.
"This is troubling," he said. "We must ensure the summit proceeds without further incident."
"We'll continue our investigation," I assured him.
He nodded. "Be careful. Trust no one."
That night, as I sat alone, the weight of the mystery pressed heavily on me. The stolen emblem, the runes, the messenger—all pointed to a larger conspiracy.
And Jeremiah...
I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away.
Not today.
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