158

Ian’s POV

I stood in the center of the council room, staring down at the cold, lifeless body before me. My heart clenched in my chest as I tried to process what I was seeing. Another one. Another council member, dead.

The smell of blood still hung in the air, thick and metallic. Even after all these centuries, I still hated that smell. Hated what it signified. This wasn’t the work of some random enemy. This was calculated, deliberate. Someone was targeting my council members, and they were slipping through our defenses as if we had none.

“Who found him?” My voice was low, trying to suppress the rising anger that threatened to consume me.

“One of the guards on patrol,” Jacob answered from behind me. “He was discovered at dawn, just outside the council chambers.”

I knelt beside the body, my fingers brushing the edges of the council member’s robe. This was Elian, one of the quieter ones, one who never fully trusted me. He had always been cautious, perhaps too cautious for his own good, and now he lay at my feet, his life extinguished by some unknown force.

The bite marks on his neck told me everything I needed to know. Werewolves.

But how the hell had a werewolf gotten this close? The realm was supposed to be fortified, locked down. After Aldric’s death, I’d made it clear to every vampire under my rule that security had to be tighter than ever before.

And yet… this.

The council was shrinking. Aldric, and now Elian. Two of the most powerful, influential members were gone. My chest tightened with the weight of it all, a sinking dread that I could barely contain. I needed answers. Fast.

Jacob paced behind me, the frustration rolling off him in waves. “We need to find out how they’re getting in. This realm should be impenetrable, Ian. It doesn’t make sense.”

“Of course, it doesn’t make sense,” I muttered, my eyes narrowing as I stood up and faced him. “Someone is helping them. Someone inside our walls.”

Jacob’s expression darkened, his lips pulling into a thin line. “A traitor.”

“Or more than one,” I added bitterly.

We were being infiltrated, and I had no idea who was responsible. The council was supposed to be the backbone of this realm, the ones I could trust to advise and guide me, even if they didn’t always agree with my decisions. And now, they were being hunted, one by one.

I turned away from the body, my thoughts racing. “Get the guards to lock down the perimeter again. I want double patrols around the clock. No one gets in or out without my permission.”

Jacob nodded and immediately strode out of the room to carry out my orders.

As I stood alone in the dimly lit council chamber, I let out a long, slow breath, trying to shake the feeling that I was losing control. For years, I’d ruled this realm with a steady hand, balancing the needs of the vampires and keeping the threats from the outside world at bay. But now, I felt as if the very foundation beneath me was crumbling, and I didn’t know how to stop it.

Elian’s face, pale and frozen in death, stared up at me as if mocking me for my failure. I clenched my fists, the anger rising again. Whoever was doing this was playing with me, and I was tired of being their pawn.

The door creaked open behind me, and I didn’t need to turn to know who it was. Lyanna stepped into the room, her eyes immediately drawn to the body on the floor.

She inhaled sharply. “Another one.”

I nodded, unable to find the words. I was still trying to piece everything together. She approached me slowly, her footsteps light and careful, as if she didn’t want to disturb the dead.

“Elian,” she whispered, her voice filled with sorrow. “I knew something like this would happen. I saw it… in my visions.”

I turned to her, surprised. “You saw this?”

She nodded, her brow furrowing. “I didn’t know it was him, but I knew there would be more deaths. I saw shadows, Ian. Dark figures moving through the realm, hunting, waiting.”

I felt a chill run down my spine. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I tried,” she said, her voice heavy with regret. “But by the time I realized what it meant, it was too late.”

Too late. It always seemed to be too late. First Aldric, now Elian. How many more had to die before I figured out who was behind this?

“Can you see anything else?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Lyanna shook her head, her expression troubled. “The visions are… clouded. Whoever is orchestrating this is skilled. They’re hiding their intentions from me. But I know one thing for certain.”

“What?”

“These deaths aren’t random. They’re not just targeting the council for no reason. There’s a purpose behind it.”

A purpose. The word echoed in my mind, leaving me feeling even more unsettled. Someone was tearing down the pillars of power in the realm, and for what? To gain control? To sow chaos?

I turned away from Elian’s body, needing to distance myself from the grim reality of our situation. “We need to protect the others,” I said, clenching my jaw. “If they’re picking us off one by one, then they have a plan. We can’t let that happen.”

Lyanna stepped closer, her expression determined. “We need to gather the remaining council members and inform them of the situation. They need to know that their lives are at stake. We can’t let fear rule us, Ian. We need to act.”

“Act?” I repeated, incredulous. “What can we do? Lock them in a room until this threat goes away? We can’t live in fear.”

“Maybe not fear, but vigilance,” she replied firmly. “We can set up defenses. Ward the council chamber. We need to be proactive.”

I sighed, the weight of responsibility crashing down on me. “You’re right. But we need to do it carefully. If there’s a traitor in our midst, we can’t show any weakness.”

“We can also investigate the guards,” Lyanna suggested. “There may be a spy among them. They should be trusted, but we can’t take anything for granted now.”

I nodded, appreciating her insight. “Okay, let’s move. We can’t afford to waste time.”

As we stepped out of the council chamber, I felt a knot of tension in my stomach. The hallways, usually bustling with life, felt eerily quiet. The looming threat hung over us like a dark cloud, and I could sense the apprehension in the air. Every vampire I passed wore an expression of unease, whispers echoing against the stone walls.

The council members needed to be informed, but the thought of gathering them sent a ripple of anxiety through me. I could picture their fearful faces, their trust in me wavering with every passing moment of uncertainty. I couldn’t show any sign of weakness; I had to remain their leader, their king.

We reached the main hall where the remaining council members were gathered. I stood at the head of the room, taking a moment to gather my thoughts. They looked up at me expectantly, a mix of concern and confusion etched on their faces.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice,” I began, my voice steady. “I have grave news.”

The council members shifted, some exchanging worried glances. I could see the tension rising as I continued. “Elian has been found dead. Another council member has fallen victim to the recent attacks, and it’s clear we are being targeted.”

A murmur rippled through the room. I watched as their expressions darkened, fear creeping into their eyes.

“What do you mean we’re being targeted?” Eldra, a fierce council member with sharp features, asked, her voice trembling slightly. “Who would do such a thing?”

“I suspect a traitor in our midst,” I replied, my gaze scanning the room. “We must take immediate action. Increased security measures will be implemented, and I want all of you to be vigilant. If you notice anything strange or out of the ordinary, report it to me immediately.”

“What about the guards?” another member, Roderick, asked. “Can we trust them?”

“For now, we’ll keep them under surveillance,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “But we must maintain our composure. If there’s a traitor, showing fear will only embolden them.”

The council members nodded, their expressions somber as they digested my words. It was clear that fear was taking hold of them, but I had to remain strong for their sake.

“I will also be putting protective wards around the council chambers and your residences. We cannot afford another death,” I continued. “We must stand united against this threat.”

As I spoke, I could see doubt lingering in their eyes. I felt the burden of leadership weighing heavily on my shoulders. They were looking to me for answers, for guidance, and all I felt was uncertainty. I was supposed to be their king, their protector, but what if I failed them?

After a long discussion about the steps we would take, I finally dismissed the council. I watched them leave, some exchanging whispers, casting furtive glances at one another. I could sense the mistrust brewing, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

Once the room was empty, I turned to Lyanna, who had been standing quietly beside me. “What do you think?”

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. “They’re scared, Ian. And rightfully so. We have to do everything we can to protect them and to find out who is behind this.”

“I know,” I said, my voice heavy with frustration. “But it’s hard to lead when you don’t know who you can trust. I can’t shake the feeling that we’re walking into a trap.”

Lyanna nodded. “We’ll figure it out. We have to.”

As I left the council chambers, I felt the weight of my responsibilities crash down on me. I had to keep Sophia safe. I had to keep the realm safe. But the more I tried to protect them, the more I felt like I was failing.

I needed to find out who was behind the attacks. The darkness that was creeping into our lives would not rest until it had taken everything from me. And I wouldn’t let that happen. I would fight until my last breath, and if that meant rooting out the traitor within our walls, then so be it.

I made my way toward the exit, the urgency driving me forward. As I stepped into the night, the cool air hit my face like a slap, grounding me in the present moment. I could feel the determination building within me, but I also felt the undeniable fear lurking just beneath the surface.

The realm was changing. And I was going to fight tooth and nail to reclaim it. For Sophia, for our unborn child, and for every vampire who looked to me for protection.

The war was just beginning.