The letter ended there, the last word trailing off into a smear of ink.
"Gods," Kael breathed. "She knew. She knew who killed my mother, and they killed her to keep her quiet."
"Which means," I said slowly, "that your mother's death and these current attacks are connected. The same person is behind both."
"Someone who's been in the castle for at least fifteen years. Someone with enough power and influence to cover up a queen's murder and make it look like suicide." Captain Thorne's expression was grim. "Your Highness, that's a very short list of suspects."
"My father," Kael said flatly. "My brothers? no, they would have been too young. Maybe thirteen? Old enough to be involved, possibly, but not old enough to orchestrate something this complex."
He paced, thinking. "Who else had access to my mother? Who else would benefit from her death?"
"Anyone who wants to weaken your father's position," I suggested. "Your mother was powerful, you said. Her magic was strong. With her gone, the King lost a major asset."
"But who would dare" Kael stopped. "The High Lords. The noble families who support the crown but always want more power, more influence. If they could remove the Queen, they'd have more leverage over Father."
"And if they could then remove you," I continued, following the logic, "they'd eliminate the last major magical threat to their power. Your brothers are strong fighters, but they don't have your curse. Your magic."
"This is bigger than family politics," Captain Thorne said. "This is a power play for control of the entire kingdom."
A knock at the door made us all jump. A guard stuck his head in, looking nervous. "Captain? Prince Theron is here. He's demanding to see his brother."
"Just Theron? Not Darian?" Kael asked.
"Just Prince Theron, Your Highness."
Kael and I exchanged glances. Theron was the calmer twin, the one who'd shown some measure of reason yesterday. But was that genuine, or just good acting?
"Let him in," Kael decided. "But stay close, Captain. If this goes badly"
"Understood, Your Highness."
Theron entered, taking in the scene with wide eyes. "Gods. They said Morgana was dead, but I didn't believe" He stopped, seeing the message on the wall. "Who did this?"
"That's what we're trying to determine," Kael said carefully. "Why are you here, Theron?"
"Because someone just tried to kill Darian."
Everything stopped.
"What?" Kael's voice was sharp.
"About an hour ago. He was in his chambers, getting dressed for the day. Someone shot a crossbow bolt through his window. Missed him by inches."
Theron's face was pale. "He's alive, but shaken. And Father is demanding a full investigation, guards on every member of the royal family, the whole castle locked down."
"Convenient timing," I murmured.
Theron's eyes snapped to me. "What do you mean?"
"I mean Lady Morgana was killed just a few hours ago, and now suddenly your twin is attacked? That's either a remarkable coincidence or a deliberate pattern."
"You think the same person is behind both?"
"Don't you?" Kael challenged.
Theron was quiet for a moment. Then: "Yes. I do. Which is why I came to find you instead of staying with Father and Darian."
He looked directly at Kael. "Brother, I know you and I aren't close. I know you have every reason not to trust me. But I swear on our mother's grave, I had nothing to do with any of this. And I want to help you stop whoever does."
"Why?" Kael asked bluntly. "Why help me? You've spent our whole lives competing with me, trying to prove you're stronger, better. Why change now?"
"Because someone is murdering people in our home!" Theron's composure cracked. "Because I woke up this morning to find out a woman we've known our entire lives was butchered in her sleep. Because my twin brother nearly died. Because your wife, a complete innocent, is being targeted." He took a breath, steadying himself. "And because I'm tired, Kael. Tired of the politics and the paranoia and the constant fighting. Our mother would be ashamed of what we've become."
Silence. Kael studied his brother, clearly trying to decide if this was genuine or an elaborate trap.
"He's telling the truth," I said quietly.
Both brothers looked at me in surprise.
"How can you possibly know that?" Theron asked.
"I've spent my whole life watching people lie. My father, my brothers, the nobles at court all lied constantly, and I learned to read it. The little tells. The way someone's eyes shift, or their voice changes." I met Theron's gaze. "You're scared. Really scared. Not for yourself, for everyone. That's not something you can fake easily."
"She's right," Captain Thorne added. "I've interrogated hundreds of suspects over the years. Prince Theron is either the best liar I've ever met, or he's genuinely trying to help."
Kael exhaled slowly. "All right. We trust you. For now. But Theronif you betray us, if this is some elaborate scheme"
"I won't. You have my word." Theron looked at the bloody message again. "So where do we start?"
We decided to split up. Captain Thorne would coordinate with his most trusted guards to provide discreet protection for the people on the killer's list. Theron would return to his father and Darian, keeping them calm and gathering information about the "attack" on Darian, which we all suspected might be staged.
And Kael and I would investigate the High Lords.
"There are five major noble families that hold real power in Shadowmere," Kael explained as we walked back toward the main castle. Guards followed at a distance, our permanent shadows now.
"House Corvain, House Nightshade, House Bloodmoon, House Darkwater, and House Thornheart. Each has territory, armies, magic users. Together, they could challenge the crown if they wanted to."
"Do they want to?"
"Some of them. Lord Corvain has always been ambitious. Lady Bloodmoon lost her husband in a border war. Father stated she's hated him ever since. The others are harder to read." He paused at a window overlooking the gardens. "My mother trusted them, though. I worked with them. They were at the castle frequently when I was young."
"Which means they had access to her. Opportunity to hurt her."
"Yes." His voice was heavy. "I've been so focused on my father and brothers as threats, I never considered... but it makes sense.
A noble family could hire assassins, could bribe servants, could move through the castle without raising suspicion."
"So we need to talk to them. Carefully. Without letting them know we suspect them."
"How do you propose we do that?"
I thought for a moment, an idea forming. "We throw a party."
Kael stared at me. "A party."
"A welcome feast for the new princess. Very formal, very proper. We invite all the High Lords and Ladies. Give them a chance to pay their respects, offer congratulations." I smiled. "And while they're busy being political and polite, we watch them. See who's nervous, who avoids us, who asks too many questions or too few."
"That's... actually brilliant."
"I've been to hundreds of these events back in Eldoria. I know how they work, how people behave." I turned to face him. "And here's the advantageI'm new.
No one knows me yet. They'll underestimate me, think I'm just a pretty decoration on your arm. They won't realize I'm watching them."
"You're going to enjoy this, aren't you?" There was admiration in his voice.
"Maybe a little. Is that wrong?"
"Not at all. Just surprising." He took my hand, the first time he'd initiated physical contact without necessity. "All right. We'll have your party. But Elara?"
"Yes?"
"Be careful. These people have been playing political games since before you were born. They're dangerous."
"So am I," I said. "I'm just dangerous in a different way."
He smiled at that. A real smile, reaching his eyes. "Yes. Yes, you are."