Chapter 38
Mirage POV
I stood in silence near one of the marble pillars, arms folded as I observed the grandeur unfolding before me. The last day of the party was in full bloom - laughter echoed under the vaulted ceilings, silverware clinked against porcelain plates, and every noble was dressed in their finest silks and adorned with expressions of delight.
But I wasn't here for the charm of it all. My father couldn't make it for some reason, and I have to stand in his place, willingly or not.
"Lilah," he murmured through the mind link.
"Yes?"
"Where's the maid with that wine cup? Isn't she supposed to serve it now?"
"Master... she's not inside the hall," Lilah replied. "Not with the kitchen staff either. I'm checking the perimeter now."
My jaw tightened. Her absence wasn't just odd - it was deliberate. I could feel it, and it made me uncomfortable.
Something was about to happen.
I kept my gaze on the noble tables, where food and wine were being distributed with graceful precision. One servant, in particular, moved carefully - a young woman with tight braids, walking with almost too much grace for a common housemaid.
He nodded slightly toward her.
"Lilah. See the maid with the red string tied around her left wrist?"
"I see her. She just picked up a tray of wine, but she's not the same one in the corridor earlier?"
"I know, but they have the same scent. Keep an eye on her for now."
I shifted slightly, enough to track her progress as she wove through the crowd. Her tray shimmered with polished goblets of deep red wine. One of them - second from the right - had a glint of condensation that the others didn't.
Too cold. Recently touched.
Tampered.
She moved with purpose - not to the crowd where Viona stood with Nicolas, but toward a smaller table nearby where Flora was seated, surrounded by a few lesser nobles and her ever-present nanny.
The tray was presented. The maid's expression remained neutral, trained. My heartbeat slowed. My instincts screamed.
"Lilah-"
"I see it. She's offering the tray to Flora directly."
Flora, unaware, smiled faintly and reached for the exact goblet Mirage had marked.
He tensed.
But before the rim touched her lips, the nanny leaned in sharply. "Let me taste it first, my lady. As always." The nanny seemed sad, a guilty expression laced in her eyes and a worried tone in her voice.
Without hesitation, Flora handed her the cup, not even sparing her a glance, her gaze still locked on the couple in the center of the hall.
The older woman sipped. A moment of calm. Then-
Coughing.
Sharp, wet, violent.
The glass fell from the nanny's hands, shattering on the ground as she choked and gasped, crimson froth pooling at the edge of her lips. She collapsed instantly.
The music stopped. A collective gasp filled the hall.
Flora cried out and dropped to her knees beside the woman, horror flashing across her face.
Chaos unfolded. Nobles backed away in terror. Medics were summoned. Viona and Nicolas rose from their seats.
But I didn't move.
More like I didn't want to; it was none of my business.
My eyes were still fixed on the maid.
She had already begun retreating. Too calm. Too swift.
I spoke into the link.
"Lilah. Tail her. Now."
"On it." Her response was sharp and clear as she followed the maid silently.
My brows furrowed as I processed the pieces.
The wine hadn't been meant for Viona. It was placed in Flora's tray. But Flora hadn't been the one to drink it.
Why Flora?
And more importantly - why now? Something deeper was at play.
I don't believe in coincidences. Not when that strange maid was lurking somewhere behind the scenes. And another serving the same wine, more like the first maid was not allowed into the hall or she would be recognized, most likely why she needed someone inside.
I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but didn't anyone catch onto their weird scent? It was almost everywhere they passed by, but no one seemed to notice, or am I being oversensitive?
This wasn't a simple case of poisoning.
It was a warning.
Or a test.
And I didn't like where the game was heading.
My footsteps carried me over to the serene silence of the lobby, where the noises of the ceremony faded into the background.
My mind reeled.
The Levites gained victory over their enemies. It was a happy thing indeed. My wolf purred in agreement, and I smirked in response.
Just then, my gaze turned sharp as I felt the familiar sensation in my head, the link pulling taut. It was Lilah.
"Master, she met with the maid before. I'm not sure; I tried to inquire, but everyone I asked claims to not recognize any of their features, saying it might be a maid from another pack. The information is not clear... What should I do now?"
"Just leave it. It's none of our business anyway; the packs involved would sort it out. Get back to work."
"Yes, Master."
In all this, my gaze did not leave the young lady in the room that stood amidst all the chaos, murmurs, and panic with a calm expression, her gaze shifted to the archway as she charged towards it.
'Where the hell is she going?’
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