Chapter 143: Whispers in the Dark

The night was heavy with an unsettling silence, the kind that made the shadows seem alive, whispering secrets just beyond the edge of hearing. Jay returned to his chambers, but sleep eluded him. The unease he had felt during his walk through the citadel clung to him, refusing to be shaken off.

As he paced the room, his thoughts circled back to the maid and Sir Gareth. Something was off, but he couldn't quite grasp what it was. The Shadow of the Past had already shown their ability to infiltrate the citadel, and Jay couldn't afford to ignore any potential threat, no matter how small.

Determined to get to the bottom of his suspicions, Jay made his way to the war room, where he knew Mira would still be working. Sure enough, he found her there, poring over maps and reports, her eyes scanning every detail with meticulous care.

"Mira," Jay called softly as he entered.

She looked up, surprised to see him. "Jay, what is it? Shouldn't you be resting?"

Jay shook his head. "I can't sleep. Something's been bothering me since my walk earlier. I need to discuss it with you."

Mira motioned for him to sit down. "Tell me."

Jay recounted his encounter with the maid and Sir Gareth, explaining the unease that had settled in his chest. "There's something I can't quite put my finger on, but I feel like we're missing something important. The way that maid behaved—she was nervous, but it felt off. I think we should look into it."

Mira listened carefully, her sharp mind already working to connect the dots. "You might be right. In times like these, we can't afford to dismiss anything as coincidence. I'll have the maid brought in for questioning immediately."

Jay nodded, relieved to have someone who understood his concerns. "And I want Sir Gareth monitored as well. If there's anything suspicious about him or his activities, we need to know."

Mira agreed, and within minutes, she had sent orders to have the maid discreetly brought to an interrogation chamber, while another trusted guard was assigned to keep an eye on Sir Gareth. Jay admired the way Mira handled everything with such precision; she was truly indispensable to the kingdom's security.

As they waited for the maid to be brought in, Jay couldn't help but feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him. The Shadow of the Past was a relentless adversary, and every step they took felt like it was leading them deeper into a trap. The citadel, once a symbol of strength and safety, now felt like a labyrinth filled with unseen dangers.

After a short while, a guard knocked on the door and entered, leading the young maid into the room. She was visibly trembling, her eyes darting around the war room as if searching for an escape. Jay's heart softened for a moment—she was little more than a girl, caught up in a game far beyond her understanding.

Mira wasted no time. She approached the maid, her voice firm but not unkind. "What's your name?"

The maid swallowed hard before answering, "Amara, my lady."

Mira nodded. "Amara, we have some questions for you. Answer truthfully, and you have nothing to fear."

The girl nodded frantically, tears welling in her eyes. "I swear, my lady, I've done nothing wrong! I just delivered the food like I was asked to."

"Who asked you to deliver the food?" Mira pressed, her tone calm but insistent.

"It was Sir Gareth, my lady," Amara replied, her voice trembling. "He said he'd been on duty all night and was hungry. He asked me to bring him something from the kitchens."

Jay leaned forward, studying her expression. "Did you notice anything unusual about Sir Gareth? Anything that seemed out of the ordinary?"

Amara shook her head quickly. "No, Your Majesty. He was just like he always is—kind and polite. He thanked me and took the tray. That's all."

Mira exchanged a glance with Jay, her mind clearly working through the possibilities. "Amara, you said you just delivered the food. Who prepared it?"

The maid hesitated, her brow furrowing in thought. "I… I don't know, my lady. I just took it from the kitchens. The cooks had already made it."

Jay's mind raced. If there was poison or some other foul play involved, it could have been introduced at any stage—from the kitchen to the delivery. "Mira, we need to investigate the kitchens immediately. If there's a traitor among the staff, they could be responsible."

Mira nodded, issuing orders to have the kitchens thoroughly searched and everyone involved questioned. She turned back to Amara, her voice softer now. "You've done well, Amara. You can go back to your duties, but stay within the citadel. We may need to speak with you again."

The maid nodded gratefully and was escorted out by the guard. As the door closed behind her, Jay turned to Mira, his expression grim. "If someone's tampering with food, they could be targeting anyone in the citadel—not just the guards. This could be part of a larger plan."

Mira's eyes were dark with concern. "We'll find out soon enough. I've sent word to have the food from tonight's meals tested for poison. If there's any trace of it, we'll know."

The waiting was agonizing. Jay paced the room, every second feeling like an eternity. The thought that someone could be slipping poison into the very food they ate was horrifying, and it only deepened his resolve to root out the traitor.

Finally, a messenger arrived with the results. Mira took the parchment, her eyes scanning the contents quickly. Her expression tightened, and Jay knew the news wasn't good.

"There was poison in the food, Jay," she said quietly. "A small amount, likely not enough to kill immediately, but enough to weaken or incapacitate over time. Whoever did this was careful—they didn't want to arouse suspicion."

Jay's blood ran cold. The implications were chilling. "If they're using small doses, they could be planning something even more sinister. Weakening our defenses, making us vulnerable…"

Mira nodded, her mind already racing with plans. "We need to act now. We'll replace the kitchen staff and double-check every meal before it's served. And we need to find out who's behind this—whether it's Sir Gareth, someone in the kitchens, or another player we haven't identified yet."

Jay's mind was reeling with possibilities. The traitor was clearly playing a long game, and the introduction of poison suggested a carefully orchestrated plan to destabilize the kingdom from within. "We also need to consider the possibility that this is just the beginning. If they've managed to poison our food, who knows what else they've infiltrated?"

Mira's face was set in determination. "We'll find them, Jay. But we need to move quickly and decisively. The longer we wait, the more dangerous they become."

As they prepared to take action, a sense of urgency filled the air. The Shadow of the Past was closing in, and their plans were becoming clearer with each passing moment. But Jay knew that they couldn't afford to be reactive—they had to take the fight to the enemy, to unmask the traitor before it was too late.

The night stretched on, with Jay and Mira working tirelessly to unravel the tangled web of deception that had been woven around them. The citadel was on high alert, every guard, servant, and advisor aware that something was amiss. The watchers were still out there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for their moment to strike.

But Jay was ready. He had faced darkness before, and he would face it again. The Shadow of the Past might have infiltrated his court, but they had not yet won. And as long as he had breath in his body, he would fight to protect his kingdom and those he held dear.