Chapter Seventeen

The shadows in the dimly lit room crept along the stone walls, twisting and flickering as the flames from the small hearth danced. I could feel them, the darkness, wrapping around me, enveloping me in its comfort. There, in the quiet, I could think. I could plot. And that was all I needed.

They all thought she was safe. They thought the poison had taken its toll, that it was only a matter of time before Karina's body crumbled under its weight. They couldn't have been more wrong. The plan had been simple: weaken her, let the poison seep into her system, and watch as her strength faded. But there was something more, something deeper I hadn't anticipated.

Karina wasn't just a victim of poison; she was a symbol. A symbol of a kingdom on the brink of destruction. The perfect target.