The estate was still reeling from the attempted assassination. The nobles gathered in tight clusters, their hushed voices filled with fear and suspicion. The overseer mages had taken control of the scene, but their presence did little to quell the rising tension.
Eryk stood apart from the crowd, his face a mask of calm. Inside, however, his mind was racing. Who's behind this? he wondered. The assassination attempt had been sudden, catching even him off guard, but it was clear that someone wanted to disrupt the investigation.
Or perhaps it's something more, he thought. His thoughts remained purposefully vague, even to himself. He needed time to piece things together, but time was something he didn't have.
He moved through the crowd, engaging in quiet conversations with key nobles. His words were careful, his tone nonchalant, but he could see the growing fear in their eyes. "It's strange, isn't it?" he mused to one noble. "An attack like this, right in the middle of an investigation…"
The noble swallowed nervously, glancing around as if searching for invisible threats. "Do you think… someone's trying to silence us?"
Eryk gave a small shrug. "It's hard to say," he replied, planting the seed of doubt. "But we should all be careful."
He left the noble to stew in their own paranoia, moving on to the next conversation. The web of deceit was spreading, and Eryk was content to let it grow.
...
Selene watched Eryk from across the room, her mind churning with frustration. The assassination attempt had rattled her more than she wanted to admit, and Eryk's calm demeanor wasn't helping.
He's hiding something, she thought, her fists clenched at her sides. Ever since they had started working together, Eryk had kept parts of his plan hidden, offering her only what he thought she needed to know. But after today, she couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that he was using her.
But for what? she wondered. The thought twisted in her stomach, leaving her uneasy.
Later, she would confront him. She had to. But for now, she stayed quiet, watching him as he moved through the crowd, planting seeds of doubt in the minds of the other nobles. He was playing a game—a dangerous one—and she wasn't sure she wanted to be a part of it anymore.
…..
The assassination attempt had thrown the investigation committee into chaos. Several minor nobles, each involved in the investigation, exchanged frantic whispers.
"I knew this was dangerous," one noble muttered, his voice trembling. "We should've stayed out of it."
Another noble, slightly older and more composed, shook his head. "It's too late for that," he said grimly. "We're already in the middle of this, whether we like it or not."
The investigation had started as a way to uncover corruption, but now it seemed as if they were the ones being hunted. Some nobles began pointing fingers, suggesting that the attack had been orchestrated to scare them into silence.
"It's not safe," one noble whispered. "We're next if we don't act."
Paranoia was spreading rapidly, and Eryk, though silent, observed it all with interest. Every accusation, every glance filled with suspicion—he absorbed it, calculating his next move.
....
Later that evening, as the chaos of the day began to die down, Eryk received another message from Lydia. The paper was slipped under his door, folded tightly and bearing the same cryptic handwriting as the previous notes.
He read it quickly, his eyes narrowing. The message was brief, but its meaning was clear: A faction outside the noble families has infiltrated the ranks. The assassination attempt was just the beginning.
Eryk folded the note, slipping it into his pocket. His thoughts were once again vague, deliberately so. He knew that Lydia was right—there was an external force at play—but the question remained: who were they? And what did they want?
He wouldn't share this information with anyone just yet, not even Selene. He needed to be sure before he acted. For now, he would keep this knowledge to himself, letting the pieces fall into place.
...
Casandra Vale paced her room, her mind racing. The assassination attempt had shaken her more than she wanted to admit. Her family had enemies—powerful ones—but this… this was different.
Could it be Eryk? she wondered, her thoughts spinning out of control. He had always been too clever, too composed. And now, with the investigation falling apart, it seemed as if everything was playing into his hands.
She shook her head, trying to dispel the paranoia creeping into her mind. No, it can't be him. He doesn't have the resources… does he?
But even as she tried to convince herself, the doubt lingered. Casandra was no fool, and she knew that in this game, trust was a luxury she couldn't afford.
....
Later that night, Selene finally confronted Eryk. They stood in one of the estate's quiet corridors, the moonlight casting long shadows on the walls.
"I'm tired of being kept in the dark," Selene said, her voice sharp. "You've been hiding things from me, Eryk. I want the truth. What's really going on?"
Eryk regarded her for a moment, his expression unreadable. He knew this confrontation was coming, and he had prepared for it. But still, he couldn't reveal everything. Not yet.
"I'm not hiding anything from you," he said, his tone calm. "There are just… some things that need to be handled delicately."
Selene's eyes narrowed. "That's not an answer. You're using me, aren't you? For whatever scheme you're planning."
Eryk gave a small sigh. "I'm doing what I have to do to protect us. Trust me, Selene. Everything is under control."
But even as he spoke, he knew she wasn't convinced. The trust between them was fraying, and soon it would snap. But for now, he had bought himself a little more time.
...
Just as Eryk was preparing to retire for the night, a servant rushed into his chambers, breathless and pale. "My lord," the servant stammered. "One of the nobles from the investigation committee—he's gone missing. His room was empty, and no one has seen him since the attack."
Eryk's heart skipped a beat. The noble who had disappeared had been close to uncovering something critical about the conspiracy. His disappearance could only mean one thing—someone was tying up loose ends.
It's starting, Eryk thought, his mind racing. He knew that time was running out. Whoever was behind this wasn't going to stop, and if he didn't act soon, more would follow.
Before he could process the implications, a final message arrived from Lydia: The missing noble is just the first. More will disappear, and the true danger is about to reveal itself.