Chapter 12
Maximum security isolation was underground — deep beneath the Council Hall, where silver-laced walls prevented any wolf from shifting, communicating, or escaping.
I walked the corridor alone. My father's warriors waited above. This conversation needed to happen without witnesses.
The cell door was reinforced steel. Through the small window, I could see Serena sitting on a metal bench, hands in her lap, staring at nothing.
When the door opened, she looked up.
Her face was gaunt. Her eyes were sunken. But when she saw me — a slow, terrible smile spread across her lips.
"I knew you'd come."
I sat in the chair across from her, the silver barrier between us humming with low electrical charge.
"You have information about my mother's death."
"Straight to business." She leaned back. "No small talk? No gloating about your big victory?"
"You tried to kill me. I'm not here for conversation."
Serena studied her fingernails, picking at what remained of her manicure.
"I know who ordered the assassination of Luna Cross. The name. The proof. Recorded conversations. Financial transfers. Everything."
My heartbeat stayed steady. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of showing emotion.
"And what do you want in exchange?"
"Freedom." Her eyes locked onto mine. "Full pardon. All charges dropped. And exile instead of prison."
"Life imprisonment versus exile. That's your bargaining chip."
"That's my bargaining chip." She smiled. "Unless you'd rather spend another twenty years wondering."
I let the silence stretch.
"How do I know you actually have proof? You've lied about everything else."
Serena stood and walked to the edge of the silver barrier. She leaned close.
"Because my mother IS the one who ordered it, Aria."
The world went quiet.
"My mother killed your mother. She admitted it to me when I was sixteen. She was BRAGGING. She told me every detail — how she hired rogues to intercept Luna Cross. How she made it look like a territory dispute. How she covered her tracks for twenty years."
I sat perfectly still. Every cell in my body screaming.
"And you have recordings of this confession?"
"Audio. Video. Documents." Serena's eyes glittered. "My mother was arrogant enough to keep trophies. Letters from her co-conspirators. Payment records. I found them when I was nineteen and copied everything onto a drive."
"Where is the drive?"
Serena laughed. "Oh honey. You think I'd tell you that before I have a signed pardon in my hand?"
I stood slowly.
"You tortured me. Poisoned me. Tried to kill me twice. And now you want me to set you free."
"I want to LIVE." For the first time, something real flickered in Serena's eyes — raw fear. "Life in prison, Aria. I'm twenty-four years old. I'll die in here."
"You should have thought about that before you threw snakes at me."
"I WAS CRUEL!" She slammed her hand against the barrier. The electric charge snapped; she yanked her hand back with a hiss. "I know that! I was jealous and hateful and I hurt you! But my mother — she MURDERED someone! That's different! She's the real monster!"
I walked to the door.
"Wait — WAIT!" Serena's composure shattered. "Aria, please. I'm not asking for forgiveness. I'm asking for a deal. A trade. Justice for your mother in exchange for my life."
I paused at the door.
"I know things about the Council, too," she said desperately. "The faction isn't gone. My mother rebuilt it. There are FIVE Council members still loyal to her. They know about you now — the whole territory knows who you are after today."
She pressed against the barrier despite the electricity.
"They'll come for you, Aria. Just like they came for your mother. And without the proof on that drive, you won't know who to trust."
I turned. "Is that a threat?"
"It's a WARNING." Her eyes were wild. "My mother is already making moves. I'm in here, but I can still hear things. The guards talk. There's a plan—"
An explosion shook the building.
Dust rained from the ceiling. The lights flickered. Alarms screamed.
Serena's face went white.
"They're here," she whispered. "Oh God. They're already here."
The cell door blasted inward. I dove sideways. Smoke filled the corridor.
Through the haze, five masked wolves surged toward me — silver weapons drawn, eyes glowing with killing intent.
I heard Serena screaming: "THE DRIVE IS AT—"
A masked wolf's blade swung toward my throat.
I walked the corridor alone. My father's warriors waited above. This conversation needed to happen without witnesses.
The cell door was reinforced steel. Through the small window, I could see Serena sitting on a metal bench, hands in her lap, staring at nothing.
When the door opened, she looked up.
Her face was gaunt. Her eyes were sunken. But when she saw me — a slow, terrible smile spread across her lips.
"I knew you'd come."
I sat in the chair across from her, the silver barrier between us humming with low electrical charge.
"You have information about my mother's death."
"Straight to business." She leaned back. "No small talk? No gloating about your big victory?"
"You tried to kill me. I'm not here for conversation."
Serena studied her fingernails, picking at what remained of her manicure.
"I know who ordered the assassination of Luna Cross. The name. The proof. Recorded conversations. Financial transfers. Everything."
My heartbeat stayed steady. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of showing emotion.
"And what do you want in exchange?"
"Freedom." Her eyes locked onto mine. "Full pardon. All charges dropped. And exile instead of prison."
"Life imprisonment versus exile. That's your bargaining chip."
"That's my bargaining chip." She smiled. "Unless you'd rather spend another twenty years wondering."
I let the silence stretch.
"How do I know you actually have proof? You've lied about everything else."
Serena stood and walked to the edge of the silver barrier. She leaned close.
"Because my mother IS the one who ordered it, Aria."
The world went quiet.
"My mother killed your mother. She admitted it to me when I was sixteen. She was BRAGGING. She told me every detail — how she hired rogues to intercept Luna Cross. How she made it look like a territory dispute. How she covered her tracks for twenty years."
I sat perfectly still. Every cell in my body screaming.
"And you have recordings of this confession?"
"Audio. Video. Documents." Serena's eyes glittered. "My mother was arrogant enough to keep trophies. Letters from her co-conspirators. Payment records. I found them when I was nineteen and copied everything onto a drive."
"Where is the drive?"
Serena laughed. "Oh honey. You think I'd tell you that before I have a signed pardon in my hand?"
I stood slowly.
"You tortured me. Poisoned me. Tried to kill me twice. And now you want me to set you free."
"I want to LIVE." For the first time, something real flickered in Serena's eyes — raw fear. "Life in prison, Aria. I'm twenty-four years old. I'll die in here."
"You should have thought about that before you threw snakes at me."
"I WAS CRUEL!" She slammed her hand against the barrier. The electric charge snapped; she yanked her hand back with a hiss. "I know that! I was jealous and hateful and I hurt you! But my mother — she MURDERED someone! That's different! She's the real monster!"
I walked to the door.
"Wait — WAIT!" Serena's composure shattered. "Aria, please. I'm not asking for forgiveness. I'm asking for a deal. A trade. Justice for your mother in exchange for my life."
I paused at the door.
"I know things about the Council, too," she said desperately. "The faction isn't gone. My mother rebuilt it. There are FIVE Council members still loyal to her. They know about you now — the whole territory knows who you are after today."
She pressed against the barrier despite the electricity.
"They'll come for you, Aria. Just like they came for your mother. And without the proof on that drive, you won't know who to trust."
I turned. "Is that a threat?"
"It's a WARNING." Her eyes were wild. "My mother is already making moves. I'm in here, but I can still hear things. The guards talk. There's a plan—"
An explosion shook the building.
Dust rained from the ceiling. The lights flickered. Alarms screamed.
Serena's face went white.
"They're here," she whispered. "Oh God. They're already here."
The cell door blasted inward. I dove sideways. Smoke filled the corridor.
Through the haze, five masked wolves surged toward me — silver weapons drawn, eyes glowing with killing intent.
I heard Serena screaming: "THE DRIVE IS AT—"
A masked wolf's blade swung toward my throat.