Chapter 5: Of Traitors and Truths
The fire crackled softly in the hearth, casting flickering shadows over the small, cozy space. I must’ve dozed off, because when I blinked, the blanket was pulled tighter around me and the room had settled into silence.
Grandmama’s cottage felt older than the forest itself, with every wooden beam whispering stories of storms and seasons past. I didn’t want to wake up yet. But the quiet let my mind wander, and it wandered straight back to the woods. Guards—so close I could almost hear their breathing.
Alessio sat beside me on the padded bench, arms loosely crossed, his gaze fixed somewhere beyond the flickering firelight. Grandmama, after grumbling about "bringing trouble to her doorstep," was now in the corner, grinding herbs with the force of someone imagining the guards’ skulls instead of dried leaves.
I was still catching my breath when Alessio spoke up. "We can’t go to Mellerfen yet. The patrols are thicker than I expected. Marius must’ve caught wind of something—or he’s just tightening security. I think we should take Grandmama’s offer to stay here for a while, after all."
He hadn’t slept. Just before first light, he’d slipped out alone to scout the woods, checking for patrol patterns and any clear route east.
Grandmama snorted. "That snake has ears in every corner of the empire. He’s been creeping through the cracks since his father’s death."
Something about the way she said it made my skin prickle. "His father’s death?" I asked.
Alessio nodded. "Duke Wittelsbach the First. Died a few years back—we suspected poison, but nothing was ever proven. Marius took over immediately, consolidating power faster than anyone could react. His father was well-respected. Marius... less so."
"Less so?" I repeated, incredulous. "He’s practically running the place with an iron fist."
Alessio gave a grim nod. "That’s the problem. The imperial family didn’t foresee how ruthless he’d be. He’s gained the loyalty of a handful of nobles—mainly through blackmail and fear. But his influence has grown too fast. My father, the Emperor, doesn’t trust him, but removing a duke without clear cause could spark civil unrest."
"So your father’s just... waiting for Marius to mess up?"