Katerina's POV
Be careful with him. He's more fragile than he looks.
Theron's words haunt me as I make my way through the palace corridors. Fragile. The Blood Prince, fragile.
But I saw it in Damien's eyes this morning. That raw grief when he realized he'd killed an innocent woman. That's not the face of a monster. That's the face of a man carrying unbearable guilt.
Which makes everything so much more complicated than I planned.
I reach my chambers and lock the door behind me, leaning against it as my mind races. Everything I believed about the conspiracy is crumbling. Damien isn't Adrian's ally—he's another victim. Which means my revenge has been aimed at the wrong target all along.
But that doesn't erase what he did. He still signed the execution order. He still chose to believe lies over me.
A soft knock makes me jump.
It's me, Lyssa's voice whispers through the door.
I open it quickly, pulling her inside. She's dressed as a servant, her warrior's build hidden under loose clothing.
We have a problem, she says immediately.
My stomach drops. What kind of problem?
Serena. Lyssa moves to the window, checking outside before turning back to me. She's been asking questions. Dangerous questions.
I know. Vera already warned me.
It's worse than Vera knows. Lyssa pulls a crumpled paper from her pocket. One of my contacts intercepted this. Serena's offering a reward to anyone who can provide information about glamour enchantments used three years ago. She's specifically asking about the execution.
The room spins. She can't prove anything.
Not yet. But she's got connections and money. Lyssa's face is grim. And she's desperate. That makes her dangerous.
I pace the room, trying to think. Where is she now?
That's the strange part. Damien officially banished her from Eldermoor this afternoon. Sent her away with nothing but travel money and a warning never to return.
Relief floods through me. Then she's gone.
Physically, yes. But Katerina— Lyssa grabs my arm. She has spies everywhere. Servants loyal to her, nobles she's blackmailed. Just because she's not in the palace doesn't mean she's not watching.
Then I'll be more careful.
Careful won't be enough. Lyssa's grip tightens. The Shadow Broker sent word. You need to move faster or abort the mission entirely.
I'm not aborting. The words come out fiercer than I intended. My mother is dead. Adrian killed her. I'm not running away when I'm finally this close.
Lyssa studies my face, and something in her expression softens. You're falling for him, aren't you? For Damien.
No. The denial is automatic. I'm just, I'm confused. Nothing makes sense anymore.
Your brother manipulated both of you, Lyssa says gently. Made you hate each other, made you destroy each other. That's what Adrian does best.
I know she's right. But knowing doesn't make it hurt less.
What else did the Shadow Broker say? I ask.
Lyssa hesitates. He reminded me to remind you that you owe him a favor when this is over. He didn't save your life out of kindness, Katerina. He has plans for you.
I know. I've always known. Marcus doesn't do anything without a reason, and that reason is never simple charity.
But that's a problem for later. Right now, I need to survive long enough to worry about it.
Anything else? I ask.
Lyssa shifts uncomfortably. Yes. And you're really not going to like this.
My heart sinks. What now?
She takes a breath, then speaks quickly: Prince Damien has been asking the guards about you. Personal questions. Where you came from, who vouches for you, what you did before arriving at court.
Ice floods my veins. He's investigating me?
He wants to know everything about Lady Raven Blackwood.
The room tilts. I grip the back of a chair to steady myself.
Why? I whisper. Why is he investigating me?
Because he's falling for you, Lyssa says quietly. And he's terrified of being betrayed again. He needs to know you're real, that you're trustworthy. She pauses. The identity Marcus built for you is good, but Katerina—it won't hold up under serious investigation. If Damien digs deep enough...
He'll find out I'm a ghost, I finish.
We stare at each other, the weight of it settling between us.
How long do I have? I ask.
I don't know. But if he's already asking questions, it won't be long. Lyssa moves closer, her voice urgent. You need to make a choice. Either get him to trust you completely before he discovers the truth, or disappear before he can investigate further.
Trust. He wants me to earn his trust while I'm lying to him about everything.
There has to be another way, I say desperately.
There isn't. Lyssa's face is hard with truth. This was always going to end one of two ways—with him learning who you really are, or with you running before he finds out. The only question is which happens first.
I sink into the chair, my mind spinning with impossible choices.
If I tell him the truth now, before I have solid proof against Adrian, he'll think I'm working for my brother. He'll think I'm another spy sent to manipulate him. And this time, he won't hesitate to kill me.
But if I wait too long, if he discovers I've been lying before I can explain...
The result will be exactly the same.
I'm trapped in a game where every move leads to the same ending: my death.
There's something else, Lyssa says, and her tone makes my skin prickle.
What?
She looks at me with something like pity. Prince Damien has been asking the guards about you. He wants to know everything about Lady Raven Blackwood.
The words hit me like a physical blow.
He's not just curious. He's investigating me. Actively searching for proof that I'm lying.
Which means the clock isn't just ticking.
It's about to run out.