Bound To The Ruthless Lycan

Chapter 14 : The Weasel Conspiracy

"Are you certain this poison will work on a wolf?"

Cassandra's voice echoed softly within the secret passage of the Vane Family Summer Residence. Her tone was cold, sharp, and demanding certainty.

The black robed man standing before her chuckled softly. He pulled a small glass vial filled with a purplish liquid from beneath his thick cloak.

"This wolf paralyzing poison is specially crafted from rare root extracts from the southern territory, Lady Cassandra. Simply inhaling its vapor will completely paralyze a wolf's nervous system within seconds. They won't be able to shift, call their pack, or even cry out for help."

Cassandra crossed her arms over her chest. A faint, satisfied smile crossed her face. "Excellent. Sera will walk toward the Royal Garden tonight. I have already arranged for the guards in the west wing to be temporarily withdrawn under the guise of a shift change."

"And what of the girl's life?" the robed man asked, his voice low and raspy. "Did Baron Logan request that we finish her on the spot?"

Cassandra took a step forward. Her eyes narrowed, gleaming with deep seated hatred.

"Bring the girl to Baron Logan alive. Let him drain every drop of her blood dry, then throw what's left into the swamp."

The robed man grinned broadly. "A child's play task. Baron Logan's men are already stationed along the outer castle walls. The moment the girl sets foot in the Royal Garden, we will seize her and take her out through the secret route."

"Ensure not a single trace is left behind," Cassandra cut in, her tone laced with threat. "If Damon finds out I am involved in this abduction, he will not hesitate to slaughter us all without mercy."

"Rest assured, Lady Cassandra. We move like shadows. Not a single soul will realize we were here until the girl has vanished completely."

The two walked away, disappearing into the dark, damp secret passage behind the stone walls of the Vane residence.

Meanwhile, behind a thick curtain covering a secret door at the end of the passage, Marta stood frozen. Sera's personal maid pressed her back against the cold stone wall, clapping both hands tightly over her mouth, holding her breath to avoid making the slightest sound. Her entire body trembled violently, her heart hammering against her ribs after overhearing every single word Cassandra spoke.

As soon as the footsteps of Cassandra and the robed man completely faded into the darkness of the hallway, Marta sprinted as fast as her legs could carry her toward Sera's room.

The door to Sera's room burst open. Marta stumbled inside, breathless and deathly pale.

Sera, who was sitting at her vanity table, stood up on instinct. She stared at her maid, her brow furrowed with concern.

"Marta? What's wrong? Why are you trembling like that?"

Marta quickly locked the door from the inside. She ran over to Sera and dropped to her knees before her mistress, her hands still shaking.

"My Lady...Lady Sera...You are in grave danger! You must leave this place right now!" Marta whispered, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Sera grabbed both of Marta's shoulders, trying to steady her maid. "Calm down first, Marta. Take a breath. Tell me slowly, what actually happened?"

Marta swallowed hard, tears welling up in her eyes. "I was returning from the kitchen through the secret passage behind the walls of the Vane Residence. I heard voices whispering. It was Lady Cassandra, My Lady!"

Sera's eyes narrowed sharply. "Cassandra? Who was she speaking to in the secret passage?"

"With Baron Logan's spy!" Marta's voice quivered as she fought back sobs. "They are planning something horrifying. Lady Cassandra gave a wolf paralyzing poison to that man. They plan to kidnap you in the Royal Garden tonight!"

Sera fell silent for a moment. Her face remained calm, but her grip on Marta's shoulders slowly tightened. "A wolf paralyzing poison?"

"Yes, My Lady! The man said the poison can rob wolves of their physical strength and render them unable to scream at all," Marta grasped Sera's hands tightly. "Lady Cassandra even told them to deliver you alive to Baron Logan. She said..." Marta couldn't finish her sentence, paralyzed by gripping terror.

"Tell me, Marta. What exactly did Cassandra say?" Sera pressed, her voice cold and demanding.

Marta sobbed softly. "She said, let him drain your blood until you're dry, then throw what's left into the swamp! My Lady, they truly intend to kill you! We must inform His Majesty Damon right now! I will run to His Majesty's study and call the guards!"

Marta made to stand and bolt for the door, but Sera swiftly caught her maid's arm.

"Don't," Sera said firmly.

Marta stared at Sera in disbelief. "What do you mean, 'don't'? My Lady, your life is at stake! Cassandra and Baron Logan have set a trap for you in the Royal Garden tonight! If we don't tell His Majesty Damon, those evil men will capture you!"

"I said don't, Marta," Sera interrupted. Her voice wasn't loud, but there was unwavering weight behind every word.

"Lady Sera, I beg of you!" Marta fell to her knees again, weeping bitterly. "Why won't you tell His Majesty? His Majesty Damon could slaughter all those spies in an instant! Why must you take on such a horrific risk alone?"

Sera walked over to her bedroom window, which faced directly toward the Royal Garden. She gazed out at the dense trees slowly swallowed by the deepening gloom of night.

"If I tell Damon right now," Sera said without turning around, "what will he do? Answer me, Marta."

"His Majesty will bring the entire royal guard, arrest Lady Cassandra, and hunt down every last intruder!" Marta answered quickly.

"Correct. He will bring the entire force," Sera replied coldly. "And what happens then? Baron Logan's spies stationed outside the castle walls will spot the troops moving from afar. They will flee before anyone can touch them. Cassandra will find another scapegoat and evade justice once again because there will be no physical evidence at the scene. Baron Logan's network of infiltrators inside this residence will never be rooted out completely."

Marta was stunned by the explanation. "But My Lady, it is still far too dangerous! What if their plan succeeds and you are actually captured?"

Sera turned around. A fiery courage burned in her eyes, instantly striking Marta silent.

"Damon has carried far too heavy a burden protecting me," Sera said, emotion surging in her voice. Her tone trembled—not from fear, but from the anger she had suppressed for years. "Every day, he gambles his position and his life as Alpha just to keep me safe from the nobility's threats. I cannot continue to be a helpless weakling hiding behind his back!"

"My Lady..."

"I am sick of being the hunted prey," Sera continued, her hands clenching into tight fists at her sides. "This time, I will be the bait. I will walk into the Royal Garden myself. I will draw out Baron Logan's entire infiltration network from hiding."

Marta shook her head hysterically. "No! My Lady, please don't do this! This is walking straight into their trap! That poison is far too dangerous!"

Sera approached Marta and held both of her maid's cold hands.

"Listen to me carefully, Marta," Sera whispered softly, yet with absolute conviction. "I am not going there to surrender. I know exactly what I must do."

"What if you inhale the poison?"

"I grew up in the borderlands and know a great deal about poisonous plants," Sera said. "Paralyzing vapors take time to fully seep into the bloodstream. In those precious few seconds, I can still fight back and force them to reveal their true faces."

"Then what should I do, My Lady?" Marta asked, her eyes red and swollen.

"I need you to hide in the side alley near the garden area," Sera commanded. "Do not say a word to Damon until you see those intruders completely encircle me and expose themselves in the center of the garden. Once they feel victorious and reveal all their men, only then do you run to fetch Damon and the royal guard."

"My Lady, the window of time is paper-thin! Your life is on the line!"

"That narrow window is our only chance to capture Baron Logan's entire spy network along with the evidence," Sera cut in. "If Damon arrives too early, the intruders will flee. If Damon arrives right as they ambush me, Cassandra and Baron Logan won't have a single shred of wiggle room to deny the charges."

Marta stared at Sera, torn between fear and awe. She had never seen Sera display such ironclad determination.

"Are you truly certain about this decision, My Lady?" Marta asked softly.

"I am entirely certain," Sera answered without hesitation. "Tonight, the conspiracy of those cunning weasels ends by my hand."

Time passed swiftly. Darkness had completely taken hold of the Vane Family Summer Residence. The night wind blew fiercely, rustling the leaves in the Royal Garden with sharp whispers that shattered the silence.

Sera stood in the middle of her room. She shed her extravagant gown, replacing it with a simple, dark night dress to allow easier movement. Retrieving a small dagger from her desk drawer, she concealed it within the folds of her dress behind her waist.

Marta returned from outside and whispered near the door. "My Lady, the guard post in the west wing was just cleared by the guard captain under Lady Cassandra's orders. The Royal Garden is now completely deserted, without a single guard on duty."

Sera offered a faint, icy smile. "Good. That means Cassandra has swallowed her own bait. She thinks I am entirely in the dark."

"It is midnight, My Lady," Marta held her pounding chest. "Are you truly ready?"

Sera fixed her gaze on Marta. "Remember your task, Marta. Do not summon the troops until they emerge completely from the bushes and encircle me. Do not let your fear ruin this plan."

"Yes, My Lady. I promise," Marta replied, choking back tears.

Sera pushed her bedroom door open slowly. The corridors of the Vane Residence felt eerily quiet. Oil lamps on the walls flickered dimly in the draft blowing through the windows.

Sera stepped out of her room. Each footfall on the wooden floor echoed with resolve. She walked down the long hallway without a single personal guard at her side.

A few guards stationed at the main corridor intersection glanced at her in surprise, but Sera signaled for them to remain at their posts and strictly forbade them from following her.

Sera pressed forward toward the heavy wooden door at the end of the corridor connecting the residence directly to the outdoors.

As she pushed the heavy door open, the crisp night air struck her face. Before her stretched the vast expanse of the Royal Garden, blanketed in darkness without a single lantern lit. Towering trees stood like colossal shadows ready to swallow her whole.

Sera stared straight into the dark garden. She knew that behind the bushes and beneath the shroud of night, Baron Logan's spies and the wolf-paralyzing poison awaited her. She also knew that once she stepped out there, there would be no turning back.

Taking a deep breath to steady her racing heart, Sera set her gaze with sharp, unwavering resolve and stepped onto the cold, dew-damp grass of the garden.