~Kaida Orion POV~
The intruder's whisper still echoes in my mind: "This is only the beginning…" My hands tremble as I kneel beside the motionless figure. The moon's acerbic glow glints off his pale face.
Lupus hovers over me. His amber eyes are fierce and protective. "You should step back," he warns softly.
I did not move. "No. I need to see who they are."
He nods, as if respecting my decision. CouncilorRachael and two guards approach. She scans the intruder coldly. "He's unconscious," she notes. "Green blood. Magic touched him."
Councilor Biat arrives with a cloth. "Take him. Bind him in guest quarters. I will question him at first light."
Lupus's face darkens. "He's more than a spy, because he knows our rituals."
I exhale gently, my voice shakier than I expect. "Why target us so fiercely?"
Lupus raises a dark brow. "Because we're growing stronger. And you....Kaida...you are the key."
