The subway tunnel reeked of diesel and desperation. Lilith huddled in a shadowed corner, clutching the moonstone locket through her sweater. Above, a train rumbled past, shaking dust from the ceiling. Through the grate, she could hear the city waking—car horns, chatter, the distant clatter of a street vendor's cart.
System update: King Alden's motorcade departs the palace in 3 hours. Orphanage perimeter secured by 20 royal guards. Elena's agents embedded as kitchen staff.
Lilith frowned, wiping a smudge of sewer grime from her cheek. Getting inside wouldn't be easy. She'd traded her bloodstained uniform for a ragged coat scavenged from a dumpster, but her blue eyes and the locket's faint glow (even under fabric) were dead giveaways.
New skill unlocked: Disguise mastery. Limited duration: 4 hours. A small vial materialized in her palm—silver liquid that shimmered like starlight. Apply to skin for temporary appearance alteration.
She uncapped the vial, dabbing the liquid on her cheeks. Her reflection in a puddle shifted: freckles spread across her nose, her hair darkened to chestnut, her eyes dulled to hazel. Not enough to be unrecognizable, but enough to slip past casual glances.
Fetal soul resonance: 38%. "Almost."
Lilith smiled, tucking the locket deeper into her sweater. Almost. Soon, he'd know the truth.
The next train screeched into the station. She slipped through the doors just as they closed, pressing herself against the wall. Across the aisle, a man in a security uniform stared at her—one of Elena's men, she'd bet. His hand hovered near his radio.
Lilith met his gaze, tilting her chin down in a mimicry of shyness. "Sorry, sir. I… missed my stop."
He grunted, looking away. Good. Fear was still a useful mask, when needed.
At the orphanage stop, she followed a group of nuns through the turnstiles, keeping her head down. The street outside buzzed with activity: police tape cordoned off the block, royal flags fluttered from lampposts, and a crew of workers hung a banner reading "Welcome His Majesty."
A black limousine idled at the curb—Elena's, if the wolf paw emblem on the door was any clue. Lilith ducked into an alley, watching as Ella stepped out, wearing a pink dress that cost more than the orphanage's annual budget. Her mother smoothed her hair, whispering something that made Ella giggle.
"That girl's going to regret crossing us," Elena said, loud enough for Lilith to hear. Her gaze swept the alley, as if sensing a presence.
Lilith melted into the shadows, heart racing. Elena's wolf senses were stronger than she'd thought.
System 提示: 1 hour until arrival. Infiltrate via service entrance. Avoid Ella's line of sight.
She circled to the back of the orphanage, where a delivery truck idled by the loading dock. The driver—a burly man with a scarred jaw—was smoking a cigarette, his clipboard propped on the wheel.
Lilith approached, keeping her voice steady. "Mr. Carter? I'm the new kitchen helper. Sister Margaret said to help unload."
He squinted at her. "Ain't never seen you before."
"Started yesterday. She's short-staffed 'cause of… the raid." She let her voice tremble. "Please don't tell her I'm late. She'll send me back."
The driver grunted, tossing her a pair of gloves. "Hurry up. The king's people wanna inspect the food."
Lilith climbed into the truck, stacking crates of apples as she scanned the area. Through the kitchen window, she could see Ella practicing a curtsy, her mother adjusting her tiara. A flash of silver caught her eye—Ella was wearing a locket too, a cheap imitation of the moonstone one.
"Mine's better," Ella said, preening. "Mother says it's real moonstone. But I think it's ugly. Wolves are gross."
Lilith's fingers tightened around an apple. The imitation would burn her skin, if she touched it. Elena's little lie, to make Ella feel special.
The driver banged on the truck. "Move it, kid!"
She jumped down, following him into the kitchen. The room was chaos: nuns rushing to stack pastries, a chef yelling about "royal dietary restrictions," and two of Elena's men lingering by the door, their eyes scanning every face.
Lilith grabbed a dish towel, wiping imaginary crumbs from the counter. Her thermal vision picked up a heat signature behind the pantry door—someone hiding. A quick peek confirmed it: one of the rescued children, the blue-eyed girl, clutching a teddy bear.
"Go back to the dorm," Lilith whispered. "It's not safe."
The girl shook her head. "I wanna help. Like you did." She held out a crumpled piece of paper. "I drew a map. The king's gonna stand by the fountain. You can get close there."
Lilith's heart swelled. "Thank you." She tucked the map into her pocket. "But if anyone asks, you never saw me."
The girl nodded, scurrying out as a nun passed by.
A bell rang—ten minutes until the king's arrival. Lilith grabbed a tray of lemon tarts, using it as a shield as she inched toward the courtyard. Through the kitchen door, she could see the crowd gathering: reporters, officials, orphans in their best clothes.
Ella stood at the front, her smile practiced and bright. Elena hovered beside her, scanning the crowd with predatory focus. And near the fountain, flanked by guards, stood Kane—tall, broad-shouldered, his gaze fixed on Ella. But when Lilith stepped outside, his head snapped around, his nostrils flaring.
He'd smelled her.
Lilith ducked behind a hedge, her heart pounding. Kane murmured something to a guard, who nodded and started toward her. She backed away, tripping over a root—
The tray clattered to the ground, tarts scattering. Heads turned. Ella's laugh cut through the silence.
"Clumsy fool!" she shouted. "Look what you did!"
Lilith stood, brushing crumbs from her coat. The disguise was fading—her eyes were returning to their true blue, her hair lightening at the roots. She could hear Kane's footsteps approaching, slow and deliberate.
"Your Majesty!" a guard announced. The crowd erupted in cheers.
Lilith raised her head. King Alden walked down the path, his silver hair and sharp jaw a mirror of her own features. Their eyes met. For a heartbeat, he froze, his gaze dropping to her sweater—where the locket's chain had slipped free.
"Amara's locket," he breathed.
Elena's face paled. "Your Highness, it's just a—"
A howl split the air. Kane lunged, but not at her—at a guard who'd drawn his gun, aiming at the king. "Traitor!" he roared, tackling the man to the ground.
Chaos erupted. Reporters shouted, guards drew weapons, Ella screamed. In the confusion, Lilith ran toward the king, the locket burning against her chest.
"Your Majesty," she said, breathless. "I need to tell you—"
A bullet whizzed past her ear. She ducked, seeing one of Elena's men reloading. Kane tackled him, but another was already aiming.
Lilith didn't think—just reacted. She tore the locket from her neck, holding it aloft. Moonlight spilled from it, forming a barrier between the king and the gunman. The bullet hit the shield, melting into silver mist.
Gasps echoed. The king stared at the locket, then at her, recognition dawning in his eyes.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
Before she could answer, Kane grabbed her arm, his touch burning through her coat. "You. Come with me."
Lilith wrenched free, stepping closer to the king. "I'm Lilith. Your daughter."
The words hung in the air. For a moment, no one spoke. Then Ella shrieked, "Liar! She's a nobody!"
The king held out his hand. "Let me see the locket, child."
Lilith placed it in his palm. He traced the wolf engraving, his fingers trembling. "Amara's family crest. Only her blood can activate it." He met her gaze, tears in his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Because she's been hiding," Elena said, her voice icy. "For good reason. She's dangerous."
Kane stepped forward, his jaw tight. "Your Majesty, this girl attacked my men. She's involved in the orphanage trafficking ring."
Lilith laughed. "Ask your men what they were doing in the sewers. Ask Elena why her signature's on the client list." She pulled the folder from her coat, tossing it to the king. "Ask Ella why she's wearing a fake locket."
The king flipped through the pages, his face hardening. "Guards. Arrest Elena and Mr. Voss."
Kane's eyes widened. "Your Majesty, I—"
"Silence." The king's voice boomed. He turned to Lilith, his expression softening. "Come with me. We have much to discuss."
Lilith nodded, but as she stepped forward, a sharp pain shot through her head. System warning: Fetal soul resonance spiking. 45%. "Danger."
She looked up, seeing a glint of metal in Ella's hand—a knife, aimed at the king's back.
"Ella, no!" she shouted, shoving him aside.
The blade sank into her shoulder.