It was a solid strategy, but I had concerns. "What if Ashford isn't the agent? What if we're wrong about him and we waste time and resources monitoring someone who's actually loyal?"
"Then we've lost nothing except a bit of time. But if we're right, we gain crucial intelligence about how Daemon's network operates." Kael looked around the table. "Does anyone have a better idea?"
No one did. The plan was risky, but all our options were risky. At least this one gave us some control over the situation.
We spent another hour going over details, coordinating who would do what and when. Elena would remain in the secure quarters, continuing to document everything she knew about Daemon's operations. Captain Thorne would quietly investigate the castle guards, identifying which ones might be compromised. Kael would handle Lord Ashford and the false information. And I would work with Mira to secure our immediate surroundings and build a network of loyal servants who could act as eyes and ears throughout the castle.
There's one more thing," Elena said as we were preparing to leave. "Daemon knows about your curse, Kael. He knows how it works, how to manipulate you into losing control. He'll use that against you. You need to be prepared for psychological warfare as much as physical danger."
"I know." Kael's voice was grim. "He's already proven he's willing to target Elara to get to me. The wedding convoy attack, the messages threatening people I care about. He's trying to isolate me by making me afraid that anyone close to me will die because of my curse."
Then don't let him isolate you," Elena said firmly. "The curse is dangerous, yes. But it's also powerful, and it responds to your emotional state. The more connected you are, the more you have to fight for, the more control you'll have. Isolation makes the curse stronger. Love and connection make you stronger."
It was good advice, and I filed it away for future reference. We'd need every advantage we could get.
After the meeting, Kael and I returned to our chambers to wait for Mira's arrival. The journey back took us through more populated areas of the castle, and I was hyperaware of everyone we passed. Which servants were looking at us too closely? Which nobles were paying too much attention to our movements? Which guards were positioned where they could overhear conversations?
"Stop," Kael said quietly. "You're making yourself paranoid."
"I'm making myself aware," I countered. "There's a difference."
"Not when it starts affecting your judgment. Yes, some of these people are probably working for Daemon. But most of them are just doing their jobs. If you suspect everyone, you'll exhaust yourself and miss the real threats."
He was probably right, but I couldn't help it. I'd lived eighteen years learning to read subtle cues and hidden meanings in people's behavior. Now that my life actually depended on those skills, I couldn't just turn them off.
We reached our chambers to find Mira had already arrived and was directing servants in unpacking my belongings from Eldoria. She looked exactly as I remembered—practical, efficient, completely unintimidated by the grand surroundings.
"My Lady!" She rushed over when she saw me, then caught herself and curtseyed properly. "Princess. I apologize. I'm still adjusting to your new title."
"Mira." I pulled her into a hug, propriety be damned. "I'm so glad you're here. I've missed you."
"And I you, my Lady. Princess. Highness." She laughed. "I'll get it eventually."
"Just Elara when we're alone," I told her. "We're friends, remember? That doesn't change just because I married a prince."
Kael cleared his throat. "I'll leave you two to catch up. I have matters to attend to." He kissed my forehead, a gesture that had become comfortable between us, and left.
Once he was gone, Mira studied me carefully. "You've changed."
"Have I?"
"You carry yourself differently. Move differently. You look like someone who knows how to fight." Her eyes went to the knife I wore at my belt, no longer bothering to conceal it. "What happened to you here?"
"Everything," I said. "Come sit. We need to talk, and it's not going to be a pleasant conversation."
I told her everything. About the shadow beast attack on our wedding convoy. About Morgana's murder and the investigation we were conducting. About Daemon and the conspiracy that threatened to destroy the entire kingdom. About my training with Kael and the partnership we'd built out of necessity that had become something deeper.
Mira listened without interrupting, her expression growing more horrified with each revelation.
"So you married a cursed prince and immediately got caught in a murder conspiracy," she said when I finished. "Just an average Tuesday for Princess Elara."
Despite everything, I laughed. "It's been quite an adjustment."
"I'd say. And you need my help securing your chambers against servants who might be enemy agents." She stood, all business now. "Show me the names from the journal. I'll handle it discreetly. By tomorrow morning, you'll have a completely new staff, all of them vetted and loyal."
"How will you manage that?"
"The same way I've always managed things: by being invisible. Nobles and enemy agents alike always forget that servants talk to each other, that we have our own networks and loyalties. I'll find out which of the current staff can be trusted and which need to be replaced. Trust me."
I did trust her. Mira had been my anchor in Eldoria, the one person who saw me as a person rather than a possession. Having her here in Shadowmere made me feel more grounded, more capable of facing what was coming.
"Thank you," I said. "For coming here. For helping me. For everything."
"Of course. Where else would I be?" She squeezed my hand. "Now, you should rest. You look exhausted, and if there's really a coup being planned for next month, you'll need your strength."
She was right. I was exhausted. The constant vigilance, the training, the investigation, the political maneuvering—it was all taking a toll. But I couldn't rest yet. There was too much to do, too many threats to monitor.
Still, I lay down on the bed, just for a moment. Just to close my eyes and breathe.
I must have actually fallen asleep because I woke to find the light had changed, afternoon giving way to evening. Kael was sitting in a chair near the bed, reading through documents.
"How long was I asleep?" I asked, sitting up groggily.
"About three hours. I told Mira not to wake you. You needed the rest." He set aside his papers. "And you were right about Lord Ashford. I told him this afternoon that we'd decided to stop investigating my mother's death, that the danger was too great and we were going to focus on settling into court life instead. Within two hours, Captain Thorne's men observed one of Ashford's servants leaving the castle and heading north toward the mountains."
"He's reporting to Daemon." I felt a grim satisfaction at being right, even though it meant one of the King's closest advisors was a traitor. "So now we know for certain."
"Now we know. And now we can use it." Kael looked at me seriously. "Are you ready for this, Elara? Really ready? Because once we start actively working against Daemon's network, there's no going back. The danger will escalate. People will die. And we might be among them."
I thought about his question carefully. Was I ready to risk my life? Was I ready to potentially die for a kingdom I'd only been part of for a few weeks, for people I barely knew?
But this wasn't just about the kingdom or the people. This was about justice for Queen Arianna, who'd been murdered for trying to protect her son. This was about stopping Daemon before he could hurt anyone else. This was about proving that I was more than the powerless princess I'd been raised to be.
And most of all, this was about Kael. About the partnership we'd built and the future we were trying to create together.
"I'm ready," I said. "Let's bring Daemon down."