The air in the council chamber was biting, even with the fire burning low in the hearth. The triplets sat high on the thrones, their expressions hard.
Draven leaned forward with his fingers steepled beneath his chin, Kael rested one arm on the throne's edge, while Laziel's silver eyes flicked between the faces gathered before them.
Tia stood nearby, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Varys lingered beside her, and several of the court elders filled the space in silence, waiting.
"We've received more reports from the southern villages," Tia began. "Two farms gone. Livestock slaughtered."
"Their bodies were torn apart," added Varys. "Ripped in ways no animal could've done. The villagers are afraid. They say they saw dead men walking."
A murmur passed through the court.
"Dead men?" one of the elders echoed. "Please. Tales meant to scare children."
But Kael's tone was flat. "We saw it. It wasn't children's stories."
"The ground was soaked with blood," Draven added quietly. "And the horses… we've never seen wounds like that."
Laziel's jaw ticked. "Something's out there. And it's not just a rogue Lycan."
Silence lingered after his words.
"There are things older than frost and flame," Tia said, voice barely above a whisper. "And sometimes… they don't stay buried."
Before the room could settle from the weight of her warning, Tia straightened again. "There's another matter. One we must address before things slip further."
The triplets shared a look, already knowing what was coming.
"Your mate," she said. "Blue."
The court stiffened.
"It's been weeks," an elder said, stepping forward. "The people grow restless. The treaty promised an heir. And still, there's none."
"You expect a pup overnight?" Draven barked, sitting straighter. "This isn't about duty, it's about war, blood, and betrayal. We've only just begun to tolerate her."
"Tolerate or not," Varys said calmly, "she was mated to you for a reason. The treaty stands. One year. The crown must have its heir."
"She hasn't even been touched yet," another courtier said. "You'll lose the people if you don't fulfill your end."
Groans followed from the thrones.
"It's not that easy," Laziel muttered. "You're asking us to bed someone who nearly killed us."
"She was our enemy," Kael added, voice sharp. "You expect that to be undone with a signature?"
Tia's tone grew firm. "She is your mate. Enemy or not, chosen or cursed, it doesn't matter. You must claim her."
Draven's eyes narrowed.
"If you have to cover her face to do it, so be it," Tia snapped. "Tie her down if you must. But do it."
Several heads nodded in agreement. The room was filled with cold expectations, and no warmth.
Before another word could be said, a loud, crashing sound echoed through the stone halls. Shouts followed, panicked and urgent.
All heads turned.
The triplets stood immediately, instincts on edge, and everyone moved toward the open balcony.
The courtyard below was in chaos.
Two women stood in the middle of the snow, Blue and Lucia. One was panting, her hair tousled, fists clenched. The other was on the ground, crawling backward in tears.
Lucia spotted the gathering above and ran toward them with perfect timing. She didn't hesitate.
"My lords!" she cried, falling to her knees. "She, she attacked me!"
Tia's eyes narrowed, and the triplets stepped forward, tension in their shoulders. Others followed and they arrived down in the yard.
"I only confronted her," Lucia sobbed, "when I found her in the kitchen. I was meant to serve your dinner, when I caught her adding something to your dinner, But when I approached her, she said I'd pay for taking the Lords from her. Then she lashed out at me."
The court members stiffened. Some already looked toward Blue.
Blue stood frozen. Her chest rose and fell too quickly. Her lips parted, but no words came at first.
She hadn't expected to be caught. She hadn't expected anyone to see her slipping into the kitchen. She had only gone there to find something small, anything warm, for Ozra. The dragonling hadn't eaten since dawn.
And Lucia had been waiting. Smiling. A soft, fake smile. Too sweet. Too convincing.
Then came the words, low, sharp: "You think you'll go unpunished for what Dasia did? You'll learn your place, whore."
Now, Blue swallowed hard, voice trembling. "She's lying," she whispered. "Please—I didn't—I wasn't—"
Draven was already walking toward her, the rage in his steps matching the winter air thickening between them.
"You tried to poison our food?" he demanded.
"No," she gasped, her voice cracking. "No, please—I would never—"
But Laziel's snarl cut through her plea. "Never? You already tried to kill us once. Or did you forget Gillian?"
Blue's breath hitched. The name hit like a slap.
She stepped back, panic rushing in like a wave. Every step the brothers took forward, she felt herself folding inward. The world tilted.
"I didn't," she said, quieter. "I swear I didn't—"
Tia and Varys exchanged a look, tension bleeding into worry. The moment was spiraling. The bond they had tried to nurture between the triplets and their mate was slipping into something darker and colder.
"She's lying," Blue tried again. "You have to believe me—"
Lucia wiped a fake tear from her cheek. "I would never lie, my lords. You know that." Then, from her sleeve, she pulled out a small bottle. "I found this in her hands."
The world seemed to still.
Varys took it without a word, uncorked it, sniffed carefully, and pulled back. "Poison."
"I swear on my life," Blue sobbed. "I've never seen that before."
"Guards," Draven growled. "Seize her."
Tia stepped forward, alarm flashing in her eyes. "My lords, we must investigate properly—"
But Laziel was already snarling. "What's left to investigate? She was caught red-handed. Again. This bitch tried to kill us, twice."
The yard was filling now, servants peering out from corridors, soldiers lined against the wall. They watched as Blue stood alone, trembling, broken. And accused.
"You believe your mistress over your wife?" Tia snapped.
"She is no wife of ours," Draven growled.
"Yes, she is!" Tia shouted. "You will not punish her without proof. This needs proper judgment."
Varys stepped in, nodding slowly. "Search her room."
It took only minutes. But when the guards returned, their faces told the story before they even spoke.
"We found this," one of them said, unwrapping a bottle shrouded in black cloth.
The same poison.
Blue's knees nearly buckled. "No—no, please! That's not mine—I don't even know what that is!"
Kael stepped forward, voice like ice. "Did you and your twisted father plan this? Is that it? You planned to end us?"
"I didn't!" she cried, sobbing harder now. "Please—I would never hurt you—"
Her words fell on deaf ears.
Draven's magic surged, cold creeping into her skin. Frost climbed the hem of her gown.
"She tried to murder us," he said quietly. "Lucia saved our lives."
A silver collar was brought forward. With one click, it snapped around her throat, sealing her wolf. She screamed.
"Lock her in the dark dungeons," Draven commanded, his voice barely human anymore.
Tia tried to follow. "You can't do this! She's your mate—!"
"Enough, Tia!" he roared. "We're done with the wife talk. Done with pretending. She'll be taught a lesson. She's ours, to punish. To fuck. To break."
He turned without another word, his brothers storming behind him.
Lucia began to walk away, smug smile hidden behind a veil of pretend sadness.
But Tia stopped her cold.
"No matter what games you play, you'll never be her. It'll always be her. Never you."
Lucia blinked, wounded, but faking it well. "I only wanted to protect them, Your Grace. I guess you never liked me."
"You guessed right," Tia said with a flat smile. "Whore."
Lucia turned and disappeared from sight.
Varys laid a hand on Tia's shoulder. "Come. If we don't fix this, we'll lose more than a mate. We'll lose the future of Winter."