The castle buzzed with activity as preparations for Sonja's engagement banquet swirled through the halls. Servants moved hurriedly, carrying trays of delicacies and armfuls of decorations. Sonja observed the frenzy from the shadows of her chambers, her expression unreadable. Behind her stood Aerin and Selina, their faces lined with apprehension. The weight of what lay ahead pressed down on all three.
Sonja turned to her maids, her voice steady but quiet. "Tonight, everything changes. We must act swiftly and without hesitation. A single misstep could mean death."
Aerin nodded, her hands gripping the edge of her apron. "We are ready, my lady. Everything is prepared as you instructed."
Selina, her eyes darting nervously to the door, whispered, "And Tanis? Can we trust him?"
Sonja's lips pressed into a thin line. "Trust? No. But he knows the cost of failure. His ambition outweighs his treachery—for now."
As the evening descended, the grand hall of the castle gleamed with opulence. Chandeliers sparkled with the light of a hundred candles, casting flickering shadows on the ornate walls. The air hummed with the low murmur of the vampire nobility, their jeweled attire glinting like starlight.
Viktor sat at the head of the table, his cold blue eyes surveying the room with quiet dominance. Beside him stood Sonja, her face a mask of serene compliance, though her mind was a whirlwind of calculations. She wore a flowing crimson gown, its elegance a stark contrast to the steel resolve beneath.
Tanis entered, his movements smooth and practiced as he joined the gathering. His gaze briefly flickered to Sonja, a subtle nod passing between them. Everything was in motion.
"Raise your goblets!" Viktor's voice boomed, silencing the room. "Tonight, we celebrate the union of two great bloodlines—my daughter, Sonja, and Nicolae Corvinus. Together, they will lead our kind into a glorious future."
Applause filled the hall, but Sonja's focus was elsewhere. Beneath the table, her fingers traced the faint ridges of a hidden key sewn into the hem of her dress. It was the key to Lucian's shackle—the first step in changing the future she knew.
Far below the castle, in the dimly lit dungeons, Lucian paced within his cell, his keen senses attuned to every distant sound. Around him, other lycans stirred restlessly, their chained forms bristling with anticipation. They knew the time was near.
A soft knock echoed through the stone corridor. Lucian froze, his sharp eyes darting to the cell door. It creaked open, revealing Aerin. She slipped inside, her movements quick and deliberate.
"Lucian," she whispered, holding up a small vial filled with a shimmering liquid. "From Lady Sonja. It will suppress the silver in your body for a short time allowing you to use more of your strength. Once you use your key free as many as you can quickly."
Lucian's brows furrowed as he took the vial. "She's taking a great risk."
"She believes in you," Aerin replied, her gaze steady. "We all do."
Lucian downed the liquid, feeling its cool burn course through his veins. The pain in his limbs eased, and for the first time in years, his strength surged unfettered.
"Tonight," he said, his voice low and firm. "We begin."
Back in the banquet hall, Sonja feigned a smile as Nicolae approached her. He was striking, his features sharp and his aura commanding. But there was a cruelty in his eyes that sent a chill through her. A look that reminded her far too well of her father.
"Lady Sonja," he said smoothly, taking her hand. "I look forward to our partnership."
"As do I," she lied, her tone like silk hiding a blade.
Before Nicolae could respond, a commotion erupted outside the hall. The distant clang of steel and shouts of alarm cut through the festivities. Viktor rose to his feet, his expression thunderous.
"What is the meaning of this?" he roared.
Sonja's heart raced as a death dealer entered, bloodied and frantic. "My lord, the lycan slaves—they're revolting!"
The hall descended into chaos. Sonja seized the moment, slipping out unnoticed. Aerin and Selina awaited her near the servant's passage.
"To the tunnels," Sonja commanded, her voice steady despite the storm brewing around them.
In the dungeons, Lucian led the charge. Shackles broken and fangs bared, the lycans surged against their captors. The guards fought fiercely, but they were unprepared for the coordinated fury of their former slaves.
Lucian's claws tore through a vampire's chest as he shouted, "For freedom! Rise Lycans take back what was taken from you!"
The cry echoed through the stone corridors, fueling the lycans' resolve. Despite their strength, they knew the odds were stacked against them. They fought not for survival but for a chance to escape Viktor's iron grip.
Sonja, Aerin, and Selina navigated the labyrinthine tunnels beneath the castle. The air was damp and heavy, the scent of mildew mingling with the faint metallic tang of blood. Every step brought them closer to freedom—and danger.
As they neared the secret ship hidden in the underground cavern, Sonja hesitated. Her mind raced with thoughts of Lucian, the lycans, and the lives at stake.
"Go," she told her maids. "Secure the ship. I'll return with Lucian."
"My lady, it's too dangerous!" Selina protested.
"I won't leave him," Sonja said firmly. "Go, we shall be with you soon."
In the banquet hall, Viktor's fury was palpable. He barked orders to his death dealers, his cold veneer cracking under the weight of betrayal.
"Find her!" he roared. "Find my daughter and the lycans. Bring me their heads!"
Nicolae stepped forward, his expression dark. "I will lead the search, my lord. She will not escape."
Viktor's gaze turned icy. "See that she doesn't. If she does, there will be no place for you in my kingdom or this world."