Barduff Castle was enveloped in darkness, and the stone walls were covered in lengthy shadows. The air was still heavy and oppressive with the tension from the morning's meeting. The pack had been rocked by the news of Paul Lyall's treachery, but now they were even more terrified that there was still another traitor among them.
Leah was sitting in Jacob's room, looking at the papers Samuel had found in Paul's room. cleverly worded letters, obscure symbols, and coded communications. Paul had been receiving assistance from someone, and that person was still hiding among them.
Frustrated, Jacob paced the room, his muscles tense. He said, "We must take action before they attack again."
Leah put the papers down and looked up into his eyes. "We require a strategy. If we begin making accusations without evidence, we will further split the group.
Samuel folded his arms and rested against the doorframe. After that, we make them come out. Give them a chance to make a mistake.
Jacob faced him. "How?"
Samuel grinned. "We set up a trap."
The idea was quickly put into action. That evening, patrols were changed to look more relaxed, guards were told to move strategically, and the most suspicious people in the castle heard a deliberately disseminated report that Jacob had discovered more names of people collaborating with Paul and Gwen. They set the bait.
Leah stood in the shadows of the big hall, her heart racing. Except for the odd glimmer of a torch against the stone walls, the castle was quiet.
Then there was a footfall. Gentle and cautious. Someone was walking along the hallways toward the records room, which housed the purported list of traitors.
Leah glanced to Samuel, who was concealed next to the other archway. Holding their breath, they waited.
A figure approached the lockable cabinet after stepping into the low torchlight and warily looking about. With shaking hands, they took out a little key and inserted it into the lock.
With a steely voice, Jacob took a step forward. "Are you going somewhere?"
The figure stopped. They slowly turned to look at him, Marian, one of the pack's senior counselors.
Her expression twisted in surprise and then darkened. She growled, "You think you've won?" "You don't know what's going to happen."
Before she could escape, Samuel seized her arms. "So, why don't you tell us?"
Leah took a step forward and looked directly at Marian. "Are you working with anyone else?"
Marian gave a sour laugh. "It's too late already."
Jacob's fists clenched. "We'll check on that."
Leah felt the weight of the night bearing down on her as the guards escorted Marian away. She sensed that the danger was far from finished, even if they had located the last traitor.