The sharp buzz echoed through the hallway like a warning shot. Rafael didn't hesitate—he grabbed Lilith's hand and guided her swiftly out of the security room, his mind already racing through possibilities.
"Another breach?" she asked, breath tight in her chest.
"Possibly internal. They wouldn't come through the gates unless someone let them," he muttered, checking the second firearm tucked beneath his jacket.
They moved fast, weaving through the marble corridors toward the north wing where the sound had originated. The estate, once a place of distorted safety and glittering control, now felt like a gilded trap.
When they reached the atrium, two of Rafael's guards were already down. Unconscious. Breathing—but barely. No blood, just a chemical sting in the air.
Lilith knelt beside one of the guards, eyes scanning his chest. "They used gas. Fast-acting. Someone knows your protocols."
Rafael's jaw flexed. "Which means it's someone trained by me. Or by the Vilufs."
As if summoned by that name, a figure stepped forward from the shadows. Clad in black, face concealed by a mask, but the posture—commanding, familiar—made Rafael still.
The intruder raised a small device in his hand. "You're already compromised, Alaric. Let her go, and this doesn't escalate."
Rafael's voice turned lethal. "You're late to the party. She's not going anywhere."
Lilith rose slowly, her gaze locked on the masked figure. Something about his stance—it wasn't predatory. It was… wary.
"This isn't a hit," she whispered to Rafael. "He's stalling. He wants something."
The masked man lowered the device just slightly. "The lie your sister spread—it's already reached the Vilufs. They believe Lilith carries the bloodline heir. And now that illusion must be preserved."
Lilith's stomach dropped. "Why?"
"Because one of the neutral families just pledged allegiance to you." His eyes—cold, calculating—met hers. "You've become a symbol of union. Of power. And they want control over that narrative."
Rafael stepped forward. "So what's your offer?"
"An alliance. Temporary. We protect your estate, your resources. In return, Lilith publicly confirms the pregnancy."
Lilith's mouth went dry. "It's a lie."
The figure nodded. "And it's the most valuable one you've ever told."
Rafael was silent, his mind racing. Aligning with the Vilufs—even for a moment—would shift the power balance across all the families. But it would also draw out every enemy they hadn't yet seen.
Then, from behind the masked man, another figure appeared.
This one didn't wear a mask. He wore the Marchesi crest.
Lilith felt her breath halt.
She hadn't seen a true Marchesi since the night of the massacre. Since they branded her unworthy. Since they tried to take her back by force.
The man—young, sharp-eyed—stepped beside the intruder. "Time's running out. Either you let her lead, or someone else will."
The intruder turned to Rafael. "You have two days to respond. But know this—whether you lie or not, the narrative will spread. And the war will reshape itself around it."
He dropped a small envelope onto the floor, then vanished through the atrium doors like smoke.
Rafael knelt, retrieving the envelope.
Inside was a single note.
"Make her Queen."
Lilith's gaze locked with his, fear and fire colliding behind her eyes.
Someone had already decided her crown was forged in fiction.
The envelope lay between them like a loaded weapon. "Make her Queen."
Lilith stared at the words, her pulse steady but slow—like her body was bracing for something it couldn't yet name. Rafael's grip on the note tightened, knuckles pale.
"They're not just asking for a lie," he said. "They're asking for a coronation."
Lilith stepped back, her voice low. "And they're not asking. They're daring us."
Rafael looked up, eyes sharp. "If we play along, we gain leverage. If we refuse, we become a target again."
"But why now?" she murmured. "Why would the Marchesi send someone to support a false heir? They never wanted me to lead. They wanted me erased.."
Rafael's silence was telling.
Lilith's mind raced. The Vilufs were neutral, yes—but they were also opportunists. If they believed Lilith was pregnant, they'd use her as a symbol to rally fractured families. And if the Marchesi were involved, it meant something deeper was unraveling.
A fracture from within.
"They're splintering," Rafael said, as if reading her thoughts. "Someone inside the Marchesi wants to break the old order. And they're using you to do it."
Lilith's breath caught. "Then this isn't just about survival. It's about succession!"
Before Rafael could respond, the estate's emergency alarm blared—sharp, shrill, and unmistakable.
They both turned toward the control panel.
North perimeter breach.
Rafael cursed under his breath and grabbed his weapon. "They're testing our defenses."
Lilith followed, heart pounding. "Or they're sending a message."
They reached the northern courtyard in minutes. The guards were already in formation, weapons raised. But what they found wasn't an army.
It was a single figure.
A woman.
She stood in the center of the courtyard, hands raised, unarmed. Her cloak bore no crest, no allegiance. But her face—
Lilith froze.
She recognized her, not from memory.
From a photo.
One of the Viluf tacticians. A strategist known only by her codename: Vesper.
Rafael stepped forward, gun lowered but ready. "You're bold."
Vesper smiled faintly. "I'm efficient." eyes with unwavering glint.
Lilith narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"
Vesper's gaze flicked to her, cold and oppressive. "To offer you a choice."
Rafael scoffed. "We've had enough offers."
Vesper didn't flinch. "Then consider this a warning. The Marchesi heir who visited you earlier? He's not acting alone. He's part of a faction planning a coup. If you crown Lilith, you'll be dragged into their war."
Lilith stepped forward. "And if we don't?"
Vesper's smile faded. "Then they'll crown someone else. Someone with less restraint. Someone who won't hesitate to burn every neutral family to the ground."
Rafael's voice was ice. "So you're saying we're the lesser evil."
"No," Vesper replied. "I'm saying you're the only ones who haven't lied to yourselves yet."
She turned to Lilith. "You lost your child. But you didn't lose your power. They think you're fragile. Let them. And then show them what fragility becomes when it learns to sharpen its edges."
With that, she stepped back into the shadows, disappearing as swiftly as she came.
Lilith stood still, the words echoing in her chest.