ey's

ned by the sheer force of Keaton's presence. With a trembling hand, he re

e misunderstood. I only wanted to give you this. It's a gift-a very rare her

had found it in my room, opened it to find not just the flower but a hidden layer of wolfsbane beneath. It was t

aught the faint, acrid scent of the poison. When his eyes lifted back to Freddy, t

ght with anticipation. They needed me to take

ldish smile spread across my face. "A Moonshadow Flower?

nsisted, pushing the box a little

," I asked, my voice dripping with faux purity, "Mr. Holman is such a good friend of

iff. She hadn't expected to be pulled directly into the lie. "H

k surprise. "Well, in that case, I certainly can

, you see? Everyone knows how close my sister and Mr. Holman are. And yet he's giving me

r the first time, he was seeing the mind that worked behind my innocent facade-and he was fascinated. He pl

. Their carefully constructed narrative was c

aching for the box as if I had changed my mind. A flic

nd generous. "Sister, you're right. Mr. Holman's sincerity is very touching. We shouldn't let such

ture as if to take the box

r. She knew what was inside. She knew

N

snake. Her reaction was so violent, so genuine, that a dead silence fell over the arbor. Every guest who had followed us outside saw it-they

ocence. "Sister, what's wrong? I only su

at the heart of their lie. Freddy's face

r Freddy apart, to use brute force to end the threat. He had never imagined I

I... I just think... it was meant for you. I sho

aton. "Keaton, this is all very suspicious. A rogue wolf,

om the main hall. A commanding voic

eaning of this

. The Matriarch of the Blackwood Moon pack, Seraphina Beaum