novelblue
Chapter 118: A New Shadow Looms
Chapter 118: A New Shadow Looms
The grand dining hall of the castle was bathed in golden candlelight, the flickering flames casting long shadows against the stone walls.
At the long oak table sat Seraphis, Elowen, and Sylvaine, their bodies exhausted from the battle but their minds still sharp.
The scent of freshly cooked food filled the air—a rare moment of comfort after weeks of bloodshed. Roasted venison, warm bread, and spiced wine sat before them, an offering of well-earned respite.
Seraphis took a slow sip from her goblet, letting the heat burn down her throat. It was over.
Or at least, she thought it was.
Across from her, Theia reclined in her chair, arms crossed, an unreadable expression on her face.
The silence stretched.
Until Theia finally spoke.
“I hate to ruin the mood,” she said, her voice smooth but laced with something unreadable, “but I have some bad news.”
Elowen set her fork down, her green eyes narrowing. “If it’s about cleaning up the remnants of the Ivory Hand, we already—”
“No,” Theia cut in, shaking her head. “The Ivory Hand is gone. Veylan Astor was their keystone.”
Seraphis leaned forward, sensing something deeper. “Then what’s the problem?”
Theia sighed.
Then she slid a piece of parchment onto the table.
A list of names.
And at the top, in bold, sharp letters:
IVORY TOWER.
A Conspiracy Beyond the Hand
The room felt heavier as the words sank in.
Seraphis’s eyes scanned the parchment. The list was long—too long.
Elowen picked it up, flipping it over as if expecting there to be more. "What is this?"
Theia tapped a finger against the paper. “This isn’t just a list of enemies.”
She glanced at Sylvaine.
“This is a web.”
Sylvaine frowned, studying the names. "I recognize some of these."
"So do I," Seraphis admitted.
Many of the names weren’t assassins, mercenaries, or crime lords.
They were lords.
Advisors.
Merchants.
People who held power from the shadows, who had never lifted a blade but had controlled them from behind closed doors.
Elowen’s voice was low, sharp. “You’re telling me the Ivory Hand was just a pawn?”
Theia gave a slow nod. “The real players were higher up.”
She took a breath. “The Ivory Tower.”
The Ivory Tower—The True Masters of the Game
Seraphis exhaled, leaning back in her chair. "So we took out the foot soldiers... but the generals are still standing."
Theia gave a humorless smile. "Exactly."
Sylvaine drummed her fingers against the wood. "How long have you known?"
Theia hesitated—just for a second.
Then: "Not long. I only pieced it together after Veylan’s death."
Seraphis’s eyes narrowed. "And you didn’t think to tell us sooner?"
Theia’s gaze didn’t waver. "Would it have changed anything?"
Silence.
No.
They still would have gone after the Ivory Hand first.
It had to be done.
But now…
Now they had a new enemy.
And this one would not be so easy to kill.
Shadows in the High Court
Elowen scanned the names again.
Then her face darkened.
She tapped her finger on a particular name. "Lord Belvane."
Seraphis glanced over. "Who?"
"A noble from the Western Province." Elowen’s jaw tightened. "He funds the royal army. If he’s involved… this goes deeper than we thought."
Sylvaine pointed to another. "Lady Isolde Carthis."
Seraphis frowned. That name sounded familiar.
“She controls the trade routes,” Theia supplied. “And she’s a key figure in the Council of Lords.”
Seraphis’s grip tightened around her goblet.
This wasn’t just an underground syndicate.
This was a political war.
Elowen leaned back. "So we’re talking about infiltration, not just assassination."
Theia’s lips curled. "Both."
Seraphis exhaled.
Her fingers traced the edge of her playing cards.
"I hope you’re all ready for another war."
A Plan Takes Shape
They spent the next several hours dissecting the parchment.
Names were divided into tiers of importance.
Targets were assigned.
"We can’t take them all at once," Theia said. "This has to be strategic."
Elowen nodded. "We need to start with the ones who connect the others. The ones who act as messengers and bridges between these groups."
Sylvaine’s voice was calm, but sharp as steel. "We need to cut off their legs before we go for the head."
Seraphis tapped a particular name near the top.
Lord Belvane.
She met Theia’s gaze.
"This is the first one."
Theia smirked.
"Then let’s begin."
A New War Begins
The candles burned low.
The castle was silent.
And outside, the world still turned, unaware that its fate was now sealed in the hands of four assassins.
The Ivory Hand was gone.
But the Ivory Tower was watching.
And soon—
It would fall, too.