“Why?” I ask, forcing the word past the nausea. “Why do this?”
“Because I was ordered to.” She says it simply, matter-of-factly, as if that explains everything.
“Ordered by who?”
“People who want to see the system burn, who’ve been working towards that goal for twenty years.” She pulls a dagger from somewhere in her amber dress, the blade catching the dim light from the air vent. “They’re called ‘The Architects’ because they’ll be the ones to design a new, better world.”
“And you’re one of their agents?”
“I lead Venus’s cell.” There’s pride in her voice, but also something heavier. “I joined after your father murdered my brother Paris. The Architects gave me purpose.”
She produces a second blade, holding one in each hand with practiced ease. The confined space of the safe room suddenly feels much smaller.
“And your purpose now is to kill me?” I ask, trying to keep her talking. Every second I stall is another second for help to arrive.
“Myinitialpurpose was infiltrating the Conclave.” She moves closer, forcing me to shift along the wall to maintain distance. “Helping my faction position assets, gather intelligence, prepare for the Cardinal executions. You weren’t part of the plan.”
“Until they found out who I was.”
“Yes … until we discovered the Sun King’s daughter had emerged from hiding.” Her dark eyes narrow. “That changed everything. My superiors wanted to know more about you, wanted to assess whether you could be … useful.”
The mentorship offer. The guidance. The careful cultivation of trust.
All of it calculated.
“That’s why you offered to help me,” I say, the pieces falling into place. “You were gathering intelligence.”
“I was following orders.” There’s a flicker of discomfort, maybe, orregret, in her expression. “Get close to you, learn what you want. See if the Architects could use you.”
“What did you report back?”
“That you were unpredictable. That you were subverting the Cardinals’ authority in ways we hadn’t anticipated, and unexpectedly protected by shadow-wielders.” She circles slowly, and I turn with her, both of us moving along the chamber’s perimeter.
“So they ordered you to kill me.”
“They ordered me to eliminate an uncontrollable variable.” Her voice hardens. “The Sun King’s daughter, gathering power, refusing to be manipulated, involved with forbidden magic. You represent everything we’ve been fighting against – the ability of the old system to perpetuate itself through bloodline and legacy. The idea that we should stick to the status quo and return to a Solar Sovereign.”
The first blade strikes without warning.
I throw myself sideways, feeling steel whistle past my ribs. My body moves on instinct – Ren’s training overriding panic – but I’m too slow, too weak. The withdrawal symptoms make every movement feel like swimming through mud.
“That’s actually not bad,” Isolde says, spinning to face me again. “Your bodyguard taught you well.”
She advances, and I’m forced to retreat along the wall. The stone bench sits between us – minimal cover, but better than nothing.
“The masquerade attack,” I gasp, trying to keep her talking while my mind races for options. “That was you?”
“That was us.” She vaults over the bench with fluid grace, forcing me to dive under her strike. “We hired professionals, gave them access codes, perfect timing.”
I come up on the other side of the bench, blood pounding in my ears. “But it failed.”
“Obviously.” There’s frustration in her voice now. “Four assassins, and they still couldn’t finish the job. Between your bodyguard, Lord Castor, Lord Zevran, and that shadow-wielding bastard from Pluto, you had more protection than we anticipated.”
“So they sent you to finish it personally?”
“They sent me because I had access.” She feints left, then strikesright. I barely dodge, feeling the blade slice through fabric at my shoulder. “Because you trusted me. Because I could get close when no one else could.”
The Mercury token continues its steady hum in my pocket, still recording. Every confession, every admission.
