Chapter 70: The Aftermath.
The Room of Echoes was alive again. Eight figures took their seats, their expressions bitter. The circle of chairs filled one after another as the air hummed with power.
At the head of the circle, Maren sat, her blood-red robe falling neatly around her. On the altar in front of her lay the silver dagger, cleaned of the blood it had already tasted. The faint gleam from its blade caught the light of the black candles.
Mallory sat at her right with her book of records already open, her inked-feather between her fingers.
The thin man broke the silence first, "So? Did it work?"
Maren didn’t hesitate. Her eyes glowed faintly. "Carla—Liora is dead."
The room erupted with joy instantly.
A chorus of laughter, growls of satisfaction, clapping hands against armrests. The amber-eyed man leaned forward, grinning wide. The pink-furred wolf tipped her head back and howled. Even the cloaked half-shifted figure slammed his fist against his knee, pleased.
Mallory let them have their noise for a moment before she spoke, her voice cutting through. "It’s a victory. A long overdue one."
"Yes," Maren said, her tone crisp. She lifted the dagger by its hilt, holding it up for them to see. "The blade did what it was made to do. She didn’t stand a chance. Carla fell in the shadowed realm, just as I planned. One clean strike through her back, and her bond snapped instantly."
"She was always spoiling our plans," the thin man sneered. "Always trying to play protector. Now she’s dead."
"And her death frees us," the cloaked figure growled, his voice deep and pleased. "No more interference from her. Our plans for Bella will fall through now."
"She was a threat," Mallory said, her voice steady, and a small smile tugging at her mouth. " Maren ended her herself. We owe her for that."
The pink-furred wolf leaned forward, claws scraping the table. "Finally, someone did what we’ve been talking about for years. She’s gone."
"Gone," echoed the amber-eyed man. "And good riddance."
The circle stayed loud for a few more breaths, rejoicing openly. It wasn’t just relief, it was celebration. A heavy burden lifted. They were unified in their approval of Maren’s act.
Maren lowered the dagger again, placing it back on the altar. Her face remained calm, but her eyes shone with satisfaction. "Carla was strong. But strength doesn’t matter when you’re outmaneuvered. She was too sentimental, too blinded by her desire to shield Bella. That flaw was her downfall."
"She underestimated you," Mallory added quickly, "She thought she could overpower you."
"And she paid for it." Maren finished. "It wouldn’t have been possible though..." she raised the dagger. "...if it wasn’t for this beauty."
The thin man laughed again, "This will echo through the clans. Liora, dead by your hand, Maren. That increases your rank."
"Careful," Mallory warned, her tone cool. "We rejoice, yes, but we must not get sloppy. This small victory does not guarantee the same result for the war."
Maren nodded in agreement, her gaze shifting around the circle. "Carla is gone. But her seed, Bella, remains."
The room quieted.
Maren continued, "I’ve handled that for now though. She has been exiled to the forest. Alone, vulnerable and soon to be surrounded by enemies she doesn’t even realize exist."
"You exiled her?" the cloaked figure asked.
"Yes," Maren said. "I made sure of it. In the forest, she’ll face endless pressure. I intend to send attacks while she’s there. Blow after blow until she breaks. If her wolf pushes her awakening too quickly, that could risk her losing the entire memory forever, the process will unravel her."
"That’s dangerous," Mallory said, eyes flicking down to her book "But smart. We need to dig our talons deep into her now that we have her in the forest."
The amber-eyed man leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "Who do you plan to send first?"
"Demons," Maren answered. "They’re hungry for her. I’ll keep unleashing them in waves. She’ll weaken with every fight."
Mallory finally tapped the feather once, then set it aside. "Speaking of demons... there was a complication last week, at the time of my night’s watch. Corinne and Elara were both attacked close to the forest. They are not targets, but the demons didn’t care. That cannot happen again."
The pink-furred wolf growled. "Then leash the demons."
"They’re not easy to leash," Mallory replied. "But they can be warned. Directed. If we don’t want to risk losing our inside players, we need to control the demons better. Make sure they only go for Bella."
"Corinne and Elara have their roles to play," Maren agreed. "If they fall now, Bella will see the manipulation too clearly. I’ll send the command: demons are to touch no one else."
Mallory nodded, jotting the note into her ledger. "Good. Then their usefulness can stretch a little longer."
"What about the boys?" asked the cloaked figure suddenly. "Luca. Killian. Rafe. Cassian. Their names keep coming up."
The air shifted again.
Maren’s jaw tightened. She folded her hands neatly in her lap. "They’re becoming a bigger problem than I expected."
"They’ve all marked her in some way," Mallory added, flipping through the ledger pages. "Damaris especially. He’s attached. His wolf is already tied to her scent. That bond will grow if it isn’t cut."
"She kissed him," the pink-furred wolf reminded them. "That’s the start of something dangerous."
"She kissed a boy," the thin man scoffed. "So what?"
Maren’s glare snapped to him. "So everything. They even mated. Very dangerous. Once she accepts him, her wolf will fuse deeper with his power, creating a very powerful bond. Do not underestimate that union."
Mallory nodded, her expression grim. "Damaris is the biggest threat. His loyalty to her is deep, way too deep. We need to break it fast."
"And the others?" the amber-eyed man pressed, his tone curious but edged with urgency.
"Killian’s easy," Maren said, her voice flat. "His past is a weight he can’t shake. We remind him of his failures, his broken oaths, his scars, and he’ll pull away from her on his own."
"Rafe’s loyal to his pack," Mallory added, her fingers tracing a line in her ledger. "Threaten them, and he’ll choose them over Bella every time. We can use that."
"And Cassian?" the cloaked figure asked, leaning forward.
Maren paused, her eyes narrowing. "He’s a mystery, but he’s watchful and interested, he’s also very protective of her. We’ll need to keep an eye on him, figure out his weak spot."
The amber-eyed man leaned back, his smile slow and calculating. "So we break them one by one. Cut her anchors, and she’s adrift."
"Exactly," Mallory said, her voice firm. She turned to Maren. "But it has to be subtle. If it’s too obvious, she’ll see us coming. Too soft, and the bonds hold."
"We’ll fracture them quietly then," Maren said, her tone cold and certain. "Killian with whispers of his past. Rafe with threats to his pack. Luca..." She trailed off, her eyes narrowing. "Luca’s the toughest. But I’ll find a way."
The pink-furred wolf let out a low growl of approval. "Good. Without them, she’s got nothing. A lone wolf doesn’t last long."
The thin man tapped his claws together, his grin sharp and eager. "Liora’s dead. Bella’s in the forest. The boys are next. It’s all coming together."
"Don’t get too relaxed," Mallory warned, snapping her book of records shut with a sharp crack. "We’ve won battles before and still lost ground. Bella’s bloodline makes her dangerous. We can’t underestimate her."
"That’s why I won’t let up," Maren said, her voice low and steady. "The attacks will keep coming. The pressure will build until she breaks or she dies for good"
The cloaked figure rumbled in agreement. "And if she doesn’t?"
Maren’s fingers grazed the dagger on the altar, her eyes flashing red. "Then we finish what I started with Carla."
The room fell silent, her words sinking into the stone like blood into earth.
The amber-eyed man’s smile widened, slow and predatory. "One death down. Another on the horizon. I like where this is going."
The pink-furred wolf slammed her hand against her chair, her voice rising. "To Carla’s death!"
The circle joined her, their voices a rough chorus of cheers, growls, and fists pounding wood. The celebration was wild, unguarded, a release of years of pent-up rage.
Maren let them revel, her own smile malicious. They had every reason to celebrate. One enemy was gone, and another was in their sights.
When the noise died down, Mallory leaned closer to Maren, her voice low but certain. "I’ll tighten the demons’ leash. I’ll send the order tonight. Corinne and Elara stay untouched."
"Do it," Maren said.
Mallory’s eyes glinted. "And I’ll start pulling the threads against the boys. By the time Bella notices, it’ll be too late."
"Good," Maren said, her voice like steel.
The dagger gleamed on the altar, catching the candlelight.
The circle had cause to celebrate tonight, but the war wasn’t over. Not yet.
Maren’s voice cut through the room for the final statement, "Carla’s dead. Bella will fall. And when she does, the prophecy dies with her."
One by one, the eight faded into smoke, their forms dissolving into the shadows.
Maren and Mallory lingered a moment longer, their eyes fixed on the dagger.
Mallory spoke first, her voice soft but heavy. "It feels like the start of something new."
Maren’s lips curved, a faint, dangerous smile. "It is."
Then they, too, vanished, leaving the Room of Echoes silent and empty.