Chapter 29 Sage +25 BONUS The scent of healing herbs usually calms me , but today even the familiar routine of sorting leaves and roots can't quiet my nerves . The servants ' whispers echo through the healing wing like falling leaves : " -alliance meeting- " " -King Perseus himself suggested- " " -perfect match , really- ' 11 I focus harder on the yarrow leaves in my hands , trying to make myself smaller , invisible . But invisibility is impossible when Eris sweeps through the door with King Perseus himself , her voice carrying with practiced precision . ترفيه " The Northern borders have always been our primary concern , " she's saying . " My father's pack has defended that territory for generations . " " Indeed . " Perseus's cold approval makes me want to shrink into the shadows . " Your knowledge of pack politics is ... refreshing . " His gaze slides over me like I'm less than nothing . Eris's smile shows just a hint of fang . " Oh , Sage dear , " she trills . " Those leaves are for fever reduction . The healing wing really should have someone more ... qualified handling such important tasks . " I want to protest that I know exactly what yarrow is for , that I've been helping successfully for weeks . But Perseus's presence freezes the words in my throat . The public pack meeting that afternoon is an exercise in elegant cruelty . I stand at the back , watching Eris glide through pack politics like she was born to it . In many ways , she was . " The alliance between Silver Crown and Northern Pack would create an unprecedented power base , " Perseus announces . " Proper matches between strong bloodlines ensure pack survival . " Alaric sits rigid on his throne , power rolling off him in controlled waves . When Eris takes her place at his right hand - the traditional spot for a potential Luna - his expression could be carved from stone . The formal dinner is worse . I'm relegated to a lower table while Eris holds court beside Alaric . Her silver gown catches every light , her laugh musical and practiced . She was raised for this role , every movement calculated to showcase her worthiness as a future Luna . Queen Helena tries to draw me into conversation , but Perseus smoothly interrupts . " My dear , " he says to his mate , " perhaps Lady Eris would appreciate your insights about pack leadership . " Moments later , Eris " accidentally " knocks over a wine glass . The red liquid spreads across my borrowed dress like a wound . " Oh , how clumsy of me , " she simpers . " But really , dear , you should be more careful around fine things . They're so easily ... stained . " Alaric's hands tighten on his chair arms , but pack politics hold him in place more surely than chains . I flee to the gardens , burning with humiliation . " The pack needs strength now , " Perseus's voice drifts from a nearby path . I freeze behind a rose bush , trapped . " Alaric's recent softness must be corrected . " " I understand completely , " Eris responds . " The pack's welfare must come first . These charitable projects , while Chapter 29 admirable , can be ... distracting . " Later , she finds me still hiding among the roses . +25 BONUS " It really is for the best , dear , " she says , patting my hand . " You must see that . This world ... it's not meant for strays and lost causes . Better to accept that now than be hurt later . " The next morning on the training field , she takes charge of female training with Perseus's blessing . she " Proper form is essential , " she calls out , demonstrating a defensive move with fluid grace . " Though some of us " -her eyes find me- " may never achieve true mastery without certain ... natural advantages . " Other wolves follow her lead , drawing away when I approach . Whispers follow me like shadows : " -can't even shift - " " - embarrassing really- " " -Alpha's charity case- " I watch my tentative place in the pack crumble like autumn leaves . Even Iris seems unable to intervene , caught between loyalty to family politics and our fragile friendship . The final blow comes at sunset . The pack gathers again as Perseus announces formal alliance negotiations . Eris stands tall and proud beside Alaric , every inch a future queen . Her smile could cut diamonds . When Alaric's gaze finds mine across the great hall , there's something like an apology in his steel - gray eyes . But he's a king before he's anything else . I understand that now . After the announcement , wolves cluster in celebratory groups , sharing wine and speculation about the alliance . I slip through the crowd like a ghost , neither wolf nor noble enough to join their excitement . " You'll need new duties , of course , " Eris's voice carries as I pass one group . She's holding court among older pack members , Perseus nodding approvingly nearby . " Once I take my place as Luna , we'll reorganize the household . More ... appropriate roles for everyone . " The threat in her smile is clear . Even my small place in the healing wing won't survive her rise to power . In the kitchen , I find an unexpected ally . Ms. Winters sits at the servant's table , her wire- a glasses glinting in the lamplight . " Politics , " she sniffs , pushing a cup of tea toward me . " All flash and no substance . But then , the moon doesn't care for earthly crowns . " I wrap my hands around the warm cup , letting her cryptic comments wash over me . There's something soothing about the old librarian's presence , even if I don't understand half of what she says . " The king , " I start , then stop , unsure how to continue . " Has many masks , " she finishes . " The question is which one shows his true face . " I think of Alaric's gentleness in the library , his patience during training , the way his eyes soften when he calls me " sweetling . " But I also remember his rigid silence as Eris claimed her place at his side , the political necessity that seems to rule his every move , " Sometimes , " Ms. Winters says softly , " we must weather the storm to see the truth beneath it . " But I've weathered so many storms already . Cassius's betrayal nearly broke me . Can I risk my heart again , only to watch Alaric choose duty over whatever this thing is between us ? I spend the night restless , tom Letween hope and fear . Morning finds me wandering the halls early , seeking solitude to sort through my tangled emotions . Maybe Ms. Winters is right . Maybe if I just hold on .... Then I hear the voices from Alaric's study , words that will shatter what little hope I have left :