Elowen POV


    Isolde stood in the hearth lit chamber, her tall frame stiff as a de. ric stood at her side, his thick arms crossed, jaw clenched. L’s parents, the leaders of the MacCrae Coven, Regal, dangerous, and fierce as hell.


    When we entered, L’s magic rippled behind him like wind before a wildfire.


    “Ma,” he said, his thick ent heavy with restraint, “we need tae speak wi’ ye. Now.”


    Isolde narrowed her eyes. “What’s happened, L?” <fn5491> Original content can be found at ?ovelFind</fn5491>


    I stepped forward, meeting her gaze. “You need to hear this, Lady Isolde. We have proof. And it’s not pretty.”


    She gestured for me to hand it over. I passed her my phone, thumb already pressed to y.


    Caera’s voice slid out like venom dipped in silk.


    “I should’ve slit her fuckin’ throat the second she crossed the threshold. The fae bitch and her beasts, abominations, the lot of ’em.”


    Then Rourke, smug and slimy: “Let them get cozy. Then we deliver her to Aegis ourselves. The bastards pay in blood and gold.”


    Silence fell like an axe. Isolde’s face drained of color. Her fingers curled tight around the phone, knuckles bone white. ric let out a low growl. “By the old gods…”


    L’s jaw ticked. “Ye ken their voices. Ye ken them as well as I do.”


    “I do,” Isolde said quietly. “I never thought…”


    “They’ve been plottin’ under yer roof,” L snarled. “Under our roof. Against Elowen. Against the Moon Goddess.”


    Isolde’s hands trembled as she lowered the phone. She turned to ric, who wrapped his arms around her as she staggered under the weight of it. He pressed a kiss to her temple, murmured something too soft to hear. But when she turned back to us, the grief in her eyes was swallowed by fire.


    “Guards,” she barked. “Summon Caera and Rourke. Bring them here immediately.”


    Caera sauntered in like she owned the damn ce, emerald robes trailing behind her. Rourke followed, his posture arrogant, mouth curled in a sneer, until he saw who stood waiting.


    L stepped in front of me, radiating death.


    Isolde’s voice rang clear. “Caera o’ the Nightshade line. Rourke o’ the Broken Stone. Ye stand used o’ treason against this coven, against yer people. Plotting wi’ the Aegis Protocol. Scheming tae betray yer own.”


    Caera stiffened. “Yer mad,” she said, her lips twitching. “Ye’ve no proof.”


    “Then what’s this, aye?” ric tossed the phone, and the recording yed again.


    M


    Caera’s face twisted.


    I saved yer fuckin’ life, Isoldet she snapped. Have ye forgotten that? When yer lungs copsed from curse smoke, who stood between yo and death?’


    Isolde’s eyes filled with tears, but she didn’t back down. “Aye, Ye did. And I grieve that kindness means nothin’ to ye now


    “I’ve done nothin’ but protect this coven! Caera shouted.


    “Lyin’ snake,” L spat.


    Caera’s eyes flicked to me. “It’s her. That fae shifter mongrel’s twisted ye all ’round her finger,


    “You know nothing about me,” I snapped.


    Rourke stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with hate. “Ye think you’ve won? The Aegis isin’, and when they do, we’ll be watchin’ as ye burn.”


    “Enough,” Isolde said, her voice like cracking stone. “Ye’re banished. Both o’ ye. Stripped of title, of name, of all power in this coven. Yer magic will be sealed. If ye return, ye die.”


    L’s voice rang out, a low, dangerous growl. “Nae. Ma. That’s nae enough.”


    “L,” Isolde said, her voice firm.


    He took a step forward. “I respect ye. I love ye. But ye’re wrong. They’re nae just traitors. They’re soldiers o’ the enemy. We need tae kill them. If ye let ’em walk, they’ll go straight tae the Aegis wi’ everythin’ they know.”


    Isolde’s mouth trembled. “I won’t have blood on our hands, L.”


    “We’ll regret this,” he said, quieter now. “Mark my words. This mercy wille back tae bite us.”


    Caera’sughter was a ragged thing. “Ye’ll see, boy. She’ll lead ye all tae ruin. And when yer circle burns, I’ll be the one watchin’ from the shadows.”


    Rourke spit at the ground, sneering. “Tell yer bitch goddess we’rein’.”


    Daxon snarled, half shifted, fangs gleaming. Ashrian’s fangs had descended and he was snarling. I didn’t move, but Lyssira growled so loud in my mind it rattled my bones.


    L moved with that eerie mage grace, stepping nose to nose with Rourke. “If I ever see yer face again, I swear on the stones and the sky…I’ll rip yer fuckin’ spine out through yer throat.”


    The guards dragged them off as Caera screamed curses and Rourke promised revenge.


    Silence.


    Then Isolde crumpled into ric’s arms, tears streaking her cheeks. “I never thought I’d lose them both.”