"Someone tried to poison the wine."
Captain Thorne's words cut through the morning briefing like a knife. It had been three days since the coronation, three days of relative peace as we'd settled into our new roles. I should have known it wouldn't last.
"How do you know?" Kael asked, leaning forward across the council table.
"One of the servants collapsed after drinking wine from the royal stores. She's alive but barely. Elena examined her and found traces of a rare poison. The same kind that was used to kill Prince Theron."
"Shadow Blessed," I said grimly. "They're making their move already. I thought we'd have more time."
"We underestimated their dedication. Or their desperation." Elena spread documents across the table. "I've been researching that poison. It's incredibly rare. Only three places in the kingdom even sell the ingredients needed to make it. I've sent inquiries to all three, trying to trace recent purchases."
