Magnus POV
They think I am too foolish for politics. I play the part of the court jester. I act drunk at every meeting. I stumble over my words. I spill wine on my tunic.
No one suspects me because they only see a shell of a man. Alaric is the Alpha. He is strong. He is fast. He is the leader of the Blackwood Kingdom. But he would never believe I am the architect of all this chaos.
He looks at me and sees a harmless uncle. He does not see the predator in his own house.
I watched Alaric during the morning assembly. I saw the fear in his eyes when Matthias talked about the competition. His jaw tightened. His hands gripped the arms of the throne.
He tries to protect that ghost chef at every point. It is a weakness. I will use that weakness to trap him. I will force him to become a tyrant. I will make him burn his own kingdom to save a girl.
Alaric dismissed us all with a sharp wave of his hand. He was angry. I stood up. I pretended to trip over my own feet.
The elders filed out of the Great Hall. Elder Hrothgar cornered me in the hallway. He looked frustrated. He pulled me into a stone alcove.
"Grand Prince, you were silent all through the morning assembly." Hrothgar said. He hissed the words.
"When I called for your support, you could not say anything meaningful. We are trying to push the Alpha. You are not helping."
"I know what I am doing, Hrothgar." I said.
I leaned against the cold wall. I made sure my voice was low.
"You should know me by now. But it seems you are not paying attention to the board."
"What are you saying, Grand Prince?" Hrothgar asked.
He looked around to see if guards were near.
"Alaric almost got close to finding the truth the last time. He caught Morgana. He almost had the physician. We are lucky they are dead."
"But he did not find the truth." I cut him short.
I gave him a cold look.
"He found bodies. He found silence. That is all he will ever find."
"So what do we do now?" Hrothgar asked.
"The northern clan is here. The pressure is rising."
"We use the competition to our advantage." I said.
"What do you mean, Grand Prince?" Hrothgar asked.
"Leave that to me." I said.
I let out a loud, wet belch.
I made an irritating sound that shows I am filled with alcohol. It was a signal for him to leave.
"Send the rogue who killed the physician to my chamber immediately." I whispered.
I left him standing there. He was trying to figure out what I will do next.
I walked toward my chamber. I kept my gait uneven. I hummed a tuneless song.
I reached my room and locked the door. I sat in my favorite spot by the fireplace. The heat felt good on my skin.
I picked up the jar of wine I left on the table. I poured a cup. I drank the first. I drank the second. The liquid was warm and sharp.
Just as I was pouring the third round, a young man in a dark hood walked into my chamber. He came through the servant passage.
"Grand Prince." He said.
He bowed very low.
I dropped the wine jar on the table. It made a heavy thud. I raised my head slowly to look at him. My eyes were no longer glazed. They were sharp.
"Why did you allow that jester to escape?" I asked.
"He was too fast, Master." The man said.
He did not look up.
"So with all the training you received, you could not kill a mere jester?" I asked.
I stood up.
"How can I trust you with the next mission? You let Thomas live. He is the eyes of the Alpha."
"Sorry, Master." He said.
"Sorry for yourself!" I yelled.
I kicked the table.
"You almost made us get caught. If not that little viper was wise and I sent her a letter immediately I heard of the situation, we would have been caught. Elara had to kill her own maid because of your failure."
"It will not happen again, Master." The man stuttered with fear.
"No, it will not." I said.
I stood up slowly. I walked to the wall. I drew out a sword that was beside me. The steel sang as it left the scabbard. I felt the weight of the hilt.
"I won't let it happen again." I said.
I lifted the sword high above my head. I swung it down with a great force.
Clang!
The blade sliced through the air. The man flinched. He shook.
I looked at him as he checked if his head was still intact. The sword had missed his neck by an inch. Instead, it cut through a large potted plant on the pedestal.
"You see how the sword cut this plant flat?" I asked.
I gestured to the green leaves on the floor.
"Y...yes, yes." The man said.
He was trembling.
"Next time, the only thing that will be flattened is your neck." I threatened.
I leaned in close to his face.
"I believe we both understand each other."
"Y...ye..yes, Master." The man said.
He panicked.
"Get out!" I yelled.
The man stumbled out through the secret door. He ran like a dog.
I adjusted my tunic smoothly. I sat down calmly. I placed the sword back in its position on the wall.
I stared at the destroyed plant. It was a rare species. I had been grooming it for years. It soothed my heart to see it ruined.
This is how I have groomed Alaric for years. I have fed him. I have taught him. I have raised him just to destroy him later.
I let out a wicked laugh. My plans will soon become a reality.
I stood up. I headed to the guest secretariat. I walked through the palace. I kept my shoulders slumped. I looked like I did not know what I was doing. No one paid attention to me. After all, I am the drunken uncle.
I reached the secretariat where the visitors stayed. I met Alpha Stone. He was a large man with a thick beard.
"Ahhh, Grand Prince of Blackwood Kingdom." Alpha Stone said with excitement.
He stood up from his chair.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of hosting you?"
"Oh, leave the pleasantries for later." I said.
I sat down without being asked.
"I am here to talk business."
"Oh, business? How so?" Alpha Stone asked.
He sat across from me. He looked curious.
"I heard you asked for a competition between your chefs and the Blackwood chefs." I said.
"Yes." Alpha Stone stated.
"I have heard so much about the ghost chef. Her fame has spread. I would love to see what skills she possesses. My chefs are the best known at this time."
"Well, I love your curiosity." I said.
I leaned forward.
"But I want you to make the stakes higher. Do not just ask for a match. Ask for his throne."
"Why would I do that?" Alpha Stone asked.
"Alpha Alaric is very confident in the ghost chef." I explained.
"He thinks she is untouchable. He would agree to anything you say. I know the Moon Crescent Kingdom lacks most of the things Blackwood Kingdom has in abundance. That is why you requested the same offering as last year. You are hungry for our resources."
Alpha Stone made his face in a way that says I am telling the truth. He nodded slowly.
"You can tell him that you want a new prize." I continued.
"Tell him that if you win, you will have the right to harvest all the plants and herbs planted in all of Blackwood Kingdom. You will take our medicine. You will take our food."
"And what if he asks what we have to offer when we lose?" Alpha Stone asked.
He looked worried.
"I cannot risk my own lands."
"You cannot lose." I said.
I smiled.
"Just tell him you will discuss with the council and get back to him on the stakes. Do not give him an answer yet."
"Why are you so sure we cannot lose?" Stone asked.
"Do all what I said and leave the rest to me." I added.
"I will make sure you win. I will ensure the ghost chef fails in front of everyone."
Alpha Stone smiled. He nodded.
"This is a great thing for the Moon Crescent pack." He said.
"I will do as you have said. I will demand the harvest rights."
I let out a wicked smile.
I stood up and left the room.
I walked back into the hallway. I felt the cold air of the palace.
Alaric thinks he is fighting for a girl. He is actually losing his kingdom.
I have set a great trap. Alaric will fall for it.
