Updated Dec 14, 2025 • ~9 min read
CHAPTER 22: ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
[ALARIC POV]
The formal dinner with my mother was political theater at its finest.
The grand dining hall. Every vampire noble of consequence in attendance. Witches from the embassy seated strategically throughout. And at the center of it all—Cassia and me, sitting together at the high table.
My mother across from us, smiling like this was a pleasant family gathering instead of a battlefield.
“The wine is from our private reserves,” she said, gesturing for servants to pour. “A vintage from before the Blood Wars. Quite rare.”
I watched the deep red liquid fill Cassia’s glass. Watched my mother’s eyes track the movement. Every instinct I had screamed warning.
“How thoughtful,” Cassia said neutrally.
The dinner progressed with painful courtesy. Courses appeared and disappeared. Conversations swirled around us—nobles discussing trade agreements, territorial disputes, the weather. All of them watching Cassia with barely concealed curiosity.
The witch who manifested fae power. The anomaly who’d bonded with a prince.
“I must say,” my mother said as dessert was served, “you’ve caused quite a stir, Miss Silverfang. Fae magic is… unexpected in someone of your lineage.”
“Magic has a way of surprising us,” Cassia replied. Her hand rested near her wine glass. She hadn’t drunk any yet.
Good instincts.
“Indeed. Though some might say it’s suspicious. Convenient, even.” Mother’s smile sharpened. “That you’d manifest such power exactly when it’s most politically advantageous.”
“Are you suggesting I’m faking it?”
“I’m suggesting that extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. Perhaps a demonstration?”
It was a trap. I could see it. Force Cassia to use her magic publicly, either proving it real or exposing it as fraud. Either outcome would give my mother ammunition.
“That’s hardly appropriate at a formal dinner,” I interjected.
“Nonsense. We’re all curious. Aren’t we?” Mother addressed the room. Murmurs of agreement. Nobles leaning forward, eager for entertainment.
Cassia met my eyes. Through the bond, I felt her fury. Her fear. Her determination not to be manipulated.
“If the court wishes a demonstration,” she said carefully, “I’m happy to oblige.”
“Cassia—”
She stood. Gold light flickered at her fingertips. Every vampire in the room went still.
“Fae magic works with the natural world,” Cassia said clearly. “Not against it.”
She gestured toward the garden visible through the windows. Vines began to grow—accelerated, unnatural, beautiful. They wove through the window frames, into the dining hall, creating patterns of living greenery. Flowers bloomed in impossible colors. The air filled with the scent of summer.
It was stunning. Undeniable. Pure fae magic that no witch could fake.
The court watched in amazement. Even my mother couldn’t hide her shock.
“Satisfied?” Cassia asked.
“Very impressive.” Mother’s voice was cold. “A toast, then. To unexpected gifts.”
She raised her glass. Everyone followed suit. Including Cassia, who lifted hers automatically—
The bond screamed warning. I felt something through our connection. Something wrong.
“DON’T—”
Too late. Cassia drank.
For one heartbeat, nothing happened. Then her hand went to her throat. Her eyes widened.
Poison.
“CASSIA!” I lunged for her as she collapsed. Caught her before she hit the floor. Her skin was burning. Fever that shouldn’t be possible. Through the bond I felt it—toxin spreading through her bloodstream, trying to shut down her organs.
“Call the healers!” I roared. “NOW!”
Chaos erupted. Nobles shouting. Servants running. My mother sitting calmly, watching the scene with calculated interest.
“Such a tragedy,” she said. “Though wine from old vintages can be… unpredictable.”
I wanted to kill her. Would have, if Cassia wasn’t dying in my arms.
Celine appeared, already examining Cassia. “Hemlock extract. Mixed with vampire venom to make it untraceable. She has minutes.”
“There has to be something—”
“Not for this concentration. Not without—” She stopped. Stared at Cassia. “Wait.”
Gold light began to glow beneath Cassia’s skin. Faint at first, then brighter. Her fae magic responding to the threat.
“Her magic is fighting it,” Celine breathed. “Fae magic neutralizes poisons naturally. If it’s strong enough—”
“Help her,” I demanded. “Whatever you need. Just help her.”
Celine placed her hands on Cassia’s chest, adding her power to the mix. I felt through the bond as Cassia’s magic surged—wild, desperate, trying to burn the poison from her system.
The minutes stretched endlessly. Cassia convulsing. Gold light pulsing. My mother watching with cold interest while the court whispered in horror.
Then, finally, Cassia gasped. Her eyes opened. The fever broke.
“Alaric?”
“I’m here. You’re okay. You’re—” I couldn’t finish. Just held her while relief flooded through me.
“The poison,” she managed. “Your mother—”
“I know.”
She sat up slowly, still glowing with residual magic. The entire court stared. Because Cassia had just survived a poison designed to kill within minutes. Had burned it away with fae magic no one knew she possessed until days ago.
Cassia looked directly at my mother. “That was a mistake.”
“I have no idea what you’re implying,” Mother said calmly. “Though I suppose you’re fortunate your… abilities proved so resilient. Perhaps the wine was contaminated. We’ll have to investigate.”
“Yes,” Cassia said, voice steady despite what she’d just survived. “Let’s investigate. I’m sure we’ll find very interesting evidence.”
The threat hung in the air. My mother’s expression flickered—just for a moment—with something like concern.
“Guards,” I said clearly. “Seal the wine cellars. No one enters or exits until we’ve identified the source of the contamination.”
“My lord, is that necessary—”
“Someone just tried to murder my mate at a formal court dinner. Yes, it’s necessary.” I stood, helping Cassia up. She swayed but didn’t fall. “And until we know who’s responsible, everyone is suspect.”
Including my mother. I didn’t say it. Didn’t have to. Everyone knew.
The dinner ended in chaos. Nobles retreating. My mother swept from the hall with icy dignity. Cassia leaning on me, still weak but alive.
In our chambers, Sage and Leander were waiting.
“We heard what happened,” Sage said, immediately checking Cassia over. “Are you okay?”
“I will be. The fae magic saved me.” Cassia sank into a chair. “She really tried to kill me. In front of the entire court.”
“She was confident the poison would work fast enough that she could claim it was natural causes,” Leander said grimly. “Hemlock and vampire venom mixed—it’s an old assassin’s trick. Looks like heart failure.”
“Except she didn’t count on the fae magic.”
“No one did. Including you.” Celine entered with a tray of healing potions. “Drink these. They’ll help purge any remaining toxins and restore your strength.”
Cassia obeyed without argument. I’d never seen her this shaken. The reality of how close she’d come to death settling in.
“She won’t stop,” Cassia said finally. “Your mother. She’ll keep trying until one of us is dead.”
“I know.”
“So what do we do?”
“We prove it. Gather evidence. Build a case that even she can’t deny.” I knelt beside her chair. “And we make sure she understands that killing you means killing me. The bond ensures it. If you die, I follow.”
“That’s supposed to be comforting?”
“It’s supposed to be insurance. My mother is ruthless, but she’s not stupid. She won’t risk losing her heir unless she’s absolutely desperate.”
“She looked pretty desperate tonight.”
Fair point.
Sage paced the room. “We need to go public. Announce what happened. Force an investigation.”
“And accuse the queen of attempted murder with no proof?” Leander shook his head. “That’s suicide.”
“We have proof. Cassia’s alive because of fae magic. The poison was designed specifically to kill without trace. Someone with intimate knowledge of vampire toxins created it.”
“Someone like a queen who’s ruled for three centuries,” I finished. “But Leander’s right. Without physical evidence—the actual poison, testimony from whoever prepared it—we can’t make formal charges.”
“Then we find the evidence,” Cassia said. Her eyes blazed—fury burning through the exhaustion. “We investigate every servant who had access to that wine. Every guard who was in the cellars. Every noble who whispered in your mother’s ear. Someone knows something. And we’re going to find them.”
“That could take weeks.”
“Then we have weeks of looking over our shoulders. But I’m not dying for your mother’s political convenience. And I’m not letting her get away with this.”
The determination in her voice—the absolute refusal to be broken—made me fall in love with her all over again.
“We do this carefully,” I said. “Quietly. If my mother suspects we’re investigating, she’ll destroy evidence and eliminate witnesses.”
“I can help,” Leander offered. “I have contacts in the servant network. People who owe me favors. I’ll start asking questions.”
“And I’ll talk to the witch embassy,” Sage added. “If Seraphine is moving against Cassia, they need to know. We might get diplomatic support.”
“Good. Celine, can you analyze the poison? If we know exactly what was used, we might be able to track where it came from.”
“I’ll need a sample. The wine glass—”
“Already secured,” I said. “I had guards confiscate it immediately.”
Cassia looked at me with surprise. “You were already planning to investigate.”
“The moment you collapsed. Yes.” I took her hand. “No one tries to kill my mate and walks away. Queen or not.”
The night stretched on. Plans forming. Alliances building. Evidence gathering.
And through it all, one certainty: my mother had just declared war.
Not publicly. Not officially.
But she’d tried to murder Cassia in front of the entire court. Had made it clear that she’d rather see us both dead than accept our bond.
“Get some rest,” I told Cassia finally. “Tomorrow we start hunting.”
“For evidence?”
“For justice. And maybe,” I added darkly, “for revenge.”
She smiled—fierce and feral. “Now you’re speaking my language.”
We fell asleep tangled together, the bond humming protectively between us. Both of us marked for death by a queen who’d stop at nothing to maintain power.
But we’d survived. And now we were coming for her.
Game on, Mother.
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