Scarlett (Second Edition) by Karima Saad Usman novel Chapter 139

Chapter 139

Clay’s POV

We left the apartment, stepping into the chill of the morning air, the stench from the box filling our senses as we moved. Whatever was inside reeked of decay–something dead, something rotten.

My gut churned at the thought of what Garland might have sent . The question hung over us like a shadow: why send this grim message now, just after his forces had taken two of our territories?

The deeper we thought about it, the more questions bubbled up. Why hadn’t we heard about the attacks until now? Normally, any sign of an invasion would send an immediate call for aid. But this time, we’d heard nothing. Either Garland’s forces had decimated the settlements completely, or perhaps worse–the people had willingly chosen him over us. The silence spoke volumes. This wasn’t a haphazard attack; it was calculated, precise, carried out by someone who knew how to manipulate our weaknesses.

In a twisted way, it all made sense. We were the only Valkin Alphas who had allowed our authority to be undermined, to be molded by the whims of our people. Our parents, in their wisdom, had saddled us with a council, limiting our power and forcing us to weigh every decision through their biased, narrow lens because they felt we were too young to lead. And because of the wars that had scarred our past, we’d always opted for peace, fearing the cost of violence. That fear had led us to make cowardly choices, compromises that had chipped away at our strength until there was barely anything left.

4

Scarlett was the perfect example of our failures. To keep the peace, to appease the people, we’d tied her to that post. We’d humiliated our own mate în a

desperate attempt to avoid conflict. And when we snuck back to free her, hoping our deceit would somehow repair what we’d broken, it only made it clear

how weak we truly were. We weren’t leaders. We were cowards. Garland had probably seen it all, known that we were nothing but a joke.

Lucian shook the box lightly, the heavy contents shifting inside, and then set it down on the ground. The letter lay unopened in my hand, but our curiosity about what was inside the box overpowered any desire to read Garland’s twisted words.

Lucian slowly opened the box, and as the lid fell back, a shock of horror washed over us.

Inside lay Thomas’s head.

The sight was sickening. Thomas had been our private investigator, the one who’d kept tabs on Scarlett aleit it was the wrong person. When we noticed strange activity along our shared borders with the East, we’d sent him to investigate, trusting him to uncover any brewing threat. He’d been reliable, sending us updates until, suddenly, the reports stopped. We’d told ourselves he’d gone into hiding, that he was playing it safe. But now, staring at his lifeless face, we knew the truth.

Garland must have captured Thomas and put him through unimaginable torture to pry information from him. The thought alone shattered my heart into pieces. Thomas wasn’t just any spy–he was one of our most loyal, steadfast, and honorable men. He stood with us through every trial, always reliable, always brave. Now, he was gone. The image of his family waiting for him, unaware of the tragedy that would soon wafold upon them, weighed heavily on me. How could we possibly tell them the truth? I felt utterly heartbroken and lost. Still, I knew I had to hide it, to swallow the grief that clawed at my chest. We all hid it, masking our pain with expressions of steel, because that’s what the moment demanded of us.

“It’s time to pull all our spies from the East,” I told Lucian, feeling the bitter weight of my decision. Maxwell nodded in agreement, his face drawn, eyes

heavy.

Lucian spoke up, his voice tight with worry. “We need to pull them out before they meet the same fate as Thomas. Garland knows everything Thomas knew. I’m certain he wasn’t kept alive this long for no reason. If we don’t act now, Garland will gather every scrap of intelligence he needs to dismantle us piece by piece.” His words struck a nerve. We’d lost Thomas, but losing more of our allies was a risk we couldn’t bear. If Garland got his hands on more of our secrets, he’d have the power to turn our entire kingdom upside down.

Maxwell looked to me, his brow.creased with concern. “How do we protect the South?”

11:43 am

Chapter 139

P

The question hung in the air, the gravity of it settling over us like a dark cloud. None of us had thought that far ahead, and the silence that followed Maxwell’s question was unsettling. Garland was already eyeing the North, but if he was after total control, the South would be his next easy target. Could he be the threat Elsa had warned us about? But no–he wasn’t from the South. It didn’t add up, yet the danger loomed too close to ignore. Somehow, we had to push him back, force him to retreat, and keep him confined to his own territory.

With dread pooling in my stomach, I opened the letter that had arrived in a plain, ominous envelope. The words on the page sent a chill through me:

“Dear Over Privileged Fools of the North,

I recently heard of your underhanded deal–securing the South through a forced marriage. Poor, powerless Vladislav; te’s almost laughable. I never thought the three of you had it in you to rob a defenseless woman, but here we are. I guess I underestimated your cunning. It’s a move I’d expect from someone like me, but you? I’m impressed.

In case you’ve forgotten, parts of the North once belonged to my family before your greedy parents took them from us. I guess stealing runs in the blood up there.

So, I’ve made my decision: I’m taking back what’s mine, and maybe I’ll help myself to the entire North while I’m at it.

Seems fair, don’t you think?

You’re not in any position to resist me. Thanks to Thomas–and a few others I’ve acquired–I know all your secrets.

Save yourselves the trouble. Hand over both the North and the South peacefully, and I’ll let you keep your lives. You can even rule under me, if you behave.

Otherwise, war it is.

Valkins or not, you’re hardly a match for me without warriors, weapons, or magic. I check two of those boxes. Keith, as you know, has all three. But you? You

have nothing.

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