The Messenger( Iva) novel Chapter 149

Unravelling the Truth-1

The royal castle did not sleep that night.

Not a single soul.

What had begun as a refined evening dinner had spiraled into a full-scale internal purge, and every corridor, every chamber, every shadow of the ancient walls carried the tension of something far darker than a simple poisoning attempt.

Guards moved in coordinated silence, their armor barely making a sound as they swept through the castle with ruthless efficiency, opening doors without hesitation, searching every room, every drawer, every hidden compartment, as if the very stones themselves could be hiding betrayal.

Servants were gathered, questioned, dismissed, then questioned again.

Council members were no exception.

No rank.

No privilege.

No protection.

Because tonight-

Trust had been shattered.

And suspicion ruled.

Meanwhile, in the depths of the castle, Caleb moved like a strategist executing a war plan, his mind razor-sharp despite the exhaustion creeping into his bones, his every action calculated, every decision precise.

He had found a way.

A smart one.

A necessary one.

The potion from Melissandre-

Too valuable to risk.

Too important to fail.

So he masked it.

Disguised it.

Administered it under the guise of a “preventive antidote,” citing the possibility of delayed toxins, of secondary exposure, of unseen threats that could still linger within their systems.

No one questioned him.

14

Unravelling the fruth 1

Not tonight.

Not after what they had witnessed.

Glasses were passed.

Liquids consumed.

One by one.

Clann

Every guard.

Every servant.

Every council member.

Every royal.

And slowly-

Very slowly-

The effects began for those already infected.

At first, subtle.

A slight dizziness.

A faint pressure behind the eyes.

Then-

Clarity.

Confusion.

Followed by a strange realization.

Like a fog lifting.

Like waking from a dream you didn’t know you were trapped inside.

Caleb watched it happen.

He observed every reaction, every shift in expression, every flicker of understanding dawning across faces that, only hours ago, had been blind.

But no one-

No one-

Was more affected than the King himself.

King William stood near the large window of his office, his back straight, his presence still commanding, yet something within him had changed.

A

Unravelling heath 1

Broken.

Not in weakness.

But in realization.

Claim

His hand gripped the edge of the table so tightly that the wood creaked faintly under the pressure, his breathing uneven, his entire being barely containing the storm raging inside him.

“How…” he muttered under his breath, his voice low but trembling with suppressed fury. “How could I have been so blind… so weak…. I am in charged for decades and I was played like a fool..”

The words were not meant for anyone.

But Caleb heard them.

Of course he did.

“Snakes…” the King continued, his voice rising now, laced with venom. “Under my own roof… under my own protection…”

His fist slammed against the table.

The sound echoed.

“The level of deception…” he growled, his eyes burning with rage. “The audacity..”

Caleb, seated across from him, leaned back slowly in his chair, his body finally giving in to a fraction of the exhaustion he had been holding at bay for hours.

But his mind-

Still sharp.

Still focused.

“It is done,” Caleb said quietly, his voice cutting through the tension with calm authority.

The King stilled.

“Everyone has received the potion,” Caleb continued, his tone steady, controlled. “Melissandre confirmed that its effects will not only cleanse the current influence but also protect us for several months.”

A brief pause.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify