Chapter193:Coronation Gambit

|| Lilac’s POV || The invitation lay heavy in my hands, its silver-edged parchment catching the afternoon light. I traced the embossed Nightshade crest, that familiar twisting vine encircling a crescent moon, feeling the weight of centuries in its design. "To honor the new era," it proclaimed in Alaric's bold script. I knew what he wasn't saying. This wasn't just a celebration. It was a trap dressed in silk and champagne. The fire crackled as I studied the guest list again. Every noble house. Every allied pack. Marcus leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. "He's really doing it then? The full Nightshade reveal?" I nodded, folding the parchment with deliberate care. "After three hundred years in the shadows, it's time." He sighed, "But the risk-" "Is calculated." I met his worried gaze. "The rogues are scattered. The witch strongholds burned. What better time to lure out whoever's left?" The truth sat unspoken between us. Agatha would come. She couldn't resist. Not when the last Nigh