Tarrik walked down the corridor and stopped at the heavy wooden door. He knocked once, waited for the muffled voice from inside, then pushed it open.

Zareth did not look up immediately. He was seated behind a large wooden desk covered with scrolls, maps, and sealed letters. His quill was in his hand, and he was marking something on the document with short, precise strokes.

Tarrik stopped a few feet from the desk, standing at attention. "My lord, a raven arrived from the elves." He said.

Zareth’s hand paused. "The Elves," He said, the words carrying a weight of annoyance.

"Yes, my lord."

Zareth set the quill down carefully on its rest and looked up. An expression of irritation crossed his features.

"They are unreasonable. Every message comes with another demand. They are trying to milk the situation for all it’s worth. Their requests for training Rowena for her power have been excessive. They know I have no other options."

Tarrik stepped forward and placed a small rolled parchment in Zareth’s palm. It was tied with a thin thread and marked with a faint green seal.

Zareth broke the seal with his thumb and unrolled the tiny document. At first, his expression remained neutral. His eyes moved steadily across the lines; his frown deepened. Then, gradually, his brows relaxed, and a corner of his mouth twitched. Finally, a smile spread across his face.

He looked up at Tarrik. "They have decided to be reasonable. No additional demands. No conditions beyond what was originally agreed. No more attempts to take advantage of the situation."

Tarrik nodded once. "That is good news."

"It is," Zareth said.

He reached for a fresh piece of parchment and dipped his quill into the ink pot. He wrote quickly. When he finished, he folded the parchment and pressed his own seal on it. He handed it to Tarrik.

"Send this back to them. It’s an acceptance note of what we agreed on. Also, emphasize that they should reach Drakwyne as quickly as possible. I want Rowena’s training to begin without any further delay."

"Yes, my lord." Tarrik took the message and tucked it into the pouch on his belt. He did not move to leave. Instead, he reached into his cloak and pulled out another scroll. It was larger than the first, rolled tightly, and sealed with a dark wax.

Zareth furrowed his brows. He looked at the scroll, then at Tarrik. "Who is this from?" 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Tarrik placed the scroll on the desk. "A guard at the eastern gate delivered it an hour ago. A request from Lycanthria. An elder seeks permission to appear before you."

Zareth picked up the scroll but did not break the seal immediately. He held it in his hands, his fingers tracing the wax. "Is there any news from Lycanthria? Anything specific regarding Eirene?"

Tarrik shook his head. "I am not certain. The whisperers in the lands report that an execution for treason happened a few days ago. That is all the information we have received. No names were given."

A smirk crossed Zareth’s face. "Interesting." He broke the seal and unrolled the scroll, glancing over its contents quickly before setting it aside. "That explains the silence from our links in the capital. If the people working for us in the court had been discovered, then the king would have ordered their deaths. And that would include Eirene."

"We have received no feedback from our links about Eirene’s death. The last communication we had from the capital did not mention her."

Zareth waved a hand dismissively. "The king likely executed her in secret. To save face. He would not want the people to know that his Queen had betrayed the kingdom. A public execution would invite too many questions and doubts in the Royal house from the people. And that works to our advantage regardless. I can tell Rowena about her mother’s death ordered by the heiress. It will push her forward. The desire for revenge will keep her motivated. She will have nothing left to hold her back from her training."

He reached for the quill again, ready to draft the message to the Lycanthria elder.

Tarrik cleared his throat. "My lord, if I may."

Zareth looked up, his hand hovering over the ink pot. "Speak, Tarrik." He dropped the quill.

Tarrik chose his words carefully. "There is no proof of Eirene’s death. The whispers speak of an execution, but we do not know who was killed. If we tell the Queen something that turns out to be false, it could cause problems later. Like, her doubting you. It would be better to hear from the elder before moving forward. If Eirene is indeed dead, the elder may confirm it. And even if she is not dead, the Queen would believe the news of her death more readily if it comes from someone with Lycanthria. A solid witness. It would carry more weight than simply telling her yourself."

Zareth was silent for a long moment. He exhaled slowly. "You are right. We should hear what the elder has to say first. If he confirms the execution, we have proof. If not, we falsify one if possible and proceed with caution."

He picked up the scroll from Lycanthria again and reread the last lines: "Your humble subject still wishes to support your cause. I pledge my oath over again."

He picked up the quill and wrote on the parchment. He sealed it. Then he looked at Tarrik again. "Send this message back to the elder. Tell him I will grant his request to appear. He is to come to Drakwyne within the week. And tell him to bring any information he has about the capital."

Tarrik bowed his head. "It will be done."

"Make sure the elves’ message goes out first. That is the priority." Zareth added.

"Yes, my lord."

Tarrik turned and walked toward the door. He pulled it open, stepped into the corridor, and pulled it closed behind him. The latch clicked into place with a solid sound.