Chapter 103

Violet

His tone was light, but there was an edge beneath it.

I tilted my head. “Do you have a plan, or are we improvising?”

His lips curled. “A little of both.”

I arched a brow, intrigued. “Go on.”

Theodore closed the book gentle and met my gaze.

“We make sure that by the time he steps foot in that courtroom, he is on trial and Darkmoon is the last of his worries… his and Owen's.”

"And… how do you intend to do that?"

"Do what I do best: spend money."

I laughed, unable to help myself. "That is not what you do best?"

He smirked. "Well, my other main talents are for you alone, and even if I was single, he's not my type."

I huffed at that and swatted as he kissed my cheek. Sophia laughed. I glanced at her, finding her face glowing with amusement. I couldn't help but smile and wonder at how far we'd come since my first day in Midnight.

"Do explain what this plan is."

"We're throwing a party, of course."

I knew when I took him to the Vainthott tea party that there was a very good chance that my peers would weigh in to what Theodore's next moves should be, how he could move about as a new noble as well as an alpha of a territory.

I knew for certain that they would have buckets of advice for him. What I should have anticipated was how he would take that advice and run with it, given his personal brand of deviance.

His plan… was genius.

The plan was to promote Shelter and support my case against Lucas, planning to use public opinion against Owen, by hosting a grand party, a ball that would essentially serve as our noble event as well as a redo of the mating ball that our ruined reception was supposed to be.

After he'd laid out the basic shape of the event, a general idea of who to invite, Sophia hummed.

"I can't say I'm surprised that you'd throw a party."

Theodore nodded. “I hear you make your entrance into noble society in a big way." He winked at me.

"And you want to hold it… where?"

He smirked. "Midnight."

I grimaced. "The infrastructure--"

"Spending money, remember?" He asked. "Besides, I have some new connections that will make it go smoothly… It'll be a proper high-profile event. Noble standards and beyond. I'm planning to piss off Owen in a way big enough to make my stance on his bullshit known."

"But the main city… there's nowhere big enough for that… unless you want it to be an open air event?"

He shook his head. "It won't be in the main city.” He straightened, eyes gleaming with something calculated. “I want to host it in the south.”

I frowned. “The south?”

“It's the part of Midnight that’s most accessible, the first place outsiders see if they're coming through the main road.” He smirked. “And right now, it’s a mess. But that’s about to change.”

I understood immediately. “You’re going to rush some of the infrastructure work.”

He nodded. “With the right resources, we can make it happen. And thanks to you dear wife, I have the connections. I have the money, and there's just enough time to get it done to have the party before the court case. It’ll be a showcase of Midnight’s progress under our leadership.” He glanced at me. “A show of Midnight being elevated to a noble status."

I frowned. "But… if you do that, it'll look like you're interested in the --" My eyes widened. "Theo', you can't--"

He took my hand. "You and I both know that ship has already sailed."

I grimaced and shook my head. "It's sailing maybe, but there's still time to pull it back into harbor. I promise not to let anyone plot and assassination."

He laughed. "Thanks, but I think the threat of the Uncrowned King getting a crown, will make him re-evaluate. The noble supporting us is the best deterrent."

It was true. More than that, it was a smart move. Hosting an event of the scale that he's talking about would make it seem like he's taken to the noble culture… Owen might not like that the Alpha King's position is only possible because the noble class exists, but he couldn't change that.

The nobles already liked Theodore…

I shook my head. I didn't like it. It was such a delicate balance. It would take the work of nothing for someone to believe that Owen was better off dead.

"Maybe… Maybe not in Midnight. We could have in Darkmoon. The Estate--"

"You want to Owen to show up at your house? Likely with Lucas?"

I set me jaw.

"Something tells me that the Donovan wards wouldn’t even let him inside."

I blinked and looked up him. "You… You can feel their hostility?"

He grimaced. "I think I might be feeding it, actually."

I sighed. "Okay, but… what's in the south of Midnight?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Somehow, I don’t think I have to tell you that… aren't you a great historian of a sort?"

I glowered at him. Yes. I was, but it had been a long time since I thought about Midnight in that light. Still, something about the south tugged at my memory.

“…the south… along the main road…. Over the ravine?"

He beamed. "Surrounded by the lush, magical forest, yes."

My eyes widened as it hit me. The image of the castle's ruins flashed through my mind.

Theodore’s grin widened. “There is little sexier than your brain, my love."

"The old castle.” I blinked. “The ruined one?”

“Not for long.” He tapped the book he’d been carrying. I realized that it wasn't the one that I had left him with. “I found something interesting in your library. A record of the castle’s original design, its history." He lifted the book. "It was a magical estate. Maybe from a fallen, would have been noble line. Maybe left over from when there was magic in the country, but if the records you have here are right, then there's nothing to say that we can't restore it." He offered me the book. "What do you think?"

I took the book, reading through it. The book wasn't in this country's language. The fact that he knew this was the right book was telling, either he was picking up on the language quickly or the Estate's magic was affecting him.

Both options were concerning since we needed to keep his magic underwraps.

I flipped through the book, stopping on the original layout of the castle.

I shook my head. “Theo', I really… I can't… I'm not sure if this is a good idea."

Theodore reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair from my face. His voice lowered. “Won't you let me do this for you wife?"

I looked up at him. My heart clenching at the word. Memories of my parents, whispering sweetly to one another stormed through me.

"It's not fair for you to use that against me."

He blinked. "What do you--" His gaze softened. "I didn't mean it like that."

I sniffled. "I know…"

Theodore smiled, cupping my face. "Please, Master Donovan, will you lend me your formal magical training to restore it?"

I shut my eyes, closing the book.

"I… I just hope you won't regret this."

"Pissing off Owen when he started it? Doubtful."

I took a deep breath, dabbing at my eyes.

"Well… we'd better get started sooner rather than later."

We left the Donovan Estate the next morning, I packed my drafting and magical tools as well as all the records we had on the old castle. We took a helicopter to Midnight and then a carriage to the south. I could feel the castle at a distance. When we arrived, the workers were already dropping off all the stone necessary for the restoration and getting organized to start work.

The air in the castle hummed with something ancient, something alive. As I stepped through the half-crumbled archway, I could feel it—not just old magic, but something familiar. It pulsed through the stones, whispering beneath my skin, stirring memories I hadn’t realized were buried.

Then, I saw it.

A figure—a shadow moving through the dim corridors, just at the edge of my vision.

I followed.

The deeper I went, the heavier the air became, thick with something sacred. It reminded me of the temples in my mother’s homeland, the ones that had been built in reverence to the Goddess herself. And then, it hit me.

I knew what this castle was. The records were incomplete, with good reason. Cold realization jolted through me. This wasn’t just some ruined fortress.

This was a sanctuary. A place where the Goddess’ presence had once walked.

And Theodore—

My heart lurched. I turned and ran.

I sprinted through the corridors, ignoring the way the magic seemed to pull at me, as if it recognized me, as if it wanted me to stay. I burst out into the open just in time to see Theodore standing at the castle’s heart—before the main stone.

His fingers hovered inches from its surface.

If he touched it—

“Theo', stop!”