Brute 265

Atasha’s POV 

“The witch is the same one you encountered in the North,” Lady Kenneth said evenly. “He has been under investigation for at long time, far longer than you realize. And whether you believe it or not, what happened in the North was never the outcome the King desired.” 

She paused, as if choosing how much truth to offer. “The incident involving Matron Yara was not random. It was part of a calculated attempt to draw the witch out into the open. We believed the situation could be controlled.” 

My brows drew together. “So you are saying that everything that happened back then was intentional, all of it done just to lure a witch?” 

Lady Kenneth met my gaze without flinching. “Yes.” 

The weight of that answer settled heavily in my chest. “And in the process,” I said slowly. “You allowed him to slaughter people who had nothing to do with this plan.” 

Her lips pressed together briefly before she spoke again. “It was… unfortunate.” 

Unfortunate? The way she said it, detached and almost dismissive, sent a sharp wave of anger through me. The word sounded too small for the blood that had soaked the snow back then, too empty for lives that had been erased as if they were acceptable losses. 

“I understand your frustration,” Lady Kenneth continued. “But there are things you must know, even if they only make this harder to accept.” 

She folded her hands on the table. “Lord Cassian was never informed of this arrangement. The King made certain of that. He knew his brother well enough to understand that Cassian would never have allowed the North to be used as bait, no matter the cost or the justification. He would have burned the plan to the ground before letting his people suffer.” 

A quiet breath left her, almost weary. “Cassian’s anger toward the King was expected. In fact, it was inevitable.” 

I drew in a slow breath, forcing my shoulders to relax even as heat climbed up my spine. I did not trust my voice yet, so I let the question form carefully before I spoke. “Is that why the King and Cassian are in that room right now?” 

Lady Kenneth inclined her head. “Yes. Partly because of this. There are other matters layered on top of it, but this truth is at the center of their conflict.” 

My lips pressed together as the pieces slid into place. Now I understood why Lady Kenneth had insisted on privacy, why she had made certain Grace was out of earshot. This was not information meant to circulate, not when it involved decisions that had condemned entire regions to suffering. 

Lady Kenneth’s mouth curved into a faint, resigned smile. “To be honest, I expected you to strangle me the moment I began explaining this, much like Lord Cassian did to the King when he first learned the truth.” 

I met her gaze without blinking. “I still might,” I said evenly. “But you owe me an explanation, and I intend to hear it.” 

Her smile faded, replaced by something closer to approval. “That reaction,” she said. “Is precisely why you are a perfect 

match for Lord Cassian.” 

She did not give me time to respond. “The witch you encountered was not truly a witch,” she said instead. “Not in the way most people understand the term. He was what we call a remnant.” 

My eyes narrowed. “A remnant of what?” 

“Of an experiment,” Lady Kenneth replied. “An experiment conducted by a group that calls itself the Shadow.” 

14:24 Wed, Jan 28 MR 

Chapter 265 

My breath caught despite myself, my eyes widening before I could hide the reaction. 

Lady Kenneth noticed immediately and smiled. “So you have already heard of them.” 

I nodded slowly. “What do you mean by a remnant of an experiment?” 

$5 vouchu 

63 

She leaned back slightly. “There are people like you in this world, Your Highness. Individuals born with abilities that should not exist, abilities that disrupt balance and defy established laws. For a very long time, the world chose to avoid such people. Hide them and ignore them. Hope they would disappear on their own.” 

Her gaze sharpened. “But the world has grown too chaotic for that. Avoidance stopped working. Running stopped working. And so, certain factions decided to act instead.” 

She continued. “It has been roughly thirty years since we formally identified the group known as the Shadow. However, their history does not begin there. Evidence suggests they existed long before the kingdom of Arecor was founded.” 

I frowned. “What do you mean by long before?” 

Lady Kenneth’s eyes did not leave mine. “We have reason to believe the Shadow predates recorded history. Perhaps even predates time as we understand it.” 

The air seemed to tighten around us. 

“And based on what we have uncovered so far,” she added quietly. “There is a very real possibility that the Shadow are not merely a faction or an organization.” 

I felt a chill creep down my spine. “Then what are they?” 

Lady Kenneth’s expression hardened as she delivered the answer. “Gods.” 

“Gods?” 

She nodded at that. “According to the small and limited records that we found, Shadows or Sha’dors are people who had abilities. We believe that they are… they are supernaturals. Perhaps the first supernaturals in this world.” 

She continued. “For reasons still unknown to us, war eventually broke out among them. They turned upon one another, conflict escalating until they brought about their own ruin. They destroyed each other so completely that their kind faded into extinction.” 

Lady Kenneth paused before adding, more carefully, “It is widely believed, and strongly supported by what records remain, that despite their immense abilities, these beings were incapable of reproduction. They could not bear offspring of their own, and once they fell, there was nothing left to replace them.” 

She let out a sigh. “To preserve their… bloodlines. They resorted to experimentation. And… if we were right… that experimentation created the supernaturals of today.” 

“You are saying that these Shadows… created us?” I asked. 

“Ye 

AD 

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