Chapter 9: The Game of Shadows

The rain still hadn't stopped as Aiden drove them through the winding streets, the headlights illuminating nothing but an endless blur of wet pavement and trees. Ivy’s hands were trembling on her lap, the weight of Celeste’s death pressing on her chest like a heavy stone. She couldn't shake the image of the woman crumpling behind the altar, the blood staining the floor of the chapel.

“I should’ve stayed,” Ivy whispered, more to herself than to Aiden. “I should’ve done something.”

“You did everything you could,” Aiden replied softly, keeping his eyes on the road. His face was tight, his jaw clenched. He wasn’t just worried about Ivy—he was worried about the truth. About the family he’d spent his life trusting, only to have it turn into a web of lies.

Ivy stared out the window, lost in the chaos of her thoughts. Celeste had said she was the heir. A child of Lilith Keller, the lost sister of the King family. But who was she really? And what did it mean for her baby?

And now, someone was hunting them.

“I don’t understand,” Ivy said after a long silence. “If Celeste was telling the truth… why didn’t they just kill me? Why wait until now?”

Aiden’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Because your baby changes everything.”

She glanced at him. “What does that mean?”

He exhaled sharply. “The prophecy. My mother talked about it—about how one day, the Kings’ empire would fall. But it wouldn’t just be a betrayal. It would be a child born of the moon’s mark—someone who could overthrow everything the family built.”

Ivy’s heart skipped a beat. “My baby?”

“Yes,” Aiden said, his voice low. “Your baby is part of the prophecy. That’s why they’re after you.”

The weight of his words hit Ivy like a brick. Her baby could bring down the King family? She glanced at Aiden. “But why is it so important now? What’s changed?”

“We don’t have all the answers yet,” Aiden said, his voice tight with frustration. “But Celeste did. She was trying to help you. She was close to something.”

Ivy’s stomach churned. “And now she’s dead.”

Aiden’s jaw set in a hard line. “Whoever is behind this won’t stop until they get what they want. We need to find out who that is. And fast.”

They drove in silence for a few minutes, the tension between them thick. Ivy’s mind raced, but every thought seemed to lead her in circles. She needed answers. She needed to know who was pulling the strings behind all this.

Aiden suddenly swerved to the side of the road, bringing the car to a screeching halt. Ivy’s heart lurched as he jumped out of the car and sprinted toward a small cabin nestled in the woods.

“What the hell—Aiden!” Ivy called, her voice panicked.

He didn’t answer, disappearing into the cabin as the door swung open with a loud creak. Ivy sat frozen in the passenger seat, eyes darting between the cabin and the road behind them. Her mind screamed at her to get out of the car, but her body refused to move.

She glanced at her phone.

Another message.

“I see you, Ivy. It’s too late.”

Her pulse raced. This wasn’t just a threat. It was a warning. She knew then that someone was close. Someone who had been watching them.

Suddenly, Aiden’s voice echoed from inside the cabin. “Ivy!”

She jumped out of the car and ran toward the cabin. But just as she reached the door, a man stepped out of the shadows, blocking her path.

“I wouldn’t go in there if I were you.”

Ivy froze. The man was tall, dark hair swept back, wearing a black leather jacket. His cold eyes scanned her with a mix of curiosity and warning.

“What do you want?” she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.

“I’m here to make sure you don’t find out more than you’re supposed to.”

Ivy’s heart skipped a beat. “Who are you?”

“Someone who knows the truth. And someone who’s not about to let you ruin everything.” He smirked, a dangerous glint in his eye. “The Kings have a lot of enemies. And I’m one of them.”

Ivy’s chest tightened. “Aiden’s inside. What’s going on? Why are you threatening me?”

The man stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low, threatening tone. “Your baby is a liability. And the sooner you realize that, the better.”

Before Ivy could respond, she heard a crash from inside the cabin. She turned to see the door fly open, and Aiden stumbled out, a grim expression on his face.

“Ivy, get in the car. Now.”

The man stepped back, but not before flashing a mocking smile at Aiden. “I’m just making sure your little secret stays buried. There’s no place for someone like her in this game.”

Ivy’s heart pounded. “What does that mean?”

Aiden didn’t answer. He grabbed her arm and yanked her toward the car. “Go, now.”

They jumped in, and Aiden slammed his foot on the gas pedal. The car lurched forward, tires screeching on the wet road as they sped away.

Ivy looked over at him, her voice shaking. “Who was he?”

“Someone I used to trust,” Aiden muttered. “But we don’t have time to figure that out now.”

Ivy looked at her phone again.

“It’s not over. You won’t be able to run forever.”

A chill crawled up her spine.

Aiden’s knuckles were white as he gripped the wheel. “We need to go somewhere safe. Somewhere they can’t find us.”

But deep down, Ivy knew it was already too late.

The game had already begun. And now, no matter where they went, there would be no escaping the shadows of her family’s past.