Love And Betrayal | ✔️

15. The midnight chase

In seconds both Aden and Ashton are both hurtling down the stairwell, panic and worry written all over their faces. "Holy Selene, what ever happened?"

"Y-you need to see this Aden," I close my eyes to blink away the horrific image I just saw. "I - it's important. . . and has your name—"

My words are cut off when he grabs and begins to read without wasting anymore time. Ashton, in the meanwhile, attempts to steady me back on to my feet. Then he turns towards Aden.

"Carter, what is it about?"

But Aden is too shocked to give him an immediate answer. A single tear rolls down his cheek as he bunches the paper in his hand. "He found out."

"Who found out?" Ashton demands.

Aden takes a minute to calm down. Face white as sheet and breathing hard, he struggles for some semblance of control. "We are in danger, Taylor. Take a look for yourself."

Ashton takes the paper from his outstretched hand and peruses the contents. The pictures fall on the floor and I bend to pick them up.

The letter is short, curt and simple and bone chilling.

Date : 30 Nov. 2011

Life is a game of chess. The winner gets everything, the loser loses his life. The pawns are gullible. The knight is gone. The bishop has changed sides. The castle is in danger. The queen can do little to save the king.

Check.

Yours truly
The Grandmaster

"Now turn it over if you think that's bad." I murmur. Ashton gives me an imperceptible look before doing as he's been told. The other side of the page is splattered with even more blood.

"Your servant is dead. Keep this up, you'll meet the same end."

A gasp escapes Ashton as he reads on. He grabs the pictures out of my hand and looks at them. The panic, anger and hatred all flash through his eyes in a fleeting instant. His hand shakes as he looks at it. "That's brutal."

The body was beyond recognizable; mutilated; and destroyed to every single fibre in his being.

"I know," Aden's face is sombre and pale. "That's my Delta Carson."

I inhale a sharp breath. Delta Carson was one of my own classmates, and had been one of few people who were still civil to me back when I was still in the Dark Wolf pack. We weren't close, but I knew him well enough to feel horrible about this.

"Delta Carson," Aden explains for Ashton's benefit, "He was my spy in the enemy territory. For more than two years, he sent me information about Greyhound's past, the inner workings in his palace and his three commanders—Lucas Martin, Gavriel and Zander Dennis. He'd even attempted to find something about the some of long lost clan of Maikohs who disappeared centuries ago before he met with a dead end.

Was that the person Ariana crashed into in my vision then? It was very likely, considering the letter was addressed to Aden. Maybe Carson was on his way when...

"They caught him red handed probably." Aden explains, his eyes skimming over the pictures. "So they whipped him with silver, forced him to drink Wolfsbane and then finally ended his life by beheading him."

A shudder runs through me and I lean against the wall in an attempt to balance myself. "You figured out all that through the picture alone?"

"Yes." He nods, "Can't you see? The body is blue black and blue, a sign common among those who have been victim to Wolfsbane. Then there are these cuts and slashes all over his back which clearly shows he's been whipped more than a hundred times. Knowing GreyHound, those whips will most likely be laced with silver. And lastly," he winces as he points at the picture again, "you only have to see to understand he's been beheaded."