The Lycan King’s Mark (Nevara) by Tiffanie L. Campbell novel Chapter 51

< CHAPTER 51 – The Spy in the Shadows

CHAPTER 51

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– The Spy in the Shadows

+25 Points

Nevara

By the time we made it back to the castle, my cheeks hurt from smiling.

I didn’t know when that had happened.

Somewhere between lemon cupcakes and Michelle’s enthusiastic ramble about the virtues of wax seals, I’d stopped overthinking and started… enjoying myself.

Not completely. Not freely.

But enough.

We parted ways at the stairs–her off to deliver her “very important stationary haul” to her room, me trudging toward mine with frosting still clinging to my thoughts.

A hot shower was the only thing I wanted. Warmth, steam, silence.

And maybe five minutes without questioning everyone’s motives.

I peeled off my clothes the second the door shut behind me, stepping under the spray with a hiss. Muscles screamed, then sighed. The bruises from training still throbbed under the surface, but somehow I didn’t care as much. Maybe Michelle was right–cake really was therapy.

I stayed until the mirror fogged and the water ran cool, then stepped out, wrapping a towel around my chest. I was halfway through towel–drying my hair when the knock came.

I froze, blinking.

“Sabrina?” I called.

The door creaked open, and sure enough, her head peeked through. “Hey–sorry to barge in.”

I tightened the towel and leaned against the bathroom doorframe. “What’s up?”

She stepped in with a conspiratorial little smirk. “I found someone.”

I blinked. “Found someone…?”

She raised a brow. “Don’t you remember? You asked if I knew anyone trustworthy who could keep an eye on Miss Michelle for you.”

My mouth fell open. “Oh my gods–I totally forgot I asked you that.”

She chuckled. “Figured you might.”

I pushed off the doorframe and walked into the room, plopping down on the edge of the bed. “It’s probably wrong of me to do it. Gods, I feel awful.”

Sabrina shrugged. “So? Do you not want someone watching her now?”

< CHAPTER 51 – The Spy in the Shadows

+25 Points

I paused, rubbing the towel across my arms. “I don’t know. I was having all these suspicions before because her behavior was just… weird. You know? But then today happened and she was just… fun. She’s like this really quirky, excitable little chaos gremlin.”

Sabrina grinned. “That tracks.”

I sighed. “She feels genuine. And I actually had a good time with her.”

“Yeah, I get it,” Sabrina said, crossing her arms. “But sometimes you’ve gotta go with your gut. What’s the

harm in having someone watch from the sidelines? If nothing’s going on, great–you risked nothing. If she

is up to something? Well… then you’re ahead of the curve.”

I chewed the inside of my cheek. “…That’s a good point.”

Sabrina’s eyes sparkled. “So. Want to know who I found?”

“Yes,” I said slowly. “But you have to swear this stays between us. Three people, tops. I don’t want rumors

or blowback or anything that could turn this into palace drama.”

“I swear,” she said without hesitation. “I’m one thousand percent positive we can trust her.”

“Okay,” I said. “So who is it?”

Sabrina smiled. “My girlfriend.”

I blinked. “Your what?”

She flushed just slightly. “My girlfriend. Partner. Love of my life. That whole thing.”

“Oh my gods, I didn’t even know you were-” I paused. “Wait. You’re gay?”

She laughed. “Yeah. We keep it kind of low–key. Not because we’re ashamed or anything–gods, no–but because staff relationships tend to get messy. And there’s this unspoken rule about fraternizing too much, especially between ranks. There’s been… incidents.”

“Messy incidents?” I asked.

“Let’s just say housekeeping and the scullery still don’t speak to each other,” she said, eyes wide.

I snorted.

“I hope it doesn’t offend you or anything,” she added quickly, her voice dipping uncertainly.

I waved her off. “Offend me? No way. Who you sleep with–or fall in love with–has absolutely nothing to do with me. I think it’s fabulous. I was just surprised, that’s all.”

She exhaled in relief, plopping into the chair near the window. “I get that a lot. Apparently, I don’t ‘look‘ like I like girls.”

“Well, yeah,” I said. “You kind of seem like the type who would… I don’t know, collect boyfriends like lip gloss flavors.”

Sabrina laughed. “Plot twist. She kissed me first. I didn’t even know I liked girls until then.”

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< CHAPTER 51 The Spy in the Shadows

“That’s actually kind of adorable.”

She shrugged, looking smug. “It was hot.”

I chuckled. “So you’re sure she’s trustworthy?”

25 Points

“One hundred percent,” Sabrina said. “She’s been working here longer than me. Blends right in. She’s quiet, respectful, nobody suspects a thing. But she’s sharp. Like, scary observant. And she’s been watching Michelle already–says she’s always whispering to people, pulling people into corners for little chats.”

I straightened. “Did she say anything about what those chats are about?”

“She’s going to try to get closer,” Sabrina promised. “Said she’s already volunteered to help with some of Michelle’s event stuff–organizing tables, menus, that kind of thing. Casual. Non–threatening.”

I nodded slowly. “Okay. Good. Just… make sure she’s discreet. I want notes, not sabotage. Nothing that

could blow up in our faces.”

“Of course,” Sabrina said. “We’re not trying to ruin her. Just… understand her.”

“Exactly.”

She stood and gave me a little salute. “I’ll keep you posted. Just don’t ice me out if I start asking

questions. She might need context for some stuff if things get deeper.”

“You’ll have it,” I said. “And thanks, Sabrina. Seriously.”

She grinned. “Anytime. What are friends–and co–conspirators–for?”

Then she slipped out the door like a shadow, leaving me in my towel, hair dripping, heart suddenly

thrumming with a dozen new thoughts.

Just as I turned to grab a fresh shirt, a knock sounded behind me.

“Come in,” I called, assuming Sabrina had forgotten something.

But it wasn’t Sabrina.

It was Thoren.

And I was standing there in nothing but a towel–barely knotted, barely decent.

His eyes dragged over me, slow and deliberate, before settling on my face.

“So this is how you answer the door now?” he asked, voice low and thick. “Dripping wet in nothing but a

towel?”

My entire body flushed–neck to toes, mortified and aroused in equal measure. “I thought you were Sabrina,” I said. “She just left. I figured she forgot something”

He crossed his arms, cocking a brow. “That doesn’t exactly make it better. You do know she’s gay, right?”

My jaw dropped. “You know?”

< CHAPTER 51- The Spy m the Shadows

He smirked. “Princess. I know everything that happens in these walls.”

“Apparently.”

He stepped inside, letting the door fall shut behind him with a soft click “You never considered she might

be hitting on you?”

I gave him a deadpan look. “She literally just told me how in love she is with her girlfriend”

He shrugged. “Doesn’t mean she’s not looking.”

I squinted at him. “Wait a second… are you–are you actually jealous?

His lips curled in that wolfish way that made it impossible to look away. “Maybe a little.”

He moved closer, his gaze dropping again to the bare strip of thigh the towel didn’t quite manage to cover

and I could feel the heat of the bond buzzing beneath my skin.

I backed up a step. “Don’t you have royal duties to attend to?”

“I do,” he said, taking a step closer. “But this feels… more pressing.”

He was standing right in front of me now, heat radiating off his skin like a furnace. I looked up at him, at

those eyes that always seemed to see too much–and never enough.

“This isn’t part of the plan,” I whispered, but I didn’t step back.

“No,” he agreed, dipping his head. “It’s not.”

And then his mouth was on mine.

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