Sandra's Wrath

cold and silver, illuminating Emilia's determin

that treachery was just around the corner, and e

n from the loss of Daniel, her gri

was a harbinger of retribution for the life that had been taken from he

a blur of enquiries

nd territory seemed to lead her clos

ling that Daniel's death hadn't bee

t certain Oakland pack members had deeper connectio

game that was more complex tha

pets of council meetings to convey, and she silently

he saw more than they thought

s the Oakland pack's actio

long-withstanding agreement between Oakland and My

ncil members talking about the recent turmoil and the

gion in Beneath the Surface. She conducts her investigation with cauti

finding evidence of covert gatherings, resource transfe

fragments of sentences about "reestablishing control" and "ensuring

en certain members of both territories, one t

cles" make her suspect that these allianc

they were connected in an alliance that went beyond

Daniel, the secret alliance

ed after the revelations, but she knew she had to kee

use, Emilia stumbled again upon another dimly lit

maps, letters, and ancient scrolls detailing the long

secret between the Oakland council and Mystic

ilia made her most h

ack's insignia, a letter between her st

ably elegant handwriting and stared, almo

f both territories, all obs

the letter with

⁤

ce between Mystic Forest and Oakland, an alliance not meant to unite or br

nship based on control and manipulation, with Olenna planning from behind the scene

el's death had not been an accident. ⁤⁤His life h

archment, she felt increasing horr

worst fears - Daniel's death was not an accident. His murder was a cal

and disorientation disappeared,

d had betrayed her in a way she could b

y felt like a

re she realised that Daniel's

thers who had been betrayed, cast aside, or sil

n affront to everyone who had ever trusted the p

returned to her quarters w

rnt more, but every response

had only begun to expl

Daniel's death-as well as the deaths of everyone else, off

ed at the bottom of letters and signed

er to Olenna's empire of lies, yet i

inder of the woman who had once held her as a child, whispering prom

ation, however, was the

nce extended deep into Oakland as well, with allies who bent to

learer it became that her step

up inside her

masterminded by the woman who had reared her

her loved ones and positioned herself a

's stepmother's true nature now b

ver be at peace with the truth unt

dawn, Emilia's rage served a

ned to pull her under; it drove her forwa

s betrayal in that quiet candlelit room, she fel

was aware that she was getting closer to being ca

watching her moves wi

the packhouse-as though her stepmother were observing her every a

hardened with e

memory be tainted by the li

ece by piece, to bring Olenna and her a

ight of Oakland's secrets would eventually crush her. She moved through its halls in silence,

f answers, Emilia heard voices down a side corridor-a lo

, and recognized one of the voices as Gabriel'

, and recognized one of the voices as Gabriel'

finds out, it will all come crashing down." he muttered to a council member, his t

n, another of Olenna's lackeys, caught in a scheme he barely understood? She d

room nearby, gathering her thoughts as the voic

d, heightening her awareness of t

er to Olenna's empire of lies, yet it

inder of the woman who had once held her as a child, whispering pro

passion, a soul ambition by ambition. As the full weight of he

passion, a soul ambition by ambition. As the full weight of he

nd this game, to bring Ole

with each passing night as

he had not chosen but could no longer avoid. She was Sandra, now reborn as Em

atter the cost, and in doing so, she wou

f in the investigation, becoming consumed by it. Her i

nna's empire, even if it meant dismantling O

termination. During the evenings, she fell into a pattern of quiet questioning, covertly

on her, she resolved to gather allies, those who had suffered under Olenna's silen

room, the soft glow of a lantern casting

f being carried away to the soothing

ng like a familiar tune in her mind. His gaze toward her was filled with w

ng feel of his hand in hers, keeping

ividly when they had wandered thr

ow, as they walked in comfortable silence, letting the

o look into her eyes with an unfami

a whisper. "I know we're surrounded by so much cha

felt her cheeks warm, her

her, in ways even she c

omantic gestures, but with Dan

her in ways that she cou

each other's arms, with the gent

ay in that recollection, realit

ad been her entire world as a whole; he was g

pped down her cheek. Emilia brushe

ere also her guiding light, a reminder of the love that

sing sister and for a world that could someday be