The restaurant was closed now. Not officially, of course—on paper, it was still open until midnight. But after the waitress vanished and the envelope appeared, no one dared to order dessert.
Lyra sat in the back lounge, legs crossed, glass untouched. Her lipstick was perfect, her posture regal, but her eyes were wild. Eryx stood across from her, arms folded, watching her like she was a chess piece he hadn’t decided to sacrifice yet.
“You’re unusually quiet,” he said, voice smooth as silk and twice as dangerous.
Lyra tilted her head. “I’m calculating how many ways I could poison you without anyone noticing.”
He smirked. “Romantic.”
“Not really. Just practical.”
Nova snorted from the corner, her boots propped on the velvet ottoman. “If you’re going to poison him, at least make it poetic. Hemlock in a wine glass. Or arsenic in a love letter.”
Kai paced near the window, fists clenched. “This isn’t a joke. Starr’s alive. Someone lied. Someone’s playing us.”
“Correction,” Selene said, stepping into the room with a glass of red wine. “Someone’s playing you. I’m just here for the show.”
Lyra stood, her voice sharp. “You knew, didn’t you?”
Selene’s smile didn’t falter. “I know a lot of things. Like how you cry when no one’s watching. Or how Eryx still keeps your wedding photo in his drawer, even though he claims this marriage is meaningless.”
Eryx’s jaw tightened. “Enough.”
“No,” Lyra snapped. “Let her talk. Let her twist the knife. It’s the only thing she’s good at.”
Selene’s eyes gleamed. “Careful, darling. You’re starting to sound jealous.”
Lyra laughed bitterly. “Jealous? Of what? A woman who clings to a man who rejected her?”
Selene’s smile cracked. Just slightly.
Nova sat up. “Okay, this is fun, but we still have a problem. Starr’s alive. The waitress is missing. And someone poisoned the wine.”
Everyone froze.
Nova held up a small vial. “Found this under the table. It’s not decorative.”
Jasper walked in just then, looking too calm. “Did I miss the part where someone dies?”
Ivy followed behind him, pale and silent. She held a napkin in her hand—stained with blood.
Lyra’s breath caught. “Whose?”
Ivy looked at her. “Mine.”
The room exploded.
Kai rushed forward. “What happened?”
“I drank the wine,” Ivy whispered. “Just a sip. I thought it was mine.”
Nova grabbed her wrist, checking her pulse. “You’re lucky. It’s slow-acting. But you need help.”
Eryx turned to Jasper. “Where did you get the wine?”
Jasper raised an eyebrow. “From the bar. Like everyone else.”
“Who poured it?” Lyra asked.
Jasper shrugged. “The bartender. Blond. Tall. Didn’t speak much.”
“There’s no bartender on staff tonight,” Ivy said softly.
Selene’s glass shattered on the floor.
Nova stood. “We’ve been infiltrated.”
Lyra looked around the room. Seven people. Seven secrets. And now, one poisoned drink.
She turned to Eryx. “Still think leaving makes us look weak?”
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he walked to the door, locked it, and turned back.
“No one leaves until we find out who’s trying to kill us.”
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