Moonlit Bonds

Chapter 456 - 456: Lisa: Reformed Bratitude (11)

LISA

Thousands?

If Pip is right about the strength of their forces, something doesn't add up.

"If your rebellion is so vast and organized, how did they fail to evacuate Jericho's camp in time? How did they

miss a massive attack?"

Her face falls. "I... | don't know. Communication breakdowns happen in war."

"Hmm. A convenient breakdown."

"It's not—" she starts.

"And how exactly did you get recruited? Royal princess, surrounded by guards and court protocol. How did the

rebellion just waltz up to you?"

She fidgets with the chain on her wrist. "It was at the Summer Solstice Ball. A server slippeda note while

refilling my drink. Said to meet in the eastern garden if | wanted to save my father."

My skin prickles. Something's hinky. I've read plots like this, and they never go the way you think they're going

to. It's always a way to foreshadow the twist later. "And you just... went? Alone? To meet a stranger based on a

cryptic note?"

"I'm not stupid," she snaps. "I brought protection."

"Letguess—they neutralized your protection."

Her silence confirms it.

"And instead of seeing that as a red flag, you decided to trust them?"

"They had proof!" she insists. "Photos of my father's advisors meeting with known New Order operatives.

Documents showing policy changes that benefited the New Order. They knew things only insiders would know."

"Or things they orchestrated themselves," | mutter.

"What?"

My mind is racing. Something feels off about this entire setup.

"So this rebellion recruits a princess—a valuable intelligence asset—by threatening her father's safety, then

neutralizes her protection, then convinces her to beca messenger between cells who conveniently don't

know about each other?"

"It's for security," she says defensively.

"Yeah? Then how do you verify orders? How do you know the messages you're carrying are legitimate?"

She blinks. "They... they have codes. Verification systems."

"That only certain people know?"

"Yes, exactly."

| rub my temples. "And these codes change regularly?"

"Every fortnight."

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

"Who gives you the new codes?"

"Corvus."

"And if Corvus were compromised?"

She stiffens. "He's not. He's dedicated his life to this cause."

"Humor me. If he were, how would you know? Who verifies Corvus?"

Her mouth opens, then closes.

"The leadership team," she finally says, but her voice lacks conviction.

"The ones you've never met."

She doesn't answer.

| lean back, a sinking feeling in my stomach. The fancy Rebellion with its cell structure, its mysterious leadership,

its too-perfect intelligence on the New Order. The way they specifically recruited a royal princess, then used her

as a messenger between isolated groups who can't communicate directly.

| know I'm just a college student who works minimum wage jobs and lived a life of relative leisure under the

indulgence of her parents, but... really?

Really?

Con.

"Pip," | say slowly, using her nickndeliberately, "has anyone in your cell ever successfully struck against the

New Order? Actually disrupted their operations?"

Her eyes dart to the side. "We're gathering intelligence right now. Building our network."

"For how long?"

"A... a few months."

"And in those months, has the New Order gotten stronger or weaker?"

She swallows hard.

"Has your 'rebellion' ever actually rebelled against anything? Or do you just move information around and wait

for orders that never quite lead to action?"

The doubt creeping across her face tellsshe's never considered this before.

"But they saved people," she whispers. "They've rescued supernaturals from New Order facilities."

"Have they? Or have they just relocated them? Have you ever seen these rescued people afterward?"

The blood drains from her face. "I... | don't know what happens to them after. It's for their safety. We aren't

supposed to know... No. You're just trying to get information out of me, aren't you? I'm not saying anything else."

She crosses her arms, chains jingling, and scoots a little further back to maintain more distance between us.

My head tilts as | squint at Pip, watching doubt flood her expression. Tto press my advantage. Even if I'm

shooting in the dark, she doesn't know that.

"You know what? Maybe | should just bring Lucas in here." | tap my fingers against the arm of the chair. "I'm sure

our Alpha would be very interested to hear about this so-called rebellion that seems suspiciously ineffective."

Pip's eyes widen. The little squeak that escapes her throat is entirely involuntary, I'm sure. The purple-haired

princess suddenly looks much younger as the color drains from her face.

"You wouldn't." Her voice wavers slightly.

"Why not? If your rebellion is legitimate, you have nothing to worry about." | shrug with deliberate casualness.

"Alpha Westwood can sniff out a lie better than anyone I've ever met. Quite literally."

She shrinks back against her pillows, and | notice her hands are trembling. The chains on her clothing jingle

softly with her movements.

For all her tough talk about being a

revolutionary, she's terrified at the

mere mention of L 38 My suspicion

pres rebellion

recruits a princess who can't even

hold her own against someone like

me? Who collapses in the face of an

alpha werewolf? The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

| mean, shouldn't she have a little more spunk than this, if it's all legitimate?

"He's going to find out anyway," | continue, keeping my voice light. "Might as well get it over with now."

| stand up, making a show of heading toward the door. One, two, three steps—

"Wait!"

| pause but don't turn around.

"|..." Her voice cracks. She clears her throat and tries again, stronger this time. "No. Never mind. I'm not saying

anything more."

The defiance in her tone doesn't match the fear in her eyes when | turn to look at her. She's standing now, chin

lifted, and posture too rigid. Her shoulders are too high, like she's bracing for a blow.

"You toldbefore that not all prisons have bars," | remind her. "Are you sure you know which side of those bars

you're on?"

She shakes her head, the purple strands of hair falling across her eyes.

"I know what I'm doing," she insists, but there's less conviction behind it now.

| walk back to my chair but remain

standing, looking down at her. "Do

you? Because from where I'm

standing, it sounds ike youré being

ueghtolshisttle {formation between

isolated groups who have no way to

verify if what they're being told is

true. Pretty convenient setup for

someone who wanted to manipulate

a whole bunch of desperate people,

don't you think?" The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

Her hands clench into fists against the blankets.

"I'm. Not. Saying. Anything. More."

| smile sweetly at her, the kind of smile I'd give a troublescustomer at Beaniverse when | knew they'd

already lost the argument.

"That's fine, Princess. You've said enough anyway."

| glance pointedly at her book, still in my hands. The half-naked man on the cover stares soulfully back at me. |

toss it onto the floor by her feet.

"Enjoy your book. At least in fiction, it's easy to tell who the good guys are."

Pip snatches the book and clutches it to her chest like a shield, her hands trembling with the force of her grip.

For all her chains and rebellious purple hair, she suddenly looks very small and very alone.

"For what it's worth," | say more

gently, "lI hope I'm wrong. | hope your

rebellion is real and fig res \gaod

fight. Bt pybecosidb is—if the

New Order has infiltrated your

father's court so completely, what

makes you think they couldn't

infiltrate a resistance movement

too?" The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!