Chapter 195: Traitor Among Us

"Among us?"

Roselle repeated the words quietly. "Who could possibly betray us? Someone who fought alongside us? Someone who risked their life to protect the kingd—?" She stopped mid-sentence.

Her eyes moved across the room. Then they slowed and stopped on a silver-haired woman standing apart from the others.

’No... Don’t tell me.’

Nicholas followed her gaze. Claire did the same.

Alden noticed all of it.

He had been standing beside Nicholas already lost in his own thoughts but a different part of his mind had been watching for exactly this moment since the meeting started. He had known the suspicion would land on her eventually. He just hadn’t expected it to happen this quickly.

Isabella’s green eyes settled on Seris.

"Well. Considering that everyone in this room knows your true identity I suppose it’s only natural that doubts have arisen."

The room held completely still.

"Seris." Isabella’s gaze sharpened. "Are you selling our information to the vampires? Are you betraying us?"

Every eye went to Seris.

Darius’s expression darkened as he looked at her. Then his gaze moved to Alden who was staring off to the side with complete apparent disinterest. Darius’s temple twitched.

He remembered the conversation before the journey to Apothesis. He had asked Alden directly whether Seris could be trusted and Alden had insisted they shouldn’t act against her. He had listened. He had accepted it.

And now here they were.

’You had better have an explanation for this you brat.’

Seris didn’t immediately deny the accusation. She looked at Isabella for a quiet moment and then spoke.

"I’m sorry to disappoint you Lady Isabella but I haven’t done anything of the sort." Her voice was calm. "I wasn’t present at the meeting where the defensive arrangements were discussed. I couldn’t have leaked information I never received."

Isabella’s expression didn’t shift. "That doesn’t mean you couldn’t have obtained it elsewhere." She turned her gaze toward Alden. "No offense, Alden."

Alden raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"Alden was one of the few people outside the Spires who attended that meeting," Isabella continued. "It’s entirely possible that he shared the information with you."

Alden slowly closed his eyes.

He let out a quiet breath.

’What a ridiculous theory.’

He opened his eyes and looked at Isabella directly. "Let me be clear." His voice was neither aggressive nor loud. It just had enough weight that the room stayed quiet for it. "I have no intention of betraying my own people to the vampires. I consider vampires our enemies. You can stop worrying about me secretly working with them."

Isabella held his gaze. "Words are easy, Alden. Can your actions prove it? Do you have any evidence?"

Alden stared at her.

He considered answering. Then decided it wasn’t worth the effort.

’What am I supposed to do, show them my thoughts?’

Theodore stepped forward before the silence stretched too long. "Hey. Let’s not jump straight to conclusions. I understand why we’re suspicious but that doesn’t automatically mean Seris is responsible. We should investigate first. If we find evidence then we decide what to do. Until then we’re just accusing people based on possibilities."

Luna placed a hand on Isabella’s shoulder. "Take it easy." Her expression was serious but her voice stayed gentle. "I’ve spent enough time around Alden to know he’s not the kind of person who would deliberately sell out his allies." She glanced at him. "He’s difficult and occasionally impossible to understand."

Alden’s eyebrow twitched.

"But I don’t believe he’s a traitor. Give them the chance to prove themselves before making any judgments." She finally finished.

Seris turned toward Isabella again. "I assure you Lady Isabella, Alden never shared any information from that meeting with me." Her crimson eyes stayed steady. "Please don’t drag him into this."

Alden looked at her briefly. Their eyes met. Her expression didn’t change but there was something firm behind it. He looked away first.

Isabella studied Seris for several seconds. Then she turned toward Darius.

"Headmaster. I’d like to propose a temporary precaution."

Darius raised an eyebrow. "Go on, Lady Isabella."

"I believe Alden should be excluded from our strategic meetings for the time being."

Theodore’s expression changed immediately. "What are you saying? Alden is one of the strongest people we have. We can’t exclude him from every discussion just because of a suspicion!"

"I’m not suggesting we punish him." Isabella’s tone didn’t waver. "I’m suggesting precaution until we understand how the vampires obtained our information. He’s one of the few people who attended the original meeting and we cannot rule out the possibility that information reached Seris through him." She looked at Darius. "Temporarily restricting his access to strategic discussions would reduce the risk of another leak. If he’s innocent, the restriction can be lifted once the investigation is complete."

Alden let out a quiet breath.

’To be honest even I don’t have a clue from where Seris got all that information about.’

He had fought their enemies. He had held a dying friend’s hand in the battlefield. And now because he attended a meeting and happened to know a vampire he was being treated like a liability.

He almost laughed. Almost.

He stayed quiet.

Theodore looked ready to push back further but Isabella raised a hand. "The final judgment here belongs to the strategist." She turned to Darius. "Headmaster. What is your decision."

Everyone looked at Darius.

He was quiet.

His gaze moved across the room and finally landed on Alden.

He understood what both choices cost. If he defended Alden some of the others would start questioning his own judgment and possibly his own loyalty. If he agreed with Isabella he was sidelining one of the most capable fighters they had at the exact moment they could least afford it.

Neither option was clean.

He closed his eyes briefly.

’I’m sorry Alden. I couldn’t do anything now.’

When he opened them his expression had hardened. "Very well."

Theodore’s head came up. "Headmaster—"

"Lady Isabella’s proposal will be accepted."

His voice left no room for it. "Until we determine how the vampires obtained our strategic information Alden will be temporarily excluded from all military strategy meetings and discussions concerning our defensive plans."