Chapter 15
The Betrayal of Trust
Elara learns that Dupree was once Seraphina's lover, now used as a pawn; she must decide whom to trust as the lines between ally and enemy blur.
The damp air of the French Quarter clung to my skin like a second shroud as Dupree led me through a maze of twisting alleys, far from the gilded cages of Rue Royale. The gaslights grew sparser here, their weak flames yielding to the oppressive dark. My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic bird trapped in a cage of bone and doubt.
“This way,” Dupree murmured, his voice a low rasp that barely disturbed the silence. He paused at a rusted iron gate, its hinges groaning a protest as he pushed it open. Beyond lay a courtyard choked with weeds and the skeletal remains of a once-grand fountain.
“Why here?” I asked, my voice tight. “Why must we speak in such a forsaken place?”
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