C154 The Darkness Beneath The Surface

At dawn, the palace stirred with its usual hum of activity, though no one noticed Marina slipping away to the kitchen. The chef had briefly departed to fetch ingredients, leaving the space unattended.

Marina moved quickly and silently, her movements careful. From a hidden pocket, she retrieved a small vial of nightshade. Without hesitation, she poured a measured dose into Asmodeus’s goblet