Chapter 18 Thorne's Warning
Elara's POV
The library doors slam shut behind Thorne.
Drakon runs his hand through his hair. "He's not wrong. Queen Morgana will eventually ask you to do something unforgivable. We need to be ready."
"How do you prepare for that?"
"By rescuing Lily before it comes. By moving faster than the queen expects." He looks at me intently. "I'm sending dragon shifters south tonight. To extract your sister."
Hope flares in my chest. "Tonight?"
"Thorne will lead the team. Three dragons. In and out before dawn."
"What if they get caught?"
"They won't. Dragons are nearly invisible at night." His confidence is reassuring. "But I need details. Exactly where Lily is held. Guard patterns. Anything that helps."
I tell him everything I remember. The tower. The guards. The layout.
"Good. I'll brief Thorne within the hour." Drakon's expression softens. "Once Lily is safe and we expose the plot, he'll understand you were trapped."
"Will he? Or will he always see me as the spy?"
A knock interrupts. "Your Majesty? Sir Marcus is requesting an audience."
My blood runs cold.
"Tell him I'm indisposed," Drakon calls back.
"He says it's urgent, sire. Regarding the queen's correspondence."
He knows about the letter.
"One moment." Drakon turns to me. "Go through the side door. Servant's passage. Don't let him see you."
I hurry to the hidden door behind a tapestry. As I slip through, I hear the main doors open.
"Sir Marcus. What's so urgent?"
I press my ear against the door.
"I delivered a letter to your wife earlier. From Queen Morgana. I wanted to ensure you were aware of its sensitive nature."
"My wife's correspondence is none of my concern."
"Even when it contains instructions? Reminders about her duties?"
Pause. "What kind of instructions?"
"Perhaps you should ask the princess. Though given your argument today, I suppose communication is strained."
"Our marriage difficulties are private."
"Of course. I merely thought you should know Queen Morgana is monitoring the situation. Very closely. She wants to ensure the princess is fulfilling her obligations."
"I'm sure she does."
"One more thing. I'll be requiring access to certain areas. For security assessments."
"That seems excessive for a peaceful alliance."
"Can one ever be too careful? I'll submit a formal request tomorrow. Good night."
After he leaves, I emerge.
Drakon looks grim. "He's escalating. Testing how much access we'll give him."
Before I can answer, rapid footsteps echo. The door bursts open.
A guard stumbles in, breathing hard. "Your Majesty! We caught an intruder in the east wing. He was carrying these." He holds up rolled parchments.
Drakon unrolls them. His face darkens. "Detailed schematics of the castle. Guard positions. Weak points in defenses."
"The intruder claims he was hired by someone in the palace. Says he was paid to map strategic locations."
"Bring him here. Now."
Minutes later, guards drag in a man in dark clothes. Professional criminal by the look of him.
"Who hired you?" Drakon demands.
Silence.
Drakon's eyes glow. Scales appear on his neck. "I'll ask once more."
"A knight," the man gasps. "Southern Kingdom knight. Said it was for the queen's security. Paid me fifty gold."
"This knight's name?"
"Sir Marcus Blackwood."
Drakon dismisses everyone. Once alone, he turns to me.
"Sir Marcus isn't just coordinating with you. He's running his own operations. Hiring mercenaries. Mapping the castle." His anger barely controlled. "What else is in that letter? What is the queen planning?"
"I don't know. Just that you have 'important work' to do together. Soon."
"Then we find out what that work is. Tonight." He heads for the door. "Get rest. Tomorrow, we continue the charade. But tonight, I'm having Sir Marcus followed. Every step."
"What if the rescue fails? What if they can't get to Lily?"
He turns back. "They won't fail. Thorne is the best. Trust me."
"I want to. But I'm scared."
"So am I. I'm scared I'll lose more people I care about. Scared I'll fail my kingdom again. But being scared doesn't mean we stop fighting."
After he leaves, I make my way back through servant passages. My mind spins. Dragon shifters flying south. Sir Marcus hiring mercenaries. The queen's mysterious work.
When I reach my room, it's not empty.
Sir Marcus sits in my chair, waiting. His friendly mask is gone. Something cold and calculating remains.
"We need to talk, Princess. About your next assignment. The real reason the queen sent you here."
My heart pounds. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play innocent." He pulls a small vial from his pocket. Clear liquid inside. "Queen Morgana needs you to do something very specific. Something only a wife can do."
I stare at the vial, understanding flooding through me. Poison.
"She wants me to kill him."
"Not immediately. First, you make him love you. Trust you. Then, when he's most vulnerable, when his guard is completely down..." He sets the vial on the table. "You put this in his wine. Painless. He'll simply fall asleep and never wake up."
"I won't do it."
"Yes, you will." His smile is cruel. "Because tomorrow, the queen is sending me a special package. Care to guess what's inside?"
My blood turns to ice. "No."
"Your sister's finger. Just one, to start. To prove she's serious. If you refuse, she'll send more pieces. Until there's nothing left."
I can't breathe. The room spins.
"You have three days to decide. Three days to choose: Drakon's life or Lily's suffering."
He walks to the door, then pauses. "Oh, and Princess? Don't tell the Dragon King about this. I have guards watching your sister every moment. One word to Drakon, and those guards receive orders to start cutting. Understand?"
I can only nod, tears streaming.
After he leaves, I collapse. The vial of poison gleams in the candlelight.
Three days.
Three days to commit murder or condemn my sister to torture.
Three days until my world ends either way.