Chapter 45 The Plan
Elara's POV
"You're not Princess Celestia," Drakon said flatly. He sat down heavily, like his legs wouldn't hold him anymore. "You've been lying to me this entire time."
"Yes." I couldn't look at him. "I'm Elara Moonstone. A seamstress. Queen Morgana forced me to take Princess Celestia's place. She threatened to kill my sister if I didn't."
"And the maps?" Drakon's voice was dangerously quiet. "The defense information you've been feeding the enemy?"
"All to keep Lily alive." Tears streamed down my face. "I never wanted to betray you. I never wanted any of this."
"But you did it anyway." Drakon stood up and walked to the window, his back to me. "Everything between us, was any of it real?"
"My feelings for you are real!" I stepped toward him. "The bond is real! My love is real! Everything else was a lie, but not that. Never that."
"How am I supposed to believe anything you say now?" He still wouldn't turn around.
"Because the mating bond wouldn't have formed if my feelings weren't genuine." Faye spoke up. "Bonds can form despite lies about identity, but not despite lies about emotion. She loves you, Drakon. That part is true."
Thorne cleared his throat. "We can deal with trust issues later. Right now, we have a child to rescue. Elara's sister is being held at the Northern Prison. Queen Morgana is using her as leverage."
"How old is this child?" Drakon asked quietly.
"Twelve," I whispered.
Drakon finally turned around. His eyes were red, but his expression was determined. "Then we get her back. Tonight. Before Queen Morgana can use her against you anymore."
"You'll help?" Hope flared in my chest. "Even after everything I've done?"
"I'm not doing this for you." His voice was cold. "I'm doing it because an innocent child is being tortured. Because stopping Queen Morgana's invasion is more important than my broken heart. Because it's the right thing to do."
Each word was like a knife, but I deserved them all.
"How fast can we mobilize a rescue team?" Thorne asked.
"Too slow." Faye stepped forward. "If we send dragon guards, they'll be spotted. Queen Morgana's spies will warn her, and they'll move or kill Lily before we arrive."
"Then what do you suggest?" Drakon crossed his arms.
"Ice faeries." Faye's eyes sparkled with determination. "We're small. Fast. Can fly silently. And we have magic that can break through prison barriers."
"How many faeries would you need?" Thorne asked.
"Five, including me. I know exactly who to recruit, faeries I trust completely. We can leave within the hour."
"I'm coming too," I said immediately.
"No." Drakon's voice was firm. "You're staying here."
"But she's my sister!"
"And you're compromised." Drakon's golden eyes bore into mine. "Queen Morgana can track you through that mirror. If you go, you'll lead her right to the rescue team."
He was right. I hated it, but he was right.
"What about the festival tomorrow?" Faye asked. "Queen Morgana expects Elara to poison you during the feast."
"Then we'll use that." Drakon started pacing, his tactical mind working. "The rescue team leaves tonight. By dawn, hopefully, Lily will be safe here. Then tomorrow at the festival, Elara will pretend to go along with the plan. We'll catch Sir Marcus in the act. Expose the whole conspiracy publicly."
"And if the rescue fails?" I asked quietly. "If they can't get Lily out?"
"Then we have a backup plan." Thorne pulled out a map. "We position soldiers at every gate. The moment Sir Marcus makes his move, we capture him. Use him as a hostage to negotiate Lily's release."
"Queen Morgana won't negotiate," I said. "She'll just kill Lily out of spite."
"Not if we move faster than she expects." Drakon studied the map. "Faye, how long will the rescue take?"
"Three hours to fly there. One hour to break into the prison and find Lily. Three hours back." Faye calculated quickly. "Seven hours total if everything goes perfectly."
"It's nearly midnight now," Thorne noted. "That puts you back here around seven in the morning. The festival starts at noon."
"Barely enough time." Faye looked worried. "And that's assuming nothing goes wrong."
"Then we better make sure nothing goes wrong." Drakon looked at Faye. "Gather your team. Take whatever supplies you need. I'll write authorization papers so no one questions you."
Faye nodded and hurried out.
Thorne followed. "I'll prepare the backup plan. Position soldiers discreetly."
Then it was just Drakon and me.
The silence stretched between us, heavy and painful.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so, so sorry."
"I know you are." Drakon's voice was tired. "But sorry doesn't fix this. Sorry doesn't erase weeks of lies."
"I know."
"The bond is damaged. Badly damaged. I can feel it cracking more every day." He pressed his hand to his chest. "Faye says if we don't fix it soon, it'll shatter completely."
"What would fix it?"
"Complete honesty. No more secrets. No more lies." Drakon looked at me with such pain. "Can you do that? Can you be completely honest with me from now on?"
"Yes. I swear it."
"We'll see." He walked to the door. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow will be difficult. You'll have to act like everything is normal at the festival while knowing your sister might still be in danger."
"Where will you sleep?" I asked.
"Not here." He opened the door. "I can't... I can't be near you right now. Every time I look at you, I see the woman I fell in love with. But I also see the spy who betrayed me. I don't know which one is real."
"Both are real," I said desperately. "I'm both. I'm the woman who loves you and the woman who lied to you. Both exist."
"That's the problem." Drakon left without another word.
I sank onto his bed, our bed and cried.
Hours passed. I couldn't sleep. Just stared at the ceiling, wondering if Faye had left yet. If Lily was okay. If any of this would work.
Just before dawn, someone knocked softly.
Faye stood there, looking exhausted but triumphant.
"We did it," she breathed. "We got her."
"Lily?" I jumped up. "She's here? She's safe?"
"She's in the healing ward. Scared. Confused. But alive and safe." Faye smiled. "Your sister is free, Elara."
I burst into tears, relief and joy and overwhelming gratitude.
"Can I see her?"
"Soon. The healers are checking her over. Making sure she's not hurt." Faye's smile faded. "But Elara, there's something you need to know. Something Lily told us during the flight back."
"What?"
"Queen Morgana knew we were coming. She let us take Lily." Faye's face was grim. "It was too easy. The guards barely fought us. The magical barriers were already weakened. Like someone wanted us to succeed."
My blood ran cold. "It's a trap."
"Yes. But we don't know what kind." Faye grabbed my hands. "Lily said Queen Morgana laughed when we broke in. Said 'Give my regards to the imposter. Tell her the real fun starts at the festival.'"
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know. But whatever Queen Morgana has planned for today, is bigger than we thought. Much bigger."
A bell began tolling. The festival bells.
Noon had arrived.
The Winter Moon Festival was beginning.
And somewhere, Queen Morgana was waiting to spring her trap.