Chapter 56 War Preparations
Drakon's POV
"Mobilize every dragon shifter!" I commanded the war council. "Every soldier! Every able-bodied fighter! We march on the Southern Kingdom within three days!"
"Your Majesty, please reconsider..." Thorne began.
"I'm done reconsidering!" I slammed my fist on the table. The wood cracked. "Queen Morgana invaded us! Used an imposter to weaken us from within! She has three hundred soldiers hiding in our territory! This is war!"
"War requires strategy, not rage," Thorne pressed. "We need more information. More planning. More..."
"More time for them to kill my people?" I rounded on him. "More time for those hidden soldiers to attack? No. We strike first. Hard. Fast."
"You're not thinking clearly. Your pain over Elara is clouding your judgment."
"Don't." My voice dropped dangerously low. "Don't mention her name to me."
Thorne held up his hands. "I'm just saying maybe wait until..."
"I'm not waiting!" Scales erupted across my arms. "Send messages to our allies. Double all border patrols. Prepare siege equipment. We're going to war and nothing you say will change that."
The council members exchanged worried glances but nodded. They knew better than to argue when I was like this.
They filed out, leaving me alone with Thorne.
"You're making a mistake," he said quietly.
"Then it's my mistake to make. I'm the king."
"You're a heartbroken man making decisions based on pain, not logic."
"Get out."
"Drakon..."
"GET OUT!"
Thorne left, shaking his head.
I stood alone in the war room, surrounded by maps. By evidence of betrayal. By the pieces of my shattered trust.
The emptiness where the bond used to be screamed at me. Demanded I go to the dungeon. See Elara. Talk to her.
But I couldn't. Wouldn't.
She'd made her choices. Now she'd live with the consequences.
A messenger burst in. "Your Majesty! The border patrol found something!"
"What?"
"Enemy camps. Just like the maps showed. We captured five soldiers before they could escape."
"Bring them to me. I'll interrogate them personally."
"Already done, sir. They confessed everything." The messenger's face was grim. "The infiltration has been going on for two months. They've been using information the imposter provided to avoid detection. The main attack is planned for five days from now."
Five days. Less time than I thought.
"How many total soldiers?"
"The prisoners estimate over two thousand. Maybe more. They're amassing at three different border locations."
Two thousand. A full invasion force.
"Increase border patrols to maximum. I want scouts everywhere. No more surprises."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The messenger hesitated. "There's something else. The prisoners said they were told the imposter would open the gates from inside. That she'd signal them when defenses were weakest."
"She's in the dungeon. She can't signal anyone."
"They didn't know that, sir. They're still waiting for her signal. Which means..."
"Which means they don't know their spy has been captured." Understanding dawned. "We could use that. Send false signals. Lead them into traps."
"Brilliant, Your Majesty!" The messenger grinned.
But I felt no satisfaction. Only hollow emptiness.
Using Elara's betrayal against the enemy felt like admitting she'd won. Like letting her destroy me from the inside.
"Go," I ordered. "Implement the plan. Keep me informed."
The messenger left.
I stared at the maps. At the enemy positions. At the evidence of how thoroughly I'd been deceived.
Elara had known about this. Had helped plan this. Had been part of an invasion that could have killed thousands.
And I'd almost forgiven her. Almost protected her. Almost chosen her over my kingdom.
What did that make me? Weak? Foolish? Both?
Another commotion outside. Shouting. Running.
I rushed to the window.
Smoke rose from the eastern wing. Not invasion smoke. Different. Closer.
The armory was on fire.
"GUARDS!" I roared. "To the armory! Now!"
I ran through corridors. Scales covered my body as I prepared to fight.
But when I reached the armory, it was already too late.
Flames consumed everything. Weapons. Armor. Supplies. All burning.
"How did this start?" I demanded.
"Sabotage, Your Majesty!" a guard shouted over the roar of flames. "Someone set multiple fires simultaneously. Professional work. They knew exactly where to strike for maximum damage."
"Who?"
"We don't know. But sir" the guard's face was pale "the food stores are burning too. Someone is trying to cripple us from within."
Queen Morgana's plan. Destroy our defenses before the invasion.
But who was helping her now? Elara was locked up. Sir Marcus had fled.
Unless...
"Search the castle!" I commanded. "Find whoever is doing this! Lock down all exits!"
Guards scattered.
I stood watching my armory burn. Watching months of preparation turn to ash.
And I realized something terrible.
Even with Elara in the dungeon, Queen Morgana's plan was still working.
Which meant there was another spy.
Someone else helping the enemy.
Someone still free. Still sabotaging. Still destroying us from within.
But who?
An explosion rocked the castle. The food stores going up in flames.
Then another explosion. The stables.
Systematic destruction. Coordinated attacks.
This wasn't one person. This was a team.
How many more traitors were hiding in my castle?
A guard ran up, blood streaming from a cut on his head.
"Your Majesty! Someone tried to assassinate you! Set a trap in your chambers! If you'd gone there instead of here, you'd be dead!"
My blood ran cold.
They'd tried to kill me. Tonight. During the chaos.
"Who?" I grabbed the guard's shirt. "Who tried to kill me?"
"We saw him fleeing. Sir Marcus, Your Majesty. He's still in the castle. Still setting fires. Still sabotaging."
"Find him!" I roared. "I want him alive! I want answers!"
But even as I gave the order, I knew.
Sir Marcus would escape. He was too skilled. Too prepared.
And he'd leave behind more destruction. More chaos. More evidence against Elara.
Because that's what Queen Morgana wanted. To make me hate Elara so much I'd execute her. To destroy any chance of reconciliation. To ensure her spy's silence permanently.
And it was working.
By dawn, half my castle was burning.
My armies were mobilizing for war.
And somewhere, Sir Marcus was laughing at how perfectly everything was going according to plan.