Chapter 65 Drakon's Choice
Drakon's POV
Queen Morgana's dark magic slammed into my chest. I roared in pain and fell from the sky.
Transformed mid-fall. Hit the ground hard in human form. Every bone ached.
"Not so mighty now, Dragon King," Queen Morgana called from her horse. "Shall we discuss your surrender?"
I struggled to stand. Scales rippled across my arms. Preparing to transform again.
Then I heard it. A scream that froze my blood.
"ELARA!" Lily's voice. Terrified. Desperate.
I turned. Saw them across the courtyard. Three soldiers surrounding them. Faye unconscious on the ground.
Saw Elara fighting. No weapon. No training. Just fierce determination.
She bit one soldier. Kicked another. Tried desperately to protect her sister.
The soldier raised his sword. Aimed at Elara's head.
She dodged. Barely. The blade whistled past her face.
"RUN, LILY!" Elara screamed.
But Lily didn't run. She stayed. Crying but brave.
The soldier swung again. Hit Elara's shoulder with the flat of his blade. She stumbled.
Everything in me screamed to help her. To save her.
But Queen Morgana stood between us. Her army surrounded me. If I turned my back, I'd die.
The soldier raised his sword for a killing blow.
I watched Elara look up at that blade. Watched her face accept death.
Then Lily crashed into the soldier. Tiny Lily tackling a grown man to protect her sister.
"DON'T HURT MY SISTER!"
The soldier threw her off. Raised his sword toward Lily's fallen form.
Elara threw herself over Lily. Used her own body as a shield.
"If you want her, you go through me first."
And I understood. Finally. Completely.
Everything Elara had done. Putting herself between danger and the person she loved.
Just like she'd put herself between Queen Morgana's threats and Lily.
Just like she'd taken all the guilt and pain rather than let her sister suffer.
She was protecting Lily. The way I should have been protecting her.
The soldier's blade began its downward swing.
I transformed. Didn't think. Didn't calculate. Just moved.
Launched across the courtyard. Faster than I'd ever flown. Crashed into the soldier with all my dragon weight.
He flew backward. Didn't get up.
I stood over Elara and Lily. Roared at the remaining soldiers. They ran.
Behind me, I felt Queen Morgana's magic building. Preparing to strike. Preparing to kill me while my back was turned.
I didn't care. I'd made my choice.
"DRAKON, WATCH OUT!" Thorne's voice shouted.
A wall of ice appeared behind me. Faye's magic. She'd woken up. Barely conscious but fighting.
The ice blocked Queen Morgana's spell.
"RETREAT!" Queen Morgana screamed at her forces. "FALL BACK! REGROUP AT THE SOUTHERN GATE!"
Her army obeyed. Pulled back. Left the courtyard.
We'd won. For now. But it was temporary. She'd attack again.
I transformed. Became human. Knelt beside Elara and Lily.
"Are you hurt?" My hands checked them frantically.
"We're okay," Elara gasped. "Thanks to you."
"Lily?" I looked at the brave little girl. "Can you stand?"
"I think so." She sat up slowly. "That was so cool! You saved us!"
"Some hero," I muttered. "Almost let you both die."
"But you didn't," Elara said quietly. "You chose us. Even though the kingdom needs you."
I met her eyes. Saw truth there. Saw love. Saw everything I'd been too hurt to see before.
"I'll always choose you," I admitted. "Even when I shouldn't. Even when it costs me everything."
The golden thread between us pulsed. Warmed. Both of us felt it.
"We need to get you to safety," I said. "Both of you."
I transformed. Let them climb onto my back. Flew them to the highest tower.
The safest place in the castle.
When we landed, I transformed again. Set Lily down gently.
Then looked at Elara.
"This doesn't mean I forgive you," I said.
"I know," she said quietly.
"I'm still angry. Still hurt. Still don't know if I can trust you."
"I know that too."
"But..." I struggled with the words. "I need every fighter. Every person who can help defend this castle. And you know Queen Morgana's tactics. You spent time in her palace. You know how she thinks."
Elara's eyes widened. "You want my help?"
"I need your help." The admission hurt. "Will you fight with us? Will you help defend Drakenmoor?"
"Yes." No hesitation. "I'll do whatever you need. Whatever helps fix what I broke."
"Good." I turned to leave. "Stay here until I send for you. Rest. Recover. Then meet me in the war room. We need to plan."
"Drakon," Elara called.
I looked back.
"Thank you. For saving us. For giving me this chance."
"Don't thank me yet. If we lose this war, we all die anyway. Including you."
"Then I guess we'd better win."
I almost smiled. "I guess we'd better."
I flew back to the battle. Back to my commanders. Back to the impossible task of winning an unwinnable war.
But something had changed. The emptiness where the bond used to be felt less empty. The golden thread pulsed stronger.
Hope. I felt hope.
Maybe we couldn't win this war. Maybe Queen Morgana's forces were too strong. Maybe we were all doomed.
But at least I'd be fighting beside my true mate.
Even if she was complicated and infuriating and had broken my heart.
Even if I didn't fully forgive her yet.
Even if everything was still damaged and uncertain.
At least we'd face the end together.
That had to count for something.
I landed in the inner courtyard. Transformed. Faced my commanders.
"Status report," I demanded.
"Southern wall is completely breached," Thorne said grimly. "Eastern gate is holding but barely. We've lost forty soldiers. Another sixty wounded."
"And the enemy?"
"At least three hundred dead. But they have thousands more. They're regrouping for another assault. We have maybe an hour before they attack again."
"Then we use that hour wisely." I looked around at my commanders. "New strategy. We're going to use our enemy's tactics against them. Fight smarter, not harder."
"How?" Thorne asked.
"With inside information. With someone who knows Queen Morgana's plans and strategies." I took a deep breath. "I'm bringing Elara to the war council. She's going to help us."
Shocked silence. Several commanders looked furious.
"The traitor?" one spat. "You're trusting the woman who gave them our defense maps?"
"I'm trusting the woman who just threw herself in front of a sword to protect her sister," I said firmly. "The woman who's been making impossible choices. The woman whose love has been proven real by magic itself."
"But she..."
"She made mistakes. Terrible mistakes. But right now, she's our best chance at survival." My voice hardened. "Anyone who disagrees can leave. But I'm the king. This is my decision."
No one left. But several looked unhappy.
"Good. Thorne, bring Elara to the war room. We have work to do."
Thorne left reluctantly.
I stared at the maps spread across my table. At the evidence of our desperate situation.
We were losing. Badly. We needed a miracle.
Maybe Elara could provide one.
Or maybe we'd all die together.
Either way, I'd made my choice.
I chose her. Chose love. Chose hope.
Even if it destroyed me again.
The door opened. Thorne returned with Elara.
She looked at me. At the commanders. At the maps.
"Tell us everything," I said. "Every tactic. Every strategy. Every piece of information that might help us survive."
Elara stepped forward. Began speaking.
And for the first time in hours, I felt like maybe, just maybe we had a chance.