Winter's Rebellion

Chapter 10: Frozen Whispers

Tristian's POV

I watch for a moment as Sir Adrian walks away after receiving my note to deliver to Princess Elara. An uneasy feeling churns in my stomach at the thought of him being the one to train her in my absence. There is an emotion it stirs within me that I cannot quite name. Though I do not wish for it to be him, I cannot deny that his skill with the sword is unparalleled.

I turn to face Sir Brynden, Sir Thaddeus, and Sir Alistar, all clad in dark hues to blend with the forest around us as we embark on our mission.

"Sir Tristian, I shall lead the way. We spotted them a bit northwest, trailing us from Aerlion," Sir Alistar says, and we follow him into the shadows of the forest.

We move deeper into the forest, the familiar sounds of the wilderness growing muted. Sir Alistar leads with confident strides, his hand hovering near the hilt of his sword. Sir Brynden and Sir Thaddeus flank me, their eyes scanning our surroundings with vigilance. After an hour of travel, we spot the Malorian camp. Sir Alistar raises his hand, signaling for us to halt. He crouches low, and we follow suit.

Through the sparse cover of trees, six Malorian knights, clad in dark armor, sit around a campfire, their breath visible in the cold air as they converse. We inch closer, careful to remain hidden in the underbrush. Their voices become clearer as we draw near, and I strain to catch fragments of their conversation.

"The Prince's raven came in earlier. They have no idea where the Dragon's Eye is, ever since it fell from the Princess during her first transformation. The Prince reported that he has it now," one of them murmurs. "If Malakar gets his hands on it, he'll be unstoppable—unless she learns to control her power first."

"Malakar's orders are clear," another soldier replies, his tone menacing. "Kill anyone who stands in our way, except for Sir Tristian, oddly enough. We need to separate the two. They won't expect our ambush along the path. The Prince informed us about their route to Valoria. We must capture the Princess at all costs."

A third soldier adds, lowering his voice, "The Prince intends to use the Dragon's Eye to forge a dark bond with the Princess. She cannot control her power, so manipulating her should be easy enough. And if necessary, he will force her to transform and do all the work for us."

My blood runs cold at their words. The Prince has the Dragon's Eye—the artifact that could bind her to that monster. I need to act quickly, but confronting the Malorian knights now would mean death.

I glance at Sir Alistar and the others, their eyes wide with the same realization. We exchange silent nods; it's time to retreat and regroup. Slowly, I begin to inch backward, motioning for the others to follow my lead. Every muscle in my body tenses, ready to spring into action if we're detected.

As we retreat, the forest seems to close in around us, the weight of the knights' words pressing heavily on my chest. The storm clouds overhead grow darker. We need to get back to camp—and, above all, find Elara before they do. If the Prince knows our route and has the Dragon's Eye, that can only mean one thing: he's among us. He's within my ranks.

A chill runs down my spine. I can no longer trust my own men—not until I discover who the Prince is hiding behind. My mind races, piecing together what we've just learned. The thought of Malakar using the Dragon's Eye to control Elara fills me with dread, but I push the fear aside. There's no time to dwell on it. I have to protect her, no matter the cost.

As we near our camp, the storm clouds overhead thicken, threatening to unleash their fury at any moment. I push myself harder, urgency burning in my veins. I am painfully aware of Sir Alistar, Sir Brynden, and Sir Thaddeus running alongside me, their loyalty now a shadowed question mark. Until I can root out the traitor, I must be vigilant. Trust no one, not even those closest to me.