CHAPTER 16: THE STORM BEFORE THE BATTLE

Evelynn stood on the castle's grand balcony, her fingers gripping the cool stone railing as she gazed into the darkened horizon. The scent of rain hung thick in the air, mixing with the distant smoke from torches lining the fortress walls. A faint rumble of thunder echoed through the mountains, a reminder of the impending storm. Yet, the true storm brewed within her—fierce, untamed, and riddled with uncertainty.

Below, soldiers patrolled the castle grounds, their polished armor glinting under flickering torchlight. The tension was suffocating, a silent promise of war that loomed just beyond the borders. The enemy was coming. It was only a matter of time.

Darius had left before dawn, leading a force to scout the outer borders. She had wanted to go with him, had insisted, but he forbade it. His golden eyes had been unreadable, but something had lurked beneath his firm refusal. Was it protectiveness? Fear? Or something even deeper—something neither of them dared to name?

A gust of wind swept through, tangling her loose strands of hair, and pulling her deeper into thought. She had begun to see him differently over time—to understand the man behind the title of Dragon Lord. And yet, doubt still gnawed at her. Was she a prisoner, a pawn in this game of thrones? Or was she something more?

"You think too much," came a voice from behind her.

Evelynn turned sharply. Seraphina, the High Priestess, stood in the doorway, draped in her crimson robes. Her pale silver hair shimmered eerily in the dim torchlight, and her piercing eyes held an unsettling knowingness.

"I am his wife," Evelynn said, guarded.

"A wife with no chains, yet no freedom either," Seraphina mused as she stepped closer. "Do you truly believe this war is about the throne?"

Evelynn frowned, arms crossing over her chest. "If not the throne, then what?"

Seraphina exhaled softly, the sound laced with an emotion Evelynn could not quite place. "You."

A chill ran down Evelynn's spine.

"The curse binds you to Darius, but it also makes you the greatest threat to those who oppose him," Seraphina continued. "The rival kingdom does not simply want Darius dead. They want to claim you, to twist the prophecy in their favor."

Evelynn's breath hitched. She had known she was important—an integral part of Darius's rule—but not to this extent. Not enough to be the cause of war.

"Then I must fight," she said firmly. "I won't let them take me."

Seraphina's lips curled into a small smile, but there was something almost sorrowful in her gaze. "Courage is a fine thing, my lady, but destiny does not care for bravery. Be careful whom you trust."

Before Evelynn could respond, a sharp horn blast shattered the night's silence.

The attack had begun.

The fortress trembled as catapults launched flaming projectiles into the sky. A cacophony of battle cries, clashing steel, and the guttural roars of war beasts filled the air. The scent of burning wood and ash choked the night as the enemy descended upon the castle like a swarm of locusts.

Evelynn's heart pounded as she turned and sprinted down the castle corridors. She barely noticed the silk hem of her gown dragging along the cold stone floor; there was no time for caution, no time for fear. She needed to reach the war room.

By the time she burst through the heavy wooden doors, the chamber was already filled with tension. General Thorne stood at the large battle map, issuing commands to the gathered warriors.

"The enemy approaches from the east," he barked. "They are using wyvern riders to breach our defenses. Our archers must—"

The double doors swung open again, this time with force. Darius stormed inside, his black and gold armor slick with rain. His presence dominated the room instantly, his golden eyes scanning until they locked onto Evelynn. A storm raged within them.

"You shouldn't be here," he growled, striding toward her.

"And you shouldn't have left me behind," she shot back, standing her ground.

For a moment, something flickered across his gaze—pride, perhaps? But there was no time to dwell on it.

"We don't have enough men to hold the east wall," Thorne interjected. "We need reinforcements, or we'll be overrun within the hour."

Darius clenched his jaw. "Then I'll go myself."

"No," Evelynn said sharply, grabbing his wrist. "You can't."

"I must." His voice softened, but his resolve did not waver. "If I don't, we lose everything."

Desperation flared within her. "Then let me fight beside you."

His golden eyes bore into hers, dark with something she could not name. "No."

She opened her mouth to argue, but before she could, a deafening explosion shook the castle. The walls trembled violently, dust cascading from the ceiling as distant screams erupted from the courtyard.

The enemy was inside.

Darius didn't hesitate. He turned sharply to his men. "Hold the gates. We make our stand here."

Then, he turned back to Evelynn. His hand, rough with callouses, cupped her cheek—lingering for a heartbeat too long. "Stay alive," he whispered before disappearing into the chaos.

Evelynn stood frozen, her heart a maelstrom of emotions. But she knew one thing for certain—she would not stand idly by while the kingdom burned.

She would fight.

She would survive.

A soldier burst into the room, face streaked with dirt and blood. "They've breached the eastern wall! We need reinforcements now!"

Evelynn didn't hesitate. She turned on her heel and ran. She knew the armory like the back of her hand, and within moments, she had shed her silken gown for fitted battle attire. She strapped a dagger to her thigh and secured a sword to her waist before dashing toward the fray.

By the time she reached the eastern battlements, the scene was chaos. Flames licked at the stone walls, arrows rained from above, and wyverns swooped low, tearing through soldiers with razor-sharp claws. The air was thick with the scent of death and destruction.

A warrior lunged at her—a man clad in the enemy's dark armor. Evelynn reacted on instinct. She ducked beneath his blade, pivoted, and drove her sword into his side. He let out a gurgled cry before collapsing.

Her hands trembled, but she steeled herself. There was no room for hesitation.

A familiar roar echoed above her, and her gaze snapped upward. Darius was atop his mighty dragon, cutting through the battlefield with terrifying precision. Fire spewed from the beast's maw, incinerating enemy forces as Darius fought like a demon from legend.

But he was only one man.

And this battle was far from over.

Evelynn turned and raised her sword.

This was her kingdom too.

And she would not let it fall.

The night stretched on, endless and unforgiving. But Evelynn did not falter. With every enemy she struck down, with every scream that echoed around her, she carved her place in the war that had sought to claim her as a pawn.

She was no one's pawn.

She was fire.

And she would burn away the darkness before it consumed them all.