CHAPTER 33: THE GATHERING STORM

The air in the council chamber was thick with tension. Evelynn stood near the massive oak table, her hands braced against the polished surface as she listened to the voices around her. The revelation of Lucien's betrayal had fractured what little trust remained among them, and now, every decision felt like walking through a battlefield littered with unseen traps.

Darius paced along the length of the chamber, his jaw clenched so tightly that Evelynn feared he might shatter his teeth. His silence was more dangerous than his anger, and when he finally spoke, his voice was like steel scraping against stone.

"We have fought too hard and lost too much to let treachery fester within our walls. If Lucien has truly betrayed us, then he will answer for it."

Selene, ever the shadow lurking in the background, folded her arms. "And yet, there are still some among us who doubt the proof laid before them."

Evelynn glanced toward the older councilors, their faces weary and uncertain. These were men who had known Lucien for years, and who had fought beside him. To accept that he had turned against them was akin to admitting their failure in judgment.

One of them, Lord Roderic, exhaled heavily. "Lucien has been our ally through every battle. He has saved countless lives, including yours, Darius. Are we to believe he would throw all of that away?"

Selene's eyes glinted dangerously. "Belief has nothing to do with it. The letters we found are in his hand. The secret meetings, the messages intercepted before they reached Kael's camp-how much more proof do you need?"

Darius ran a hand over his face. "Where is he now?"

A tense pause followed before a soldier stepped forward. "He's in the lower barracks. Under guard."

Evelynn's stomach twisted. They had locked Lucien away like a common criminal, and yet a part of her still hoped that this was all a terrible mistake. That somehow, some way, he would have an explanation that made sense.

Darius turned toward her. "Evelynn, I need you to speak to him."

She blinked. "Me?"

"You've always been the voice of reason, the one who sees things clearly when the rest of us are blinded by emotion." His expression was grim. "If there's even the smallest chance that this is a misunderstanding, I want to know before we pass judgment."

Evelynn swallowed hard. She wanted to refuse, to let someone else bear the weight of this responsibility, but she knew she couldn't. So she nodded and made her way toward the barracks, each step heavier than the last.

Lucien sat on the edge of the cot, his wrists bound in iron shackles. His face was unreadable as he watched Evelynn step into the dimly lit cell, the torchlight casting flickering shadows across the stone walls.

"You came," he said quietly.

Evelynn folded her arms. "I need to hear it from you, Lucien. Did you betray us?"

He let out a slow breath. "If I tell you I didn't, would you believe me?"

She hesitated. "The evidence says otherwise."

His lips twisted into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Evidence can be manufactured. Words can be twisted."

Evelynn narrowed her eyes. "Then tell me the truth. Tell me why your seal was on those messages. Why did you handwrite those letters? Tell me why we found proof that you were feeding Kael information."

Lucien was silent for a long moment before he leaned forward, his voice barely above a whisper. "Because someone wanted you to find them."

A chill ran down Evelynn's spine. "What are you saying?"

"That I'm being framed." His jaw tightened. "I swear to you, Evelynn, I have never betrayed Darius or this kingdom. But someone wants me gone. Someone powerful enough to orchestrate all of this."

Evelynn's mind raced. Could it be possible? The thought that they might be condemning an innocent man sent a wave of nausea through her.

"If you're telling the truth," she said slowly, "then who is behind this?"

Lucien exhaled sharply. "That's what I need you to find out."

The council reconvened before dawn, their expressions grim. Darius stood at the head of the table, his hands resting on the hilt of his sword.

Evelynn stepped forward. "Lucien claims he is being framed."

Murmurs spread through the chamber. Lord Roderic looked skeptical. "And you believe him?"

"I believe that something doesn't add up," she admitted. "If we execute him now, without being certain, we may be playing into our true enemy's hands."

Selene arched a brow. "And if he's lying? If he is the traitor?"

Darius's voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. "Then we deal with him accordingly."

Silence settled over the room. Finally, Darius straightened. "We will investigate further. But until then, Lucien remains imprisoned."

The decision was made, but Evelynn knew that time was running out. If Lucien was innocent, then the real traitor was still among them they were running out of time to find them.

That night, Evelynn met Selene in the corridors leading to the spy's hidden network beneath the castle. They moved quickly and quietly, slipping past guards and disappearing into the darkened tunnels.

Selene led the way into a candlelit chamber lined with maps and coded documents. "If Lucien is telling the truth," she said, "then someone else has been leaking our plans to Kael. And they've been careful enough to pin it on him."

Evelynn scanned the scattered papers. "Do we have any leads?"

Selene sighed. "There was a message intercepted two nights ago. It contained troop movements that Lucien had no way of knowing. Which means whoever sent it has access to information he never did."

Evelynn frowned. "Then we need to find out who had access to that information."

Selene nodded. "And fast. Because if we don't, we might just be sending the wrong man to his death."

Morning came with an eerie stillness. Evelynn watched from the castle walls as the sun bled into the horizon, painting the sky in hues of crimson and gold.

She turned to Darius, who stood beside her, his eyes shadowed with exhaustion.

"We're close," she said. "I can feel it."

Darius nodded. "Then let's finish this. Before it's too late."

The storm was coming. And they would be ready.