Chapter 14: Treason at Dawn

Before sunrise, the war chamber simmered with tension.

Damian leaned over the central map, palms pressed flat against the frozen surface. His voice was low, sharp.

“We march south at noon. Three legions. Frostclad, Iceborn, and my personal guard. If we strike Caelen’s Spine before Varrick regroups, we end this war in one blow.”

“No,” Katherine said.

All heads turned toward her.

She stood tall, arms crossed, eyes steady. “Marching with banners and horns will kill more civilians than enemies. You’ll give Varrick what he wants—evidence that the north is the monster.”

Damian’s jaw tightened. “And if we wait, he’ll torch the rest of the proof and vanish.”

“We won’t wait,” she said. “We strike. But *surgically*.”

He frowned. “You’re talking about a strike team.”

“Yes,” Katherine replied. “Infiltration. I lead it. Small unit. Quiet entry. We retrieve the remaining ledgers and expose him before he spins another narrative.”

A beat of silence.