The Broken Crown

A Destiny of Darkness

At the break of dawn on the third day I had received news of the business between the mages and River having been completed. My mind had wrapped itself around the news faster than I had anticipated as I threw myself from my bed and into the cold hallway as my bare feet pushed across the wooden floors untouched from the rising sun. What news I had been given was only a piece of the puzzle, for when I arrived at the isolated hallway and saw the mages gathered around, I became confused as to the news Brie had delivered to me. Her tone was that of excitement and relief, while the mages I watched converse seemed deeply concerned with what had taken place in that dreaded room. 

It was in those split seconds which felt like an eternity in which I watched my uncle turn to me, the glance he offered sending my stomach into a fit of knots as I tried to calm myself down. Funny how quickly your day can begin with such joyous news, only to turn bitter within a split second. 

"We do not have much long. Keva's forces are only increasing on the eastern shore. If we hold back and do not attack, she will know something is in the works here," Mathis argues against Finch, the two staring down one another from across the room as tensions are high. Stakes are high right now in these volatile times - a moment like this proving the chances we are all up against. 

"If we attack Keva's armies on the eastern shore, how many men would it take? Honestly, Mathis, we could take them on. We could all spare men to go and fight, to suppress any suspicions Keva may have about what we are planning here-"

"We would be sending those men to their deaths," I cut off Alpha Emmitt, glancing towards the bitter alphas. Still holding grudges against the unfair death of Alpha Penelope, the ruling on what should become of that pack, and still mourning the death of his family. His bitterness and grudges have turned him into a loose cannon at these meetings. "We cannot spare men in a moment like this to go and fight some battle with elves just to distract Keva. We have already increased the presence of troops on the territories of Alpha Yusuf and Finch...we cannot spare more men." 

Finley scoffs, rolling his shoulders back as he turns his gaze to me. "So nice to finally hear words from our future Queen Leala. Tell us, why so silent today?" 

"These are trying times, Finley, I am allowed to have feelings," I hiss, turning back to the central group of alphas as we try and figure this mess out. 

Chatter continues, arguments brought forth as voices are raised and nasty comments made to one another. We have begun to crumble, just as the Roman Empire had begun to. Yet we have to remain strong. We are only a mess today because of the news received this morning, threatening to throw our plans off enough for Keva to become suspicious of what we could be plotting. Suspicious that we could be finding a way in from within, causing new spells to be cast. 

"I vote we still go through with our plans - to attack Keva's palace within two days time at a maximum. We do not require River to be there when the mages cast their portals. Declan said they were successful in pulling the locations of powerful artifacts." 

"I agree. River is just one piece of the puzzle, but he has no men to lead into battle. He is no Alpha by formal reasons - an alpha without a pack is no alpha. We can make do without such a man," Finch agrees with Mathis, the two of them contempt with the conclusions they have pulled. 

Finley glances to Yusuf and Emmitt, awaiting their own remarks as he already knows what I will say. "River will be weakened if we force him to fight in these next two days. He will not be at his best even if we wait a week," Finley comments. "We would be merely waiting for a tour guide." 

I watch as Alpha Emmitt looks around the room, analyzing the faces of those who narrow their eyes at him. "Alpha River was the man who became my ally. I supported him as my king before the times had changed. I still consider Alpha River a force we require on the battlefield and a very important piece of the puzzle."