THE DRAGON'S LAIR

stretched lazily

ed forward, their cloaks f

entered last nigh

dly unaffected by the tension around them. Yet bene

lances from strangers, and a sen

on the note they had received

u must choose your

ad se

Her mind raced through possibi

from her thoughts. His brow furrowed with concern. "Staying

ht, Rowan. But we can't leave withou

be allies-o

idered her words. "I don't trust

eyes narrowing. "Let's see wha

rough the village

lined the streets. Seraphina's senses were on high alert, ever

is hand never straying too f

l tavern, a figure caugh

h a tattered hood. There was something about her-something fami

cing blue eyes meeting Seraphina's in

?" the old woman said, her voice rough but la

. Rowan stepped forward, his stance pro

not me you need to worry about, young knight. But beware,

o you know something about th

deliberate, and motioned for them to follow her. Seraphina hesitated, but somethi

narrow alleyway and into a

and the floor creake

in a corner, casting flick

ow. "I see things most cannot. And what I see for you,

fened. "Who wi

eek the rebellion, but the rebellion seeks you, too. T

his sword. "Enough riddl

cked to Rowan, then

wish to overthrow the king and those who wish to replace him with another

t their task was even more dangerous than she had realized. S

note?" Serap

r, is for you to discover. But know this: not everyone who

ind. She had known that the path ahead was fraught with peril,

e woman turned and disappeared into the s

th. "I don't like this, Ser

from this, Rowan. If the rebellion is as divided as she says, we need

He knew as well as she did that their mission was too

eeling that they were being watched. Her hand instinctively went to the dagger hi

blocking their path. It was a young man, no old

re was a sharpness in his eyes that ma

sing his hands in a gesture of

?" Seraphina asked, he

eaking. "I have information. About the re

nce with Rowan, her insti

e of desperation, and something told her t

she said, her vo

gh the winding streets, finally stopping in a sma

ck his hood, revealing a face

ice low. "And I'm part of the rebe

s narrowed. "Wh

that doesn't want to free Eldoria. They want to seize power for

ng suddenly made sense. The rebellion wasn't just fighti

his voice sharp. "Why

se I want to see Eldoria free. And right now,

m for a long moment,

but one thing was clear: they were now entangled in a web of secrets, lies, a

et with determination. "We mov

certain, but there wa

new that only by navigating the treacherous world o

arefully, and the

king it hard to fully gauge his intentions. Seraphina watched

rough the layers of truth and deceit hidde

d, breaking the silence. "Why ar

ce of the cellar as if he feared being ove

been asking questions, and the rebellion is

of you yet. Some see you as an

ance with Rowan, who rem

eady to act at a moment's notice. She could tell he

ry they couldn't

aphina asked, her voice sharp. "Do you

a chance," he said slowly. "A chance to stop the f

ia will simply trade o

ebellion wasn't as unified as it seemed, but thi

ion to restore balance to Eldoria, but now, it seemed th

?" Rowan asked, his voi

asy. "A man nam

overthrow the king, but his real goa

liminated several key members o

, then they weren't just up against the king-they were f

ame, and they were c

Rowan pressed. "What d

Vennick. He's planning something big, something tha

can stop him befo

l for a long moment,

ed genuine, and his knowledge of the rebellio

raphina said cautiously. "What

, lowering his voic

g in secret to discuss their next move. If you can get there, if you can

Rowan asked, his eyes narrowing. "Why

I'm not loyal to him, and if I show my face at that meeting, I won

hest. Infiltrating a secret meeting of a power-hu

ge o

hoice did

ation if they were to n

ina said, her voice firm. "Where'

oposal. "I'll provide everything you need. The meeting is being

ay in-through the servants' entrance

raphina a ske

a trap," he mutter

opportunity to gather critical info

ime to prepar

word, Kael. If you truly want our hel

iffened

near the eastern gate," Ser

confirms what you've told us, we'll consider w

s face tense. "

ped out of the cellar, leaving Seraphina and Rowan alone in the dim

ut intense. "This is too dangerous, Seraphina. We barely kn

s the weight of their situation pressed

lion that's planning to take over, we need to know about it. And if K

vident. "And what if it's a trap? What

same determination that had carried her through c

ent before nodding reluctantly. "J

miled faint

bilities that lay ahead. The rebellion, Lord Vennick, Kael's mysterious warning-it all

lion was no longer a simple ally, but a fractured, treacherous force with i

ver the village, Seraphina felt the weight of r

yranny, but now it seemed that even those

rrow, they would decide whether to take the ne

ve. The road ahead was uncertain, but she had faced worse odds bef