The day of the meeting arrived. I gathered the team, everyone except Yuri, who had prior commitments and agreed for the meeting and said that he's waiting for an update.
"I'm going to meet Kevin," I told them. "I don't know what he wants or what will happen."
Crimzo scratched his head. "Could be a trap. We should come with you, stay in the back atleast."
Sophia and Andrew both nodded in agreement, their expressions serious.
I shook my head. "No. We can't all leave the camp. I need to see what this is about on my own."
Lauren tilted her head slightly. "I can come," she said. "With my tracking skills, I'll be useful for you and going with a company will be better than nothing."
She's right; her tracking skills and instincts could be advantageous if things go sideways.
I gave her a nod. "Alright. You're coming with me."
A small smile appeared on her lips; she was excited.
With that, we left the camp early in the morning, riding toward the meeting location. The air was crisp, and the road stretched ahead, leading us toward the unknown challenges that awaited.
By the time we arrived, it was midday. The sun was high in the sky, with no clouds in sight, yet the air carried a sharp coldness. The forest stretched around us with tall trees, thick trunks, their bare branches swaying slightly in the wind. It was a familiar place; one I came to whenever I needed to be alone.
We tied the horses to a tree. I leaned against the rough bark of an old oak, letting its shadow cool me as I sat down. Lauren sat beside me, gazing at the vast stretch of trees.
"This place is beautiful..." she murmured. "I really like it."
I nodded. "I come here sometimes to relax and take a break."
Lauren grinned. "Oh, is that so? I have a special place too. I should take you guys there too, okay!"
I nodded slightly; my eyes focused on the forest horizon. Time passed as I watched. Then we heard the sound of hooves in the distance. Two figures approached, their cloaks flapping in the wind. As they drew closer, I recognized the first figure instantly; it was Kevin.
But wait a second, the person beside him is... Lily?!
Lauren stood up. "Finally, he's here, I thought I will wait forever."
The horses slowed to a stop, and both of them dismounted. Lily's gaze flickered between me and Lauren.
Kevin stepped forward first, his voice steady. "Roy. I've been wanting to meet you for a while."
I exhaled slowly, keeping my tone neutral. "Here we are."
Then Kevin turned to Lauren and introduced himself properly, before gesturing toward his sister. "And this is Lily."
I tried not to meet her gaze, but I could feel it; she was looking at Lauren in a curious way.
Kevin didn't waste time. "I know this is strange, but I'll get directly to the point… I need your help."
I narrowed my eyes slightly. "My help?"
"Yes, I know you maybe can't trust me, but I will let you believe me." he replied.
He didn't hesitate for second. In a calm voice, Kevin laid everything out, first the truth about his father, then about the arranged marriage of his sister, after that the plan to merge the empires to start a war. He also spoke about the unknown third party, the force who attacked them during the trade, and said that their men and spies were in his castle.
Now I understood. So that's why Lily looked so miserable that day. It all made sense now.
Kevin exhaled. "I need your help to remove my father from the throne. And to find out who's pulling the strings from the shadows." He's eyes darkened. "Even if it means killing him..."
Lauren, beside me, looks completely lost... too much information all at once. But for him to be ready to kill his father... That's definitely not easy to handle. However, how can I trust this guy, after coming all the way here, telling me all this secrets, and after what happened in the trade.
Then, Lily said. "Roy, we need someone from Devotion to help us, and you're the only one who can do it." Her voice is steady, but there is something deeper beneath it. "You want to prevent war and bloodshed like we want... right?"
This might be part of a bigger trap. I don't know if I should trust them yet. But if it's true... I can't ignore it. I guess I have no choice but to believe what they're saying.
"I've seen what my father wants to do, Roy," she said, her voice trembling. "If we don't stop him now… we'll lose all hope of stopping the war."
I finally meet her gazes, and the reality of it all hit me.
It isn't just about them; it isn't just about Drayton. If what they are saying is true, this could pull the entire world into chaos. And yet… I can't just tell my empire about this either.
I exhaled. "How exactly do you want my help?"
Kevin doesn't hesitate. "I want you to come to the castle with me first."
I scoff. "That's suicide."
"We'll make sure you're hidden; don't worry I know a lot of trusted men there." Kevin assures me. "Everything is prepared. I need you to find the spies from your empire first. My father will find them, it's just a matter of time, after that he will use them as an excuse to ignite the war. And…" His eyes darken. "We need to find out who's working in the shadows, you can help me with this."
That is… a lot.
But again, if he's right, this could prevent something even worse.
I glanced at Lauren, who still looked overwhelmed, but when she saw my expression, she doesn't talk.
After a moment, I make my decision. "I'll send a letter to the King of Devotion, telling him that Lauren and I are going to Drayton for an infiltration and surveillance mission. If he agrees, I'll come. But for now, I can't promise you anything."
Lauren's head snaped toward me, eyes wide, but there is something else there, excitement.
Kevin gave a small, satisfied smile. "That's acceptable for me, I will wait for your response."
Lily, however, still hasn't stopped staring at Lauren, with a curious look, like she just doesn't want her presence here.
Whatever, I straightened. "I'll send you my words once I get a response."
Kevin nodded. "I'll wait for you."
With that, we all return to our horses. As we ride back, I turn to Lauren.
"Andrew would never let me go," I muttered.
"Lauren," I said quietly. "I want this to stay between us. No one else should know that, even Andrew." If anyone know that, they will worry a lot, especially Andrew. Maybe I will only talk with Yuri about this.
She smirks, placing a hand over her heart. "Your secret is in a saaaafe place. But what are you going to tell them."
I replied. "That we're going to find who's working in the shadow."
She grinned. "Ohh, so you're not going to lie."
"Exactly, but I'm not going to say that we're gonna remove or kill the king, they will just get worried, and they're not going to agree with that." I admitted.
She chuckled. "Okay, I don't care because I'm going with you anyway."