Dawn came too quickly. I woke to find Kael already dressed in full battle armor, checking weapons with the focused intensity he brought to combat. He looked better—stronger, his color good, his movements steady. The night's rest had done him considerable good.
"You're supposed to stay safe and visible, remember? Not gear up for war," I said, sitting up.
"I'm staying visible. Visibly armed and ready to fight if Daemon's people try anything during the arrests." He tested the weight of his sword. "Besides, armor makes a statement. Shows I'm not afraid, that I'm ready for whatever comes."
"It also makes you look paranoid."
"Good. Paranoia keeps you alive in situations like this." He turned to face me. "Captain Thorne is gathering forces now. Arrests begin in one hour. Are you ready?"
Was I? Ready to potentially start a civil war by arresting thirty people simultaneously? Ready to accuse servants and guards of treason and hope we had our facts right? Ready to watch people be dragged from their beds and thrown in dungeons?
"No," I admitted. "But we're doing it anyway."
I dressed quickly, choosing practical clothing rather than formal gowns. If things went badly, I needed to be able to move and fight, not trip over elaborate skirts. Mira helped me strap on the various weapons I'd accumulated—knives in boots and sleeves, the spelled dagger at my thigh, even a small crossbow that could be concealed under my cloak.
"You look like you're preparing for battle," Mira observed.
"Because I am. Just a different kind than Kael's used to." I checked my reflection, barely recognizing the armed woman staring back. "How did I become this person?"
"By refusing to die when people tried to kill you. By choosing to fight instead of accepting victimhood." Mira smiled. "I'm proud of you, you know. The girl from Eldoria would never have believed she could become this."
"The girl from Eldoria is dead. I killed her the day I married Kael." It wasn't said with regret, just acknowledgment. "This is who I am now."
Captain Thorne arrived precisely on schedule, his expression grim. "Everything's in position. Guards are standing by at each target location. The King has authorized the use of force if anyone resists, but we're to prioritize taking them alive. We move on your signal, Princess."
My signal. Because somehow, I'd become the person making these decisions. The foreign princess who'd arrived weeks ago as a political pawn was now coordinating mass arrests and military operations.
Life was strange.
"Let's go," I said, projecting confidence I didn't entirely feel. "And Captain? If anything goes wrong, if this is a trap or if we've miscalculated, get Kael out safely. That's your priority."
"Like hell it is," Kael protested. "If things go wrong, we both get out or neither of us does. I'm not leaving you—"
"You're the heir to the throne. I'm replaceable. You're not." I held up my hand before he could argue. "That's not self-deprecation, that's strategic reality. Shadowmere needs you. It doesn't need me."
"I need you. That's what matters."
"Then stay alive so you can keep needing me. Now can we please go arrest some traitors before I lose my nerve entirely?"
We moved through the castle in formation—Kael and I at the center, surrounded by Captain Thorne's most trusted guards, with additional forces positioned at key points throughout the building. The plan was elegant in its simplicity: simultaneous strikes at all thirty targets, quick overwhelming force, minimal chance for warning to spread.
If it worked, we'd cripple Daemon's network in one stroke. If it failed, we'd alert every conspirator in the kingdom and make ourselves sitting targets.
We reached the guard station that Captain Thorne had converted into a command center. Maps covered the walls, each target location marked, each assault team assigned. King Aldric was already there, looking older than I'd ever seen him but determined.
"All teams report ready," he said without preamble. "We're waiting on your signal to proceed."
I looked at the maps, at the names and locations, at all the lives we were about to disrupt. Some of these people might be innocent, caught up in conspiracy through coercion or ignorance. Others were genuine threats who'd willingly worked to destabilize the kingdom.
We wouldn't know which until after the arrests.
"Send the signal," I said, my voice steady. "Begin the operation."
Captain Thorne gave a sharp nod and stepped to the window, raising a colored flag that could be seen from multiple points in the castle. The signal rippled outward as guards stationed throughout the building repeated it, each team confirming they'd received the order.
And then we waited.
Time stretched impossibly long. I counted seconds in my head, imagining what was happening throughout the castle. Guards breaking down doors, confusion and terror from those being arrested, potential fights if anyone resisted. In my mind, I saw dozens of scenarios, most of them violent.
"First team reporting," a guard called out, reading a message that had just arrived. "Target secured without incident. One male servant, taken into custody."
"Second team reporting. Two targets secured. Minor resistance, no injuries."
"Third team. Target fled. Pursuit in progress."
My heart jumped at that last report. Someone had been warned or had exceptional instincts. Either way, we had a runner, which meant potential problems.
"Which target?" I asked.
"Marcus Ashwood. Minor noble, suspected of passing messages between conspirators." Captain Thorne checked his notes. "He's young, athletic. Could be difficult to catch."
"Send additional forces. Block all exits from the castle. If he gets out, he'll warn Daemon immediately." I moved to the map, tracing likely escape routes. "He'll head for the stables. That's the fastest way out."
"I'll handle it personally," Kael said, already moving toward the door.
"No. You stay here where it's secure. I'll go." I grabbed my cloak. "Captain, assign me three guards and meet me at the stables."
"Princess, that's not—"
"Not up for debate. Kael needs to stay visible and protected. I need to stop that runner before he reaches a horse." I was already moving, not giving anyone time to argue.
I heard Kael swear behind me, heard him giving orders to Captain Thorne, but I didn't stop. The stables were on the far side of the castle, a good five-minute run even taking the fastest route. Marcus had a head start, but I knew shortcuts he might not.
Three guards caught up with me as I ran, their longer legs letting them keep pace easily. We burst through a servant's door, across a courtyard, down a narrow corridor that most nobles never used. My lungs burned and my legs ached, but I pushed harder.
We emerged near the stables to find chaos. Horses neighing in distress, stable hands shouting, and Marcus Ashwood fighting viciously with two guards who'd managed to intercept him. He was good—well-trained, using both sword and dagger to keep his attackers at bay while moving steadily toward a saddled horse.
"Block his path to the horses!" I shouted to my guards.
They moved to obey, but Marcus was faster. He ducked under a guard's swing, kicked another in the knee with bone-crunching force, and made a desperate lunge for the saddled mount.
He almost made it. His hand caught the reins, his foot found the stirrup. In seconds, he'd be mounted and riding for the gates.
I didn't think. I just acted. Drew the small crossbow from under my cloak, aimed, and fired.
The bolt caught Marcus in the shoulder, spinning him away from the horse with a scream of pain. He hit the ground hard, his sword skittering away across the cobblestones.
Guards were on him immediately, subduing him before he could recover. One kicked away his dagger while another pressed him face-down into the dirt, wrenching his arms behind his back.
I approached slowly, the crossbow still ready in case he tried something desperate. "Marcus Ashwood, you're under arrest for conspiracy, treason, and attempted assassination of Prince Kael. Do you have anything to say?"
He turned his head to glare at me, blood running from his mouth where he'd bitten his tongue in the fall. "You're dead. All of you are dead. Daemon is coming, and when he does, everyone who stood against him will burn."
"I'll take that as a confession. Guards, take him to the dungeons. Get a healer for his shoulder, but keep him secured and isolated. I want no chance of him communicating with anyone."
They dragged him away, still spitting threats and curses. I lowered the crossbow with shaking hands, adrenaline making my whole body tremble.
"That was incredible shooting, Princess," one of the guards said. "I didn't even know you could use a crossbow."
"Neither did I," I admitted. "That was literally my first time. I was aiming for his leg."