Chapter 17 - Betrayal

As the morning light snuck in, Lilly already had a plan buzzing in her head. She glanced at Mia, who was out cold and adorable. Leaning over to her, she breathed gently into her ear, hoping to wake her up.

“Hrnl,” Mia mumbled eloquently as she put her hand to her ear.

Lilly thought of something that might wake her up and whispered with a grin, “Why do you look at my face while I’m sleeping?”

Mia’s eyes snapped open, and she looked just like she had when Gramps caught her stealing cookies many years ago. A slight bush was appearing on her cheeks. “How would you know if I did?”

Lilly couldn't help but smirk at Mia's feigned ignorance. “Myndia told me.”

“Myndia? You dreamt again?” Mia asked, happy to change the subject.

“Yeah, we had a talk about how to deal with Grandfather. Let’s get dressed and gather Gramps and Elly in here, I’d like to talk about it in the formation to be safe,” Lilly said as she was getting out of bed, reaching for her clothes.

Mia, now fully awake and intrigued, followed Lilly's lead. “She had a plan?”

“She did, and I think it’s doable not too far ahead in time. But I’ll explain later, I’ll go get Gramps. You shout for Elly to come.” Lilly undid the formation, now being at least modest, and headed downstairs to get Gramps.

Gathering everyone was a small task, and before long, everyone was securely inside the formation in Lilly’s bedroom.

“I met Myndia again, and told her about the clan and Grandfather,” Lilly started explaining, detailing the conversation she had in her dream. The rage and regret Myndia displayed was still fresh in her memory, making it easy to convey.

As she explained, everyone's expressions varied, with Mia mostly looking awed, Gramps looking severe, and Eolande looking worried. Eventually, Lilly concluded the explanation: “So as long as nothing unexpected happens, we have a way to take him down.”

Everyone turned to look at Eolande, knowing she has a long history with him. She was clearly conflicted, with knitted eyebrows and eyes looking at the floor.

“Elly, are you okay with that?” Lilly asked carefully. She understood that plotting the death of someone so integral to her life was difficult.

Eolande sighed and looked back at Lilly. “I can’t really say I’m okay with it… I’m not sure the world would be better off without him. But as long as he’s a threat to you, I guess it’s the best solution.”

“The world might be less peaceful without him, but if that peace costs innocent lives, then I don’t want it,” Lilly said resolutely. She hated thinking of the lives taken for the sake of peace, knowing some mastermind was orchestrating it.

‘Innocents die in war as well, of course, but then at least others have the chance to protect them,’ Lilly thought. “Isn’t that why you left in the first place, Elly?”

At first, Eolande hesitated, but then she gave a small nod. “You’re right. I just need to convince this stupid voice he put in my head that he’s terrible… But he’s extremely fast. How certain is Myndia that she can take him?”

“She seemed pretty confident, especially if we get the staff she was talking about. But I guess she will be the one deciding when we do it while considering my flame.”

“You better be sure, because everyone you love will be in extreme danger if he escapes.”

Lilly hesitated, but she believed Myndia was more than capable of judging the situation when the time came. “Considering the damage she was capable of when my flame was weak, I’m sure we’re in for a surprise.”

Gramps seemed tired. “All of this still seems unreal to me… I think we should make some preparations either way before attacking him. Mia, at least, should be protected and hidden first.”

Mia seemed touched by his care for her safety and smiled. “We’re both likely targets, Gramps. Capturing either one of us would have dangerous consequences for Lilly."

Lilly didn’t even want to imagine that. “You’ll both be protected for sure. But there’s still a while before my flame is strong enough for the attack, so we have time. Can we go to the quarry later today again, Elly?”

Eolande nodded. “Sure, I’ll take you as often as you want.”

“Then I declare this bedroom meeting adjourned. I’ll tell Selene about the king later, so we’re moving forward on that front as well.”

“I hope she won’t take it too hard,” Mia said, looking slightly worried.

Eolande shook her head gently. “Her value as a soldier is a large part of her identity, and it has been ever since she was young. It’s hard to imagine she won’t be deeply affected.”

Lilly was still not looking forward to it, but it had to be done. “Well, no point in delaying it. You ready to leave, Elly?”

“Of course, but you might want to dress up a bit more first. Even if the uniform is too much, I think the ‘prim and proper committee’ might faint if you arrive in a nightgown.”

Lilly laughed at the thought, momentarily tempted to go as is just for the reaction, but decided against it. “Fine, wait for me downstairs and I’ll be there soon.”

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Half an hour later, Lilly was sitting in her office again, waiting for her guest to arrive. Selene was expecting the summons since she was supposed to teach Lilly the ins and outs of being a Lady Protector, so it was an excellent cover to see her without raising suspicion.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Eolande, ever the faithful guard, stood by her side just in case Selene became violent. It was unlikely, seeing as they had both saved her life, but she didn’t want to take any chances.

“Any idea how you’re going to approach the subject?”

“I think just telling her will be for the best. You’ll probably have to help me convince her since you’re involved with the clan. I doubt she will believe me right away.”

“True, it will be a bitter pill to swallow. And it does sound rather crazy," Eolande agreed, understanding the challenge they faced.

Three polite yet firm knocks signaled Selene’s arrival. Lilly took a deep breath before telling her to come in, steeling herself mentally.

Selene looked as firm as ever, dressed in a neat uniform with pants. Her arm was still healing, bound in a large bandage to help the wound grow. “Selene, reporting for duty,” she said with a smile.

“Greetings, Selene. We won’t be teaching anything today, I’m afraid. I have other business to discuss. Please have a seat.” Lilly invited, gesturing towards a chair with a seriousness that belied the usual nature of their meetings.

Selene seemed curious as she walked over to have a seat. “Is there anything else you need my help with?” She sat straight, folding her arms, looking every bit like a professional soldier.

Lilly just silently activated the soundproofing of the room, which made Selene furrow her brows. “I have something to tell you, Selene. Something that needs to stay secret for now. I think it’s going to be tough to hear.”

“I think I can handle most things pretty well, Lilly. And I’m good at keeping secrets.”

“I hope you’re right… Okay, are you ready?” Lilly asked, still hesitating.

Selene smiled slightly while nodding, likely sensing Lilly’s hesitation.

“The attack on the city was orchestrated by the king.”

“That’s… very hard to believe, Lilly. Why would he do such a thing?” Her reaction indicated disbelief, as was expected.

“He wanted a group of assassins, the ones who attacked you, to infiltrate Dortfell by helping them in the attack and earning their trust.”

Selene’s brows furrowed deeper. “I don’t see why a king would sacrifice his people for such little gain. And how would you even know about this?”

“The king fears losing the war and likely thought sacrificing non-combatants for an advantage was a good idea. As for my knowledge, it all comes from Elly. She was part of that same clan of assassins a few centuries ago and went there to confront them.”

Selene’s brows had stopped furrowing and were now raised in mild shock instead. She looked, almost pleadingly, at Eolande. “There’s no way… That’s why you were gone after the attack?”

Eolande, with a severe and worried look, simply nodded.

As the reality sank in, Selene's defensive posture softened, her arms wrapping around herself as she processed the revelation. “But that… What about me?”

Lilly recognized the difficulty in accepting such a betrayal. “ I’m sorry, Selene. You were sacrificed as well to make the betrayal even more believable.”

Selene sat there for a moment before a sob broke through the silence. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, swiftly hidden by hands moving to cover her face. “But I’ve been so faithful! I’ve done everything they asked of me! Not once have I… And they betrayed me?”

Lilly was up on her feet after the first sob and was now wrapping her arms around Selene in a comforting embrace from behind. She couldn't imagine the sense of betrayal after faithfully serving someone for so long, only to be cast aside as a disposable pawn. “I’m sorry, Selene. We all were betrayed, but no one as much as you.”

Selene's anguish spilled out in her voice, “I thought I had failed my duties during the attack, I felt such shame! I thought I deserved to die!” Her shouts were filled with pain, and Lilly could feel them tearing into her own soul.

She could also feel Selene’s muscles bulging under her uniform, growing hard as steel. Thinking something was about to happen, she let go in a hurry.

Selene's reaction was visceral, a scream echoing through the room as she clenched her fists tightly, drawing blood. The intensity of her emotion was clear, yet she managed to restrain herself from causing any further damage.

Selene slowly got out of the chair and walked over to the couch. She chose to lie down on her side, facing the backrest. She continued crying, with the couch now muffling her voice.

Lilly looked at Eolande, who just shrugged lightly. “I think she needed to let some of that out," she whispered and gestured to Lilly to keep comforting her.

Lilly didn’t need to be asked twice. She still felt awful for Selene and wanted to do what she could to make her feel better. The couch wasn’t big enough for the both of them to lie down, so she just sat at the edge, gently caressing Selene’s shoulder in an attempt to soothe her turmoil.

‘I’m starting to get good at this comforting thing…’ Lilly thought to herself with a slight smile.

A while later, after the sobs had lessened, Lilly started speaking softly; “You know, General Dahn was so opposed to the plan that he imprisoned himself and still refuses to leave. Princess Adelia has teamed up with me to force King Holtar to abdicate after the war. So I’m not planning to let this go. And I’m hoping you will help us.”

Selene shifted, allowing Lilly to catch a glimpse of her tear-streaked face, eyes red, peering through disheveled hair. “Abdicate? That’s all?”

The edge in Selene's voice sent a shiver down Lilly's spine. ‘She’s out for blood! But we need to find a diplomatic solution if we want to have any chance at this.’

“It’s the only diplomatic solution we think can work. I understand how you feel, but there’s no way to go against the entire kingdom on our own.” Lilly tried persuading her.

Selene's response was laced with determination. “I don’t need to go against the entire kingdom. Have you forgotten who I am?”

All of a sudden, Lilly felt silly to have only considered Selene’s political power. ’She’s the greatest archer in the kingdom, capable of seeing vast distances and taking out entire fleets of ships...’ Lilly considered the feasibility of attacking the king, but still felt it was a terrible plan. “We would start a civil war if we assassinate the king, Selene. That can’t be the best solution!”

Selene's proposition was stark, “I don’t need any help. Who will they war against if it’s just me attacking?”

“You… you mean to do this by yourself? No, you can’t just throw your life away like that!”

“Why not? My life's been dedicated to being a soldier. With no family and a childhood spent in isolation, what else is there for me?" Selene's words laid bare the depth of her resolve, challenging Lilly's hopes for a peaceful resolution.

“Us! We’re here for you! And I didn’t save your life so you could throw it away!”

Selene looked away, her gaze settling back on the couch as she considered Lilly's words. The silence stretched between them.

‘Damn, that had less of an effect than I expected,’ Lilly thought regretfully. “I can’t even defend this city! And I need help with defeating the clan of assassins as well!”

Selene shifted to meet Lilly’s eyes again. “Defeat the assassins?”

“Yes, or at least the old bastard controlling it. He’s extremely strong, but we might have a way of defeating him. Having your help would certainly be useful.”

Selene shifted her body to lie on her back instead, looking interested. “... Okay, what’s the plan?”

‘Yes! She’s back! I don’t like that her only motivation seems to be revenge, but she’s back!’

“That’s going to need a whole lot of explanation. But I’m guessing you have time?” Lilly asked, smiling.