the Exile Dragon king

chapter thirteen

Chapter Thirteen: The Enemy Within

Xavier made it back to the capital in two days, pushing his body to its limits. He barely slept, barely ate. The storm energy kept him going, but even that was beginning to fade. His body was exhausted, his mind racing with everything he had seen and heard.

The gates of the city swung open as he approached, and he was greeted by Sera and Zara. Their faces were pale with worry.

"You look terrible," Sera said. "What happened?"

Xavier shook his head, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "The New Order. They knew I was coming. It was a trap."

Zara's face went white. "How? How could they have known?"

Xavier's jaw tightened. "Someone told them. Someone in the council is working for the enemy."

The words hung in the air like a death sentence. Sera and Zara exchanged a look, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.

"Are you sure?" Sera asked. "Maybe they just spotted you. Maybe it was a coincidence."

Xavier shook his head. "It was not a coincidence. Valtor knew my name. He knew I was the Exile Dragon King. He knew everything." His eyes blazed with fire. "There is a traitor among us."

They moved to a private chamber, away from prying ears. Xavier paced back and forth, his mind working through the possibilities.

"Who could it be?" Zara asked. "Everyone on the council fought for the rebellion. Everyone lost something."

Xavier stopped pacing and turned to face them. "That is what makes this so dangerous. The traitor is someone we trust. Someone close to us."

Sera's eyes narrowed. "We need to find out who it is before they can do any more damage."

"Agreed," Xavier said. "But we need to be careful. If the traitor realizes we are onto them, they could warn the New Order. We could lose everything."

They spent the next few hours in the chamber, discussing their options. Xavier suggested setting a trap, feeding false information to the council and seeing who took the bait.

"It is risky," Sera said. "If the traitor figures out what we are doing, it could backfire."

"It is the only way," Xavier said. "We have to find out who it is."

The next day, Xavier called a meeting of the council. He spread a map across the table, his finger pointing to a location in the mountains.

"We have received intelligence that the New Order is planning to attack from the north," he said, his voice steady. "We are going to send a contingent of troops to intercept them. It is a risky move, but it is our best chance to catch them off guard."

The council members nodded, their faces serious. Xavier watched them carefully, looking for any sign of guilt or nervousness. But their expressions were unreadable.

He dismissed the council and waited.

The trap was set. Now all he had to do was wait.

Three days later, Xavier received word that the New Order had moved their forces to the northern pass. His heart sank. The trap had worked.

He gathered Sera, Zara, and a handful of trusted allies in the council chamber. His face was grim.

"We found the traitor," he said. "It was Commander Aldric."

Zara's eyes widened. "Aldric? But he fought alongside us. He lost his family to the empire."

"He was working for the New Order the whole time," Xavier said. "He was the one who told Valtor I was coming. He was the one who fed them information about our defenses."

Sera's face was hard. "What do we do?"

Xavier was silent for a long moment. He thought about Aldric, the man who had fought beside him in the rebellion. He thought about the families who had been lost, the innocent people who had died.

"We confront him," Xavier said. "We bring him before the council and expose him for what he is."

The confrontation took place the next morning. Xavier stood in the center of the council chamber, his eyes fixed on Aldric. The commander's face was pale, his hands trembling.

"Aldric," Xavier said, his voice cold. "You have been working for the New Order. You have been feeding them information about our defenses. You told them I was coming."

Aldric's face crumbled. "I did what I had to do. The New Order has my family. They threatened to kill them if I did not cooperate."

"Your family is dead," Xavier said, his voice flat. "The New Order killed them years ago. They have been lying to you."

Aldric's eyes went wide. "No. That cannot be true. They promised me they were safe."

"They lied," Xavier said. "They have been using you. You were nothing but a tool to them."

Aldric collapsed to his knees, his body shaking with sobs. "I am sorry. I am so sorry. I did not know. I did not know."

Xavier looked down at the broken man. He felt a surge of anger, but also pity. Aldric had been manipulated, used by the very people he had been trying to fight.

"What do we do with him?" Sera asked.

Xavier was silent for a long moment. "We give him a choice. He can face judgment for his crimes, or he can help us defeat the New Order."

Aldric looked up, his eyes filled with hope. "I will help you. I will do anything. Just give me a chance."

Xavier nodded slowly. "Then you will lead us to the New Order's base. You will help us destroy them once and for all."

Aldric nodded eagerly. "I will. I will do whatever it takes."

Xavier dismissed the council and walked to the edge of the chamber. He felt a strange sense of peace settle over him.

"We are going to win this war," he said. "No matter what it takes."

Zara appeared beside him, her hand slipping into his. "I believe you."

Xavier looked at her, at the woman who had stood by him through everything. "Thank you," he said. "For never giving up on me."

Zara smiled. "I never will."

They stood together, watching the sun rise over the city. The war was far from over, but for the first time in a long time, Xavier felt hope.

He was going to win this war.

And he was going to build something better.