Amanda paced back and forth in the grand hall, her mind spinning with all the new information she had learned. The weight of her role in this world pressed heavily on her shoulders. Elias sat at the long banquet table, watching her with an amused expression as he sipped his tea.
“You’re going to wear a hole in the floor at this rate,” Elias teased, setting his cup down.
Amanda shot him a glare. “Excuse me for freaking out over the fact that we might all die if I don’t figure out how to stop this war.”
Elias smirked. “Oh, you’ll figure it out. You always do.”
She groaned and plopped into a chair across from him, resting her forehead against the wooden surface. “This is impossible. The kingdom is split, half of the nobles don’t trust me, the enemy army is advancing, and oh! Let’s not forget that some mysterious prophecy says I have to ‘restore balance to the world’ or whatever.”
Elias leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. “You’re forgetting the most important part.”
Amanda lifted her head slightly. “And what’s that?”
He grinned. “You have me.”
Amanda snorted and sat up straight. “Oh, great. Because sarcasm and dramatic entrances are exactly what we need to stop a war.”
Elias feigned offense, placing a hand over his chest. “You wound me, Amanda.”
Before she could fire back a retort, the doors to the hall burst open, and a breathless soldier ran in. “Your Highness! Lady Amanda! Urgent news!”
Amanda’s stomach twisted. “What is it?”
The soldier hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Scouts have spotted a division of the enemy army moving toward the northern border. They’ll be there within two days.”
Elias cursed under his breath. “We don’t have enough forces stationed there. If they attack, the villages in that region will be defenseless.”
Amanda clenched her fists. “We have to do something.”
Elias sighed, rubbing his temples. “We do, but what? Moving our troops would leave the capital vulnerable. And we don’t know if this is just a distraction while they prepare for a larger assault elsewhere.”
Amanda took a deep breath, her mind racing. Then, an idea struck her. “What if I go?”
Elias nearly choked on his tea. “Excuse me? You? The person who barely survived a sword fight with Gregor?”
Amanda rolled her eyes. “First of all, I totally won that fight. Second, I wouldn’t be going alone. I’d take a small group—just enough to scout, gather intel, and, if necessary, delay them until reinforcements arrive.”
Elias frowned. “It’s risky.”
“Everything about this is risky,” she countered. “But we need to know what they’re planning. And if we can stall them even a little, it might buy us enough time to fortify our defenses.”
Elias stared at her for a long moment, then sighed. “I hate that this actually makes sense.”
Amanda grinned. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
He ran a hand through his hair, looking irritated. “Fine. But I’m coming with you.”
Amanda’s eyes widened. “What? No way! You’re the prince, Elias. You can’t just run off into danger.”
Elias smirked. “And you’re the so-called ‘hero from another world.’ If you get to do reckless things, so do I.”
Amanda groaned, but she knew she wouldn’t win this argument. “Fine. But if you get hurt, I’m blaming you.”
“Deal,” Elias said, a playful glint in his eye.
---
The Northern Border
The journey to the northern border was tense. Amanda, Elias, and a small team of skilled warriors rode through the night, arriving at a watchtower just before dawn. The air was crisp, and a sense of unease hung over the group as they approached the outpost.
The captain of the guard greeted them grimly. “You came just in time. The enemy’s camped less than five miles from here. They haven’t moved yet, but it’s only a matter of time.”
Amanda peered through a spyglass at the distant campfires. “We need to get closer, see what we’re dealing with.”
Elias nodded. “Agreed. We’ll go in pairs. Stealth is our best chance here.”
Amanda was paired with Elias, which would have been great if he didn’t insist on whispering snarky comments every five minutes.
“This is not the time for jokes, Elias,” she hissed as they crouched behind a large boulder, watching the enemy troops.
“Oh, come on. If we’re going to risk our lives, we might as well have a little fun,” he whispered back.
She rolled her eyes but didn’t respond. Her attention was caught by a group of figures near the enemy general’s tent. They were dressed in cloaks, speaking in hushed tones. Something about them seemed… off.
Amanda nudged Elias. “Look at those guys. They don’t look like regular soldiers.”
Elias narrowed his eyes. “They could be spies or mercenaries.”
She chewed her lip. “I need to get closer.”
Elias grabbed her wrist. “Absolutely not.”
Amanda gave him a pleading look. “Elias, this could be important. Just cover me.”
He groaned. “I swear, you’re going to be the death of me.”
Slipping through the shadows, Amanda inched closer to the group. As she strained to hear their conversation, one of the cloaked figures turned, revealing a familiar face.
Amanda’s heart nearly stopped. It was Lord Belmont.
Her mind reeled. Belmont was supposed to be back at the capital. Why was he here, speaking with the enemy?
She barely had time to process the betrayal before a rough hand clamped over her mouth. She struggled, but strong arms pinned her in place.
“Well, well,” a voice drawled. “What do we have here?”
Amanda turned her head and came face to face with one of the mercenaries. His grin was full of malice.
Elias appeared out of nowhere, slamming into the man and knocking him away from Amanda. “Run!” he shouted.
The camp erupted into chaos. Amanda bolted toward the trees, Elias right behind her. Arrows whizzed past them as the enemy gave chase.
“This is why I said not to go closer!” Elias yelled.
“Not the time for ‘I told you so’!” Amanda shot back.
They reached their horses, and without hesitation, they rode hard toward the outpost. By the time they arrived, Amanda was breathless.
She turned to Elias, her expression grim. “Belmont is a traitor.”
Elias’s jaw tightened. “Then we have bigger problems than just this war.”
Amanda nodded, her mind racing. If Belmont was working with the enemy, then the real battle wasn’t just on the battlefield—it was within their own kingdom.
And she was determined to uncover the truth.