Alexandra

  Three more days had passed since Evelyn's warning about the eastern border, and Alexandra had been too scared to go near the oak tree. But tonight, she had no choice. She'd been in the war room—a place she normally avoided—pretending to organize scrolls while Evelyn met with her top guards. Alexandra had learned that if she made herself useful in quiet ways, people stopped noticing she was there. And tonight, she'd heard something that made her blood run cold.

  "We move on the rogue camp in two days," Evelyn had said, her claw tracing a path on the map spread across the stone table. "Dawn attack, ambush is the best tactic. They won't be expecting it.". "What about the prince, Your Majesty?" one of the guards had asked. "He's been... resistant to your orders lately."

  "Kane will be confined to his chambers until this is over," Evelyn had replied coldly. "I won't have him interfering."

  “My queen, you know very well that I will follow your orders until I die..” One of the guards started.

  “What is it?” Evelyn asked impatiently.

  “Why have you decided to attack now? After six years without attacking?” The moment the guard said it, his voice lingered with regret. “You dare question my order?” She snapped at him.

  “N-no my queen! I would never! I-i just–”.

  “Good, now do we all agree?” She interrupted, giving that chance for any more allegations or protests about it. However, it made it almost impossible because of the daggers that were practically shooting out of her eyes at the guards.

  “Yes my queen,” They all said in unison.

  “I’ll ready the swords!” One guard said.

  “I’ll get the traps!” Said another

  “I’ll get the restraints!” Said one final guard. As they kept talking about preparations, Evelyn's smile grew grim, knowing the pain the Rouges will be suffering soon in just two days. Alexandra had kept her head down, kept organizing scrolls, kept breathing even though her heart was trying to break through her chest. A dawn attack. In two days. Celeste needed to know. The rogues needed to know. Now, hours later, Alexandra crept through the dark forest toward the oak tree. She'd waited until the middle of the night, when the guard rotations were changing and everyone was tired and less alert. She'd slipped through the hidden entrance, moved through the shadows like a ghost. She had gotten used to the forest which she once found terrifying now peaceful almost. But her paws were shaking so badly she could barely walk.

  The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  What if someone followed me? What if this is the time I get caught? What if—

  She forced the thoughts away. There was no time for fear. Not now. Especially not now. The oak tree loomed ahead, its split trunk like a dark mouth in the moonlight. Alexandra approached it carefully, listening for any sound of guards or patrols. Nothing. Just the wind in the leaves and her own ragged breathing.

  She pulled the white stone from where she'd hidden it in her fur and placed it at the base of the tree. But a white stone wasn't enough. Not for this. Celeste needed to know this was urgent. Alexandra looked around frantically, then spotted a red berry bush nearby. She crushed several berries between her paws, staining them crimson, then used the juice to draw a simple symbol on the tree trunk next to where she'd placed the stone: a sun rising over a horizon.

  Dawn. Attack at dawn.

  It was crude, and anyone who saw it might not understand, but Celeste would. She had to.

  Alexandra stepped back, staring at her work. This was it. This was the moment where she'd crossed a line she could never uncross. If Evelyn found out, if anyone discovered what she'd done...

  A branch snapped somewhere in the forest.

  Alexandra's heart stopped. She spun around, eyes wide, searching the darkness. Was someone there? Had she been followed?

  Another sound. Closer this time.

  She didn't wait to find out. Alexandra ran, crashing through the underbrush, no longer caring about being quiet. She just needed to get back, needed to get to safety, needed to— She burst through the hidden entrance behind the vines and collapsed against the cave wall, gasping for breath. Her whole body was shaking. Tears streamed down her face.

  But she'd done it. She'd warned them.

  Now she just had to pray that Celeste found the message in time. And that no one had seen her. Alexandra forced herself to stand, to move toward her chamber on trembling legs. As she passed Kane's room, she saw a sliver of light under his door. He was awake. She almost knocked, almost went in to tell him what she'd done, what she'd heard. But she couldn't. Not yet. If he knew, he'd try to stop the attack himself, and Evelyn would know something was wrong.

  No. Alexandra had to carry this alone. At least for now.

  She slipped into her chamber and closed the door, then slid down to the floor, her back against the wood. Her paws were still stained red from the berries. Evidence. She'd have to wash them before morning. But for now, she just sat there in the darkness, shaking, crying, terrified of what she'd done and what might happen next.

  Please find it, she thought desperately. Please, Celeste. Please find it in time.

  Outside her window, the moon hung heavy in the sky, counting down the hours until dawn.

  Two days. That's all they had.

  Two days until everything changed.

  End of chapter 4