Page 40 of Flameborne: Fury (Emberquell Academy #2)

~ DONAVYN ~

When the important decisions were made, I spent a few minutes assigning men tasks to prepare before our flight later in the day, the King excused the Council but eyed me with a silent warning not to leave with the others.

As the men trickled away from the chamber, and I remained with the Captains murmuring and debating the decisions we’d made, the King leaned over the map, pointing to the unclaimed lands.

“I know you weren’t with her, Donavyn, but give me your best guess about the location of these troops?” he called to me casually.

I excused myself and told Olve to go ahead, that I’d find him later, then joined the King at the tableside and circled a fairly large area with a finger, letting my expression turn thoughtful, as if considering what I was about to say.

The moment the chamber door closed behind the last of the Advisors, the King straightened, his casual expression falling into stern intensity. “We need Diaan for this,” he muttered. “Come.”

Then he turned on his heel and marched from the room through a hidden door behind the large tapestry depicting the continent that led through the walls and straight to his quarters.

It wasn’t the first time I’d been invited to the Royal wing via the secret tunnels.

We emerged in the Royal sitting room to find the Queen reclined on a lounge near the fire.

I couldn’t tell if she’d been sleeping, but she sat upright when the King walked in, nodding to him before looking at me over his shoulder. She arched one brow.

“A full contingent of serious men tonight, I see,” she said airily.

“We have a small problem, and I want your eyes on it,” Alexi said bluntly, striding over to pace in front of the fire. “Donavyn and I agree, or at least, share the instinct that there may be a mole in the Council—someone attached to the spies.”

Diaan’s brows rose. She looked at me for affirmation and I nodded. “That is not a small thing,” she remarked. I nodded again, but Alexi huffed.

“We didn’t raise our concerns with anyone else. They believe we have a strategy in place. And we do—but we believe it will be… undermined by whomever is working against us. Now we need to quickly and silently make the real plan.”

She nodded. “So, what plan do the Council know? How did you cover?”

“We have identified spies—messengers we believe might infiltrate without being detected. They won’t be sent out until we’ve routed the invaders that were discovered.

Then our chosen agents will carry news to Draeventhall and Ashthorn about the capture and imprisonment of those troops, and stay to gather intelligence on the Kings’ responses. ”

I grieved those men, knowing the chances they would survive this mission to return home was small.

In all likelihood, our mole would make sure they were revealed to the relevant royals before they’d even arrived.

But even if they didn’t, the work they were asked to do was so delicate and difficult, most in those positions would be imprisoned or assassinated within weeks.

And in truth, the Council chose their men with that in mind.

An enemy who discovered a leak was less defensive, believing they’d solved the problem.

“Solid plan,” Diann said with a shrug. “Simple, but solid. And the Advisors are in agreement?”

“Yes. But they don’t know that we believe the true linchpin in this problem is Fyrehold. And that’s where I want your input. If we do have a mole, only another mole will be in a position to help us identify them.”

Diaan nodded. “You place an agent in Fyrehold who provides different intelligence to each source you’re exploring, and see whose information is changed before it reaches you. It’s very straightforward. You don’t need me to tell you that.”

“Yes,” Alexi agreed. “But the only way to be certain we aren’t being manipulated again, is to ensure the agent hasn’t worked in royal circles before, so won’t be recognized, or suspected.

Yet, this humble, intelligent person must also possess the strength and initiative to handle delicate political maneuverings.

We have messengers, servants, spies, and whores, but I wondered on your thoughts. ”

“Someone new to this level of espionage—or at least, new outside of our court?”

“Yes. There can be no chance they’ve been identified or suspected of this work in the past. None.”

“A commoner then, though possibly one from the palace—we need to entice our enemies into believing they have connections.”

“Exactly.”

Her lips pursed, then she looked at me. “Alexi has listed all the standard roles, but for something of this magnitude, it must be a Fang, surely?”

“We don’t believe using a Furyknight is wise,” I replied carefully.

“The dragons complicate too much if they’re separated from their bondsmen, and draw too much attention if they’re kept close.

Even if we sent a dragon messenger or scout rather than a knight, the dragon’s bond immediately implies honor and will keep those in the shadows wary.

They’d be more likely to kill him than attempt a bribe, for example.

But even more so, those near the dragons are too well known.

Too recognized. Even if they aren’t personally known to the rulers, our men have a way about them.

Combine that with an attending dragon and it wouldn’t be a stretch to suspect a Furyknight spy.

Not to mention that many of the men have worked and fought with our neighbors. Many would be identified—”

“I meant a Shadow fang, Donavyn,” the Queen sighed.

I cut off, grimacing and glancing around to make certain none of the servants were close enough to hear. We usually didn’t even speak that name.

Of the three Furyknight wings—Flyer, Flame, and Fang—only the Fang had a second, secret purpose.

The Fang were already known for stealth.

We used them as trackers, scouts, troops for ambushes, and they led in any battle approach that required subterfuge.

They were known sneaks. It was the sole purpose of the Fang.

A practical and honorable job. But within that Wing was a second, secret faction, unknown even to the other Fang members.

Shadow fang were the most highly skilled stealth flyers and warriors among our kind. And the only people who knew they existed were the Wing Leaders and Officers who trained them, the King and Queen, and the other members of the secret Wing.

Even when we were alone, those of us who knew of them rarely spoke of the faction outright. It was imperative for even the Furyknights to remain ignorant of their existence, to retain their advantage. No man could let slip a secret he didn’t know.

When Ronen and I discussed inducting Bren to the Shadowfang, every statement and understanding had been implied, never spoken outright.

That was how tightly guarded the secret was.

Even those in squad with Shadowfang members didn’t know of their brothers’ extra training and duties.

They were always undertaken under the guise of other activities.

Ronen already had two members in his squad, which was rare, because the Shadowfang were rare.

Most squads had none, and those who did, generally had only one.

The tasks and duties of the Shadowfang were kept clandestine, even from their brothers.

Part of the reason I’d been willing to appoint Bren as a Shadowfang member was because she had two brothers with which to share the load.

Any spy was naturally isolated from their peers to a degree. The Shadowfang maintained that isolation for decades, even from those closest to them. They vowed to it. It was how they were sworn in.

I cleared my throat. The Queen still awaited my response to her suggestion.

“While some of our, er, brothers in the shadows are skilled enough for this, the truly experienced who haven’t already worked in Fyrehold are very small in number, and most are already on mission.

Those in the wing may be able to provide support to whomever we select if they’re in proximity, but I don’t see anyone in the current ranks here at the Keep with the right combination of humility and assurance.

Plus, to pull off a potentially lengthy mission with the added complication of a dragon bond, and the necessity to get close to royal sources—it’s a lot to ask of a bonded man alone . ”

The Queen tapped her lip with one, polished fingernail, her gaze drifting around the room. “You think the dragon bond eliminates any Furyknight? Even those with the skills?”

“No,” I hedged. “It would be difficult, but it could be done. It’s the added complication of the mole on our side of this that worries me.

No measure of skill can avert treasonous betrayal.

I have men I would have chosen for this, but they’re already known to our Advisors, even if not as Shadowfang.

Add to that fact, particularly delicate purpose that doesn’t need a dragon for success—in fact, I’d argue that kind of bond adds a second complication—I think we’re better to choose someone without it.

The mole in the Council is less likely to suspect them. ”

“Except, the dragons allow quick travel and a better chance of escape if the agent is uncovered,” she said, a slight question in her tone.

“True,” I said reluctantly. “But all the risks have to be balanced—”

“What about the new Furyknight? She won’t be known outside our borders. She won’t be known at all. And the arrogant men in that circle would never imagine that she’d be selected for this kind of mission.”

The newest Furyknight…? She wanted to send Bren? I blinked and frowned at the same time the King tipped his head like he’d heard something. My heart stopped beating as the Queen’s intention became clear. This wasn’t a joke. Or a flippant suggestion.

“No,” I snapped without thought, at the same moment the King began to nod.

“It’s an excellent idea,” Alexi said.

“Absolutely not,” I insisted, turning to face him. “She has no experience or covert training—she was raised hours ago! We need someone with experience in subterfuge—”

“She was raised to the Fang because she rides a gray, she’s evidenced natural skills in stealth, and demonstrated courage and innovation.

You said yourself it was the most creative way you’d seen a Flameborne complete the second trial in your career—and she successfully identified our intruders without being caught.

She clearly has excellent instincts,” Diaan said firmly.

“And no one will suspect her,” the King said with a smile that made my skin crawl.

In my mind I watched my hand shoot out to grip his throat, felt myself lean in with bared teeth, squeezing the air from him until he dropped to his knees and vowed never to touch her.

I cleared my throat. “She’ll give herself away. She doesn’t have the—”

“You’ll have weeks before the invading men are all within our grasp and we’re sure which way to point,” the Queen pointed out.

“You can train her specific to this need and send her out so that when their defeat becomes public knowledge she’s already in place.

His Majesty is right—she’s perfect. No one will suspect her because she’s not a known Furyknight.

None of our men will believe she was an agent because she’s so inexperienced, and no one outside our borders even knows a woman has been Chosen.

Her pure uniqueness will cover for any gaffs she might make through inexperience, simply because no one would even consider that a woman would be a Furyknight. ”

“They’ll know it the moment she appears on a dragon!”

“Well, she won’t. Her dragon will have to keep her distance and—”

“I mean no disrespect,” I insisted, panic churning in my chest. “But I cannot see—”

“Donavyn,” the King said firmly, his brows drawing down and daring me to challenge him again.

“It’s an excellent solution. She’s already proven she’s capable of the basics.

We can train her for a week or two while we roust these troops, then send her in.

Hell, she could walk openly into any city.

She’s still naive enough to be assumed a poor farm runaway.

It’s the perfect solution. As long as her dragon remains outside the city, they’ll have no reason to suspect her. ”

“Not if we have a mole,” I growled. “They’ll know of her. They’ll tell others—”

Alexi flapped a hand. “That’s what you’re refusing to see, Donavyn: No one here will know she’s been selected for this, either. And because she’s so new, no one would think to suspect. That’s why she’s perfect.”

The Queen nodded and started talking about the ways women were so overlooked, but I couldn’t hear her. I couldn’t think beyond the risk to Bren.

My Bren.

My mate.

They would send her into the lion’s den, untrained, and unassisted, because even if she failed, she would have served her purpose first.

Yes, they were right, she wouldn’t be suspected quickly.

She was too unassuming. Too unpolished. And that would protect her for a time.

But the moment she misspoke they’d make her a sacrificial lamb.

Literally no one in the world would believe she was a Furyknight—even an ally would laugh in her face if she told them and asked for help.

The very naivete that meant she could enter any nation without suspicion also meant she’d have no support. And the moment she did the real work?

If she was good, she’d be assassinated. And if she failed, she’d be abandoned—and already separated from her dragon who was the one creature other than me that would set aside hell to protect her.

No loss, the King had once said about her death. No loss.

And he’d meant it.