Betrayed by My Ex, Marked by His Alpha Emperor Brother novel Chapter 151

Chapter 151: Chapter 151

Kaelen’s POV

The stronghold was still burning.

Smoke rose in thick black columns from what had once been the largest rogue outpost spanning three counties. Now it was rubble. Charred timber. Shattered stone. The skeletal remains of three buildings collapsed inward like broken ribs, and the weapons cache—a massive underground vault packed with enough silver-tipped blades and poisoned crossbow bolts to arm a small army—had detonated so violently it left a crater in the earth.

Victory.

I felt nothing.

"That’s the last of the munitions, Your Majesty!" Tyler called from across the wreckage, his face streaked with soot and sweat. He was grinning. "The whole communications hub—gone. Marcus confirmed it. They won’t be coordinating anything through this sector again."

Jack limped up beside him, favoring his left ankle. A shallow cut above his eyebrow had dried into a dark line. Despite the injuries, he was laughing. Actually laughing. He slapped Tyler on the back hard enough to raise a cloud of ash from his armor.

"Did you see the armory go up?" Jack’s voice cracked with adrenaline. "I thought the ground was going to swallow us whole."

Sir Marcus stood at the perimeter, directing a squad of knights through the systematic clearance of the eastern ruins. His expression was the only one that matched mine—controlled, measured, already calculating the next move.

"Clean sweep," Marcus reported as he approached. "No survivors in the compound. We’ve secured documents from their command tent before the fire reached it. Could be useful for mapping their supply lines."

I nodded once.

Around me, knights cheered. They clasped forearms and checked each other’s wounds with the rough tenderness of soldiers who’d survived another day. They had earned this moment. I didn’t begrudge them that.

But I couldn’t share it.

I stared at the flames still licking the foundation walls and thought of only one thing. This outpost was a limb. A supply artery. Cutting it off would slow the rogues. Weaken them. But the body still lived. The rogue leader still breathed. Isolde still walked free somewhere in the wilderness, untouched and unpunished.

And Elara was still gone.

I turned away from the celebration and walked toward the northern ridge, where the smoke thinned and the wind carried the scent of pine instead of ash. My boots crunched over debris. Behind me, the sounds of victory faded into background noise.

"Kaelen."

Leily’s voice cut through the haze. Not "Your Majesty." Not the formal address she used in front of the others. Just my name, spoken low and sharp, like a blade drawn quietly from its sheath.

She’d commanded the northern wing of the assault. Her armor was dented at the shoulder, and dried blood—not hers—darkened her gauntlets. She fell into step beside me, matching my pace as I moved further from the main group.

I didn’t stop walking.

"Not here," I said.

"Then where?" She grabbed my arm. Her grip was iron. "Because I’ve been waiting. Patiently. For months. And I’m done waiting."

I stopped.

We stood on a ridge overlooking the smoldering compound. Below, knights moved like ants through the destruction. Up here, the wind was cold and tasted of char.

I met her eyes. They were hard. Searching. Furious.

"Where is she, Kaelen?"

The question landed like a fist to the sternum.

"Leily—"

"Don’t." She released my arm and stepped back. "Don’t give me the same story you’ve been feeding the court. ’The Empress is recovering.’ ’She’s resting at a private estate.’ I’m not one of your councilors. I’m not some noble who can be dismissed with a polished lie."

Her voice cracked on the last word. She pressed her lips together. Steadied herself.

"I haven’t seen Elara since the engagement party. Months ago. Maybe longer." Her eyes narrowed. "Or was it only days before she vanished? I can’t even tell anymore because nobody will give me a straight answer."

The wind howled between us.

"She’s my best friend," Leily said, her voice rising with anger and hurt. "Did she just disappear? Did she just run away and abandon Valerius? Leave Lyra behind?" Her jaw tightened. "Tell me she didn’t just walk out on her own family, Kaelen!"

I stared at her for a long moment. The smoke drifted between us in grey ribbons. Below, Jack’s laughter echoed faintly off the ruins.

I could lie. I was good at it now. Months of practice had sharpened the skill into something effortless.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify