First Chosen by the Dragon (Evelyn) novel Chapter 87

[Draven’s POV]

Sera drops the intelligence on the council table like a body. “Aldric is mobilizing, full-scale.”

She spreads a map across the wood, scout reports pinned at key positions along the southern trade routes.

“Blue Dragon warships being provisioned at three separate ports, and warriors recalled from every border post.

Minor houses along the Strait of Callos receiving envoys with promises of expanded territory in exchange for naval support.”

Corwin leans forward, studying the markers. Theron stands at the far end of the table, arms crossed, already running numbers behind his eyes.

“How reliable is this?” Theron asks.

“Three independent sources, cross-confirmed. Two merchant scouts and a fisherman we’ve had on retainer since the border skirmishes. The provisioning at Aldric’s primary port alone suggests a fleet of twenty to thirty warships.”

“Timeline?” I ask.

“That’s what concerns me.” Sera taps the nearest port marker.

“This level of mobilization takes weeks. Recalling border warriors, provisioning ships, negotiating with minor houses — you don’t assemble that machinery overnight. Our earliest intelligence suggests movement began before Cassandra’s assassination attempt failed.”

The implication lands on the table like a blade.

“The attack on Evelyn wasn’t the primary plan,” I say.

“The military response was already in motion. Cassandra’s corridor ambush was opportunistic — she saw a chance and took it. But Aldric was preparing for war regardless of whether that blade found its mark.”

Sera straightens. “Cassandra’s message, whatever she managed to send, only confirmed what Aldric was already willing to do.”

“How long do we have?”

“Six to eight weeks before a fleet of that size can reach Black Dragon waters. Possibly less if the minor houses commit naval escorts early.”

Six weeks. The number settles into my chest like iron.

“Theron, I want every coastal fortification assessed within three days. Anything that needs reinforcement gets priority labor — pull from non-essential projects.”

I say. “Corwin, draft alliance requests to House Varath and House Callen. They border our territory to the north and east. Neither loves Mintia, and both understand that if we fall, they’re next.”

“Supply lines?” Theron asks.

“Stockpile. Grain, weapons, medical stores. Assume a siege of three months and provision accordingly. If the fight ends sooner, we eat well. If it doesn’t, we don’t starve.”

Theron nods and begins making notes. Corwin gathers his materials with the quiet efficiency I’ve come to rely on.

But Sera hasn’t moved. She stands at the table with her hands flat on the map, and the expression on her face tells me the briefing isn’t finished.

“There’s something else,” I say.

“The intelligence leak.” Her voice drops a register. “Venna’s channel was exposed and she’s been stripped of access, but the flow of information hasn’t stopped. Someone else inside this compound is feeding Mintia real-time operational data using the coded cipher Cassandra created.”

The room goes still.

“I’ve been monitoring the dead drop locations Venna used. Three days ago, a message appeared at the secondary point behind the armory cistern — written in Cassandra’s cipher, containing updated patrol routes and guard assignments that reflect changes we made after Venna’s exposure.”

“Changes made after,” Theron repeats. “Which means whoever wrote it has current access.”

“The intelligence includes internal compound structure: restricted corridor assignments, dragon feeding schedules, the timing of Evelyn’s visits to the sea caves. Whoever the source is has operational knowledge beyond what a low-ranked warrior would possess.”

My jaw tightens until the muscles ache. One traitor nearly destroyed us, but two could be fatal.

“Do you have suspects?”

“I’ve narrowed the access pattern. The information in those messages requires familiarity with senior-level scheduling: not necessarily senior rank, but proximity to it.

Someone has access to the administrative corridors where those documents are posted.”

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