The Witches Dragonbond

Chapter 11.

The air in the war room was still heavy with the aftermath of the argument.Rowan exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face.

“We need to be unified before this battle,” he said. “If there are divisions, now is the time to air them.” His sharp gaze landed on Evelynn. “Is there something else we need to know?”

Evelynn hesitated. She had spent so long keeping the truth buried, afraid of what revealing it might mean. But now, with war on the horizon and the rebel forces already fracturing, she realized they had no time for secrecy.

“Yes,” she said, stepping forward. “There is.”

The room quieted as all eyes turned to her. Eric straightened, watching her carefully, but he didn’t intervene. This was her truth to tell.

She took a deep breath. “There’s a prophecy,” she began. “A prophecy that speaks of a witch and a warlock—descendants of an ancient bloodline—whose combined powers will bring an end to the war and unite mankind, creatures, and beasts under one banner.”

A beat of silence passed. Then Mary frowned. “A prophecy?”

“Yes.” Evelynn met her gaze. “Eric and I… we are in a prophecy passed down from my ancestors.”

The reaction was immediate. Murmurs broke out among the rebels, some disbelieving, others wary. Axel, who had been standing near the entrance, let out a bitter scoff.

“You mean to tell me all of this—everything we’ve fought for—is supposed to end because of fate?” His voice was thick with frustration. “Because some ancient words say so?”

“It’s not about fate,” Evelynn shot back, her voice firmer than she expected. “It’s about what we choose to do with it. The prophecy doesn’t fulfill itself—we have to act.”

Dain folded his arms, his expression unreadable. “And you believe this?”

Evelynn hesitated, then nodded. “The dragon confirmed it.”

That got their attention. Even Axels eyebrows lifted slightly.

“The dragon?” Dain repeated, incredulous. “He’s is the one that told you of this prophecy ?”

“Yes.” Evelynn felt the weight of her words settling over the group. “And he told us the prophecy is real. But it’s not a promise. It’s a warning. If we fail, if me and Eric don’t unite , this war won’t just continue—it will consume everything.”

The room was quiet for a long time.

Jasmine was the first to speak, her voice soft but sure. “Then we make sure you don’t fail.”

Lauren nodded. “Prophecy or not, you’re still our leader, Evelynn.”

One by one, the others voiced their agreement. Even Sir Darwin gave a single nod of approval. But Axel… he didn’t say a word. He simply turned and walked out of the war room.

Evelynn exhaled, feeling both lighter and heavier at the same time. The truth was out. Now, all that was left was to face what came next.

The tension the following day hung heavily over the rebel camp as Callum, Eric, and Sir Darwin called the urgent war council. Callum had arrived back from scouting and gathering intel before dawn so the time to act was now. Evelynn sat near the back of the tent, her thoughts spiraling. Axel’s seething resentment toward Eric still simmered beneath the surface, and she had no idea how to stop it. She could only hope that the brewing conflict wouldn’t tear them apart at the worst possible moment.

Callum stood at the center, his face grim as he spread out a map of the valley. “Derek’s forces are moving fast,” he began. “Our scouts report that they’re a day ahead of schedule. We need to assume that they’re already scouting our positions. They’ve likely taken prisoners to use as shields, which complicates any direct assault.”

Eric’s eyes narrowed, his strategic mind already working. “Then we use the terrain to our advantage. There’s a narrow pass at the north end. We set up ambush points there, force them into a bottleneck. If we’re quick, we can take them out before they get too close.”

The clarity in Eric’s voice was unnerving. It was a brilliant plan—too brilliant. And it only served to stoke Axel’s growing frustration.

“That’s easy for you to say,” Axel cut in, his voice biting. “We’re supposed to just wait for them to walk right into our trap? You’ve never bled for this war you ran and hid, Eric. You don’t know what it’s like to fight on the front lines.”

Evelynn shifted uncomfortably. She understood Axel’s anger, but Eric’s plan was the best chance they had. She wanted to speak up, to mediate, but the words caught in her throat. She couldn’t afford to side with either one of them—at least not openly.

Callum’s sharp gaze flicked to Axel, his patience thinning. “We don’t have time for this,” he snapped, silencing any further retorts. “We strike first. We can argue about it later. I’ll lead a team to scout the terrain. Eric, Mary ,you’ll organize the ambush points with me. Evelynn, you’ll stay with us. Axel, Lauren, Jasmine—you reinforce the camp. We can’t afford to be caught off guard.”

Evelynn gave a small nod, but she felt the weight of her decision settle heavily on her shoulders. It wasn’t a perfect plan, but it was the only one they had.

Night had fallen when Evelynn, Eric, Callum, Mary and a small scouting party set off toward the outer ridge. The forest was dense, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and the sounds of night creatures stirring. The moonlight barely pierced the canopy above, casting long shadows over their path.

As they moved through the trees, Evelynn couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. The underbrush rustled with the occasional snap of twigs underfoot, and the silence was oppressive. Despite Eric’s calm demeanor, Evelynn’s nerves were on edge.

“You’re quiet,” Eric remarked, his voice low as he fell into step beside her.

Evelynn glanced at him, the uncertainty clouding her mind. “I don’t know if we’re making the right move.”

Eric met her gaze, his eyes unwavering. “You can’t wait for certainty, Evelynn. Hesitation will get you killed. You move forward, or you get left behind.”

The words stung, but they rang true. She knew Eric was right, even if the weight of the decision still clung to her. They couldn’t afford to second-guess themselves, not when Derek’s forces were so close.

When they finally reached the ridge, the sight before them stole her breath. Derek’s army was closer than they had anticipated, and they had taken prisoners—innocent villagers—using them as human shields. The sight made Evelynn’s stomach churn.

“Damn it,” Callum muttered under his breath. He turned to the group, his eyes steely with resolve. “We can’t attack. Not like this.”

Evelynn clenched her fists around her bow.The prisoners’ faces haunted her, and the thought of striking now—of causing more death—was unbearable.

But the situation grew even worse when Derek himself appeared, his towering form emerging from the shadows like a nightmare made flesh. His ogre blood gave him a monstrous appearance, suddenly he smiled ,his voice rang out across the battlefield like thunder.

“Evelynn,” he called, his voice a taunt. “I’ve been waiting for this moment. I’ll drag you through the mud before I kill you. I’ll break your spirit long before your body falls.”

Evelynn’s heart hammered in her chest how did he see them she wondered , but she stood tall, unflinching in the face of Derek’s challenge. “If you want me, Derek, come and get me.”

Eric’s hand brushed against her arm, a silent gesture of solidarity. He was ready to fight, but Evelynn knew that charging in now would be a death sentence.

Callum nodded, signaling to the scouts. “Retreat. We need a new plan. This isn’t the right time.”

With a heavy heart, Evelynn followed Callum and the others as they pulled back into the shadows of the forest. The weight of the confrontation lingered in her chest, and she couldn’t shake the image of the prisoners, the innocent lives at risk.