The Witches Dragonbond

Chapter 10.

Sir Darwin had summoned the leaders—Lauren, Mary, Dain, Axel, and Jasmine—all of whom were already gathered in a small tent at the heart of their camp. The urgency in the air was palpable as they sat around a makeshift table, and Evelynn’s stomach churned with the tension of what lay ahead.

“We’ve got trouble,” Sir Darwin spoke before anyone could ask about their journey. His tone was serious, his face grim. “King Harold is moving fast. He’s no longer keeping his forces in one place. The real problem is that he’s placed Derek in charge.”

Evelynn’s breath caught. Derek—the half-ogre, half-human still haunted her after the last encounter at Wellwick and who had made a point of targeting her that day. She could still remember the battle, the ferocity of his attacks, and the overwhelming fear she’d felt when he came after her. She wasn’t ready to face him again.

“Derek’s leading Harold’s army?” Eric’s voice was cold, his eyes hardening as the gravity of the situation sank in.

Sir Darwin nodded. “Yes. And with him being a halfling he’s harder to take down , and he’s had years of experience fighting under Harold’s banner. He’s not just a soldier. He’s a weapon of death. Not to mention for him abd Evelynn it’s personal.”

“Personal?” Axel scoffed, leaning back in his chair. “What’s that supposed to mean? Who cares if Derek has a vendetta against some of us we have one against him.If he’s leading Harold’s forces, we deal with him the same way we deal with every other threat.”

The words cut through the tension like a knife. Axel’s dismissive attitude made Evelynn bristle, but she forced herself to keep quiet. She wasn’t sure how to respond, especially with the growing friction between them. The tension had been building ever since that night when Axel had kissed her and more after he confronted her about Eric— she hadn’t known how to handle it. She didn’t want to make things worse, but it was getting harder to ignore.

“He’s not like other threats,” Eric said, his voice sharp as he locked eyes with Axel. “You don’t get it, Axel. Derek has a history with witches hes goal is to eradicate them. And he won’t rest until he brings Evelynn down.”

Axel looked at Eric with a half-smirk. “What, are you trying to protect her now? You’re hardly in a position do so. What do you want anyway to lead this rebellion.”

The words stung more than Evelynn cared to admit. Axel had always been critical, but this—this felt different. It wasn’t just about strategy anymore; it felt like an attack on everything she’d been trying to build.

Before the confrontation could escalate further, Lauren stood up, her voice firm. “Enough. Now’s not the time for this. We need to focus on Derek and what we’re going to do about it.”

Dain nodded in agreement, his tone calm but urgent. “We need to gather our forces. If Derek’s leading Harold’s forces, we’ll be facing an army unlike any we’ve fought before.”

Evelynn felt a wave of dread settle in her stomach. Even if they united the rebellion and the oppressed creatures of the land, could they really stand up to Derek, to Harold? She didn’t know if they had enough strength, not with so much on the line. she had been once so confident about everything but now in light of the situations ahead of her she didn’t feel so sure.

Sir Darwin shifted his focus. “Callum’s been away gathering intel. He’s been recruiting allies, finding those who will stand against Harold. We can’t take on Derek’s army alone, and we won’t be able to without the creatures Harold has oppressed.”

Evelynn’s thoughts swirled. The rebellion had already been fighting for years, and now they were expected to rally even more forces, some of which had been hiding, resisting, or waiting in the shadows for the right moment. But Derek’s presence complicated everything. She had been hoping for some sort of plan, a way to deal with him without being in the direct line of fire, but she wasn’t sure there was any way to avoid it.

“We need to focus,” Eric said, standing up. “The creatures. The outcasts. They are the key to taking down Harold.”

“But how?” Axel interjected, clearly unconvinced. “You can’t just waltz in and expect them to follow us. We’re rebels, not miracle workers.”

Eric turned toward Axel, his gaze cold. “We give them a reason to fight. We give them a reason to believe that if they join us, they can finally have a place in this world. Harold has made sure the creatures of this land are nothing more than slaves. They need to be united in that cause.”

Evelynn glanced around the table, feeling like she was on the edge of the conversation. Her heart pounded in her chest. The rebellion needed her, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to step back into her leadership role, especially with Derek gunning for her. And now, with Axel’s dismissive comments making her doubt herself even further, it was hard to find clarity.

Jasmine, sensing the growing tension, pulled Evelynn aside. “Hey,” she said softly, her concern evident. “What’s going on between you and Axel? We’ve noticed it for the past month, you know. You two are always at odds.”

Evelynn’s throat tightened. She had hoped she could keep it quiet, but the strain between them was too obvious. She glanced at Lauren, who stood nearby, and then turned back to Jasmine.

“It’s complicated,” she began, unsure of how to put it. “He kissed me, Jasmine more then once. And it’s been… strange ever since. And the dragon has told me and Eric of a prophecy were I’m meant to be with Eric. But I don’t even know what that means. I can’t even understand what’s happening with me and Eric. I’m confused. The prophecy is just… a lot.”

Lauren stepped in, her voice soft but supportive. “You don’t need to figure it all out right now. But you do need to stand firm in your choices, Evelynn. No one can make them for you.”

Evelynn nodded, the weight of the conversation settling heavily in her chest. She had to make decisions, but what if the cost of those decisions was too great? What if Derek was too powerful, and no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t stop the inevitable?

“I don’t know what to do,” Evelynn admitted softly. “The prophecy says I’m supposed to bring peace, but how can I do that when I don’t even understand my role in all of this? I feel like I’m being pulled in so many directions.”

Jasmine smiled at her, the warmth in her eyes providing a measure of comfort. “You don’t have to have all the answers, Evelynn. No one does. But don’t let anyone—especially Axel—make you feel like you’re not capable. You’re strong, and you’ll figure this out besides, my brother is an idiot.You are definitely going to need to feel us all in on Webers been happening with the dragon, Evelynn especially since you’ve been given a prophecy.”

Evelynn took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions in her chest. “Thanks, Jasmine. I’ll will try to explain it the best I can later.”

With the conversation done, they returned to the table, where Eric was already speaking with Sir Darwin discussing their next moves. Evelynn joined them, feeling the weight of her decision pressing on her shoulders. She had a choice to make, and time was running out.