Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 495: Back with the girls

The weight of the discussion lingered in the chamber, pressing down on every man and woman present, but it did not remain stagnant, because once the truth had been laid bare, action could no longer be delayed behind caution alone. King Highmoor stood in silence for a brief moment, his gaze fixed on the map before him, yet it was clear his thoughts had already moved beyond it, beyond Valerion, beyond even the immediate threat, and toward the one decision that could not be ignored any longer.

"We will not remain silent," he said at last, his voice steady, carrying authority that cut cleanly through the heaviness in the room.

Commander Alexander lifted his head slightly, already anticipating the direction of the king’s thoughts, while Henrietta’s eyes sharpened with quiet focus.

King Highmoor turned from the table, his gaze moving across them before settling firmly ahead. "Prepare a message to the King of Blackmare," he continued, his tone calm but firm. "We will request an audience once more."

Captain Varran shifted slightly, a faint crease forming between his brows as he said, "Do you believe they will accept it this time," his voice not doubtful, but realistic, grounded in what they had already seen of Blackmare’s stance.

The king did not hesitate. "Whether they accept or not is no longer the question," he replied. "They need to hear what is coming, and they need to hear it directly."

Lucas watched him closely, his expression unchanged, though his attention sharpened at those words.

Henrietta stepped forward slightly, her voice measured as she asked, "And what will we offer them that we have not already," her tone thoughtful, not challenging, but seeking clarity.

King Highmoor’s gaze shifted briefly toward her. "Not an offer," he said. "A warning."

The room grew still again.

Commander Alexander’s eyes narrowed slightly. "You intend to make them understand the scale of the threat."

The king nodded once. "They believe their walls will protect them. They believe their inner provinces are untouchable. They are wrong." His voice lowered just slightly, though it did not lose its firmness. "And if they continue to believe that, then they will fall the same way Valerion did, only later."

Patrick let out a quiet breath, his expression thoughtful as he said, "So we’re not asking for help this time. We’re showing them why they need to act."

Tom gave a faint nod, adding, "And hoping they’re smart enough to listen."

King Highmoor’s gaze hardened slightly. "They are not fools," he said. "But pride can blind even the most capable rulers."

Lucas finally spoke then, his voice calm, direct. "If they agree to meet, will you go yourself," he asked, his eyes fixed on the king.

There was no hesitation.

"Yes," King Highmoor replied.

That answer alone carried weight.

Commander Alexander straightened slightly. "Then we will need to ensure proper security. If this is to be a direct meeting between kings, it cannot be treated lightly."

Henrietta nodded in agreement. "And the message itself must be precise. Not desperate, not pleading. Clear, firm, and impossible to ignore."

Captain Varran crossed his arms loosely. "They respect strength. If we sound weak, they’ll dismiss us before we even arrive."

The king inclined his head slightly. "Then we will not sound weak."

A brief silence followed as the decision settled into place, no longer an idea, but a course of action.

Lucas’ gaze remained steady as he said, "Then we move quickly. The longer they wait, the stronger the usurpers become."

King Highmoor met his eyes. "Agreed."

He turned slightly toward one of the attendants near the edge of the chamber. "Have a messenger prepared immediately. The letter will be written now and delivered without delay."

The attendant bowed quickly and moved to carry out the order.

Henrietta stepped closer to the table, already reaching for parchment as she said, "I will draft it," her tone calm, her movements precise.

Commander Alexander remained where he was, his posture firm as he added, "And I will oversee the escort. The message must reach them without interference."

Captain Varran gave a faint nod. "If this fails, we will know exactly where we stand."

The king did not respond to that directly, because the truth of it needed no confirmation.

Instead, he looked once more at Lucas, his voice steady as he said, "You have done well to bring this information. Now we use it."

Lucas gave a slight nod, nothing more, his expression unchanged, because he understood that this was only the beginning of what would follow.

Around them, the chamber stirred into motion once more, not with panic, but with purpose, as preparations began immediately, each person stepping into their role without hesitation.

Lucas stepped out of the command tent into the open air, and for the first time since arriving at the camp, the pressure of the room eased slightly, though it did not leave him entirely, because even outside, the weight of everything he had seen and reported still lingered in his thoughts. The camp stretched out before him in disciplined order, soldiers moving with purpose, yet beneath it all was that same quiet tension that had settled over every Valerion force stationed here, a tension that came from waiting while their homeland suffered beyond their reach.

He exhaled slowly, his gaze drifting briefly across the encampment, but his thoughts had already shifted away from strategy and kings and war councils, because there was something else he needed to do, something far more personal, something he had not allowed himself to think about fully until now.

He had to see them.

He had barely taken a few steps away from the tent when he felt it, the sudden warmth against his back, the light but firm arms wrapping around him from behind, stopping him mid-step. For a fraction of a second, his body tensed on instinct, but it faded just as quickly when he recognized the presence.

Henrietta.

She held him without hesitation, her grip tightening slightly as though confirming he was truly there, and when she spoke, her voice was low, close to his ear, carrying a softness that rarely surfaced in front of others.

"I missed you," she whispered, the words quiet, but filled with sincerity that did not need emphasis.

Lucas remained still for a brief moment, not pulling away, not reacting immediately, as if allowing that simple contact to settle after everything that had happened. Then he reached back slightly, his hand brushing against hers in acknowledgment, a silent response that carried more than words would have in that moment.

Henrietta loosened her hold just enough to step around him, her expression returning to its usual composure, though the faint warmth in her eyes remained. "They’ve been waiting," she said, her tone calmer now, though still carrying a hint of what she had just revealed.

Lucas met her gaze briefly, then gave a small nod.

Without another word, she turned and began to walk, and Lucas followed.

They moved through the camp together, passing soldiers who gave respectful nods, though most did not interrupt, as if sensing that this was not a moment to intrude upon. Henrietta led with quiet certainty, weaving through the familiar paths of the encampment until they reached a quieter section, slightly removed from the heavier movement of the central command.

There, near a cluster of tents set apart from the rest, three figures stood together.

Lira.

Selene.

Nyx.

They were already facing in his direction before he fully approached, as though they had felt his presence long before he came into view, and the moment their eyes settled on him, everything else seemed to fade into the background.

Lira was the first to move.

"You’re finally back," she said, her voice carrying both relief and a restrained excitement as she closed the distance between them, stopping just short of him as if deciding whether to embrace him or not.

Selene followed more slowly, her steps measured, her gaze steady on Lucas, though the softness in her eyes betrayed the calm exterior she maintained. "You took longer than expected," she said quietly, though there was no accusation in her tone, only a subtle concern that had clearly been waiting beneath the surface.

Nyx remained where she was, her arms loosely crossed, her expression composed as always, yet her eyes held a quiet intensity as she observed him. "We missed you so much," she said sweetly.

Lucas looked at each of them in turn, his expression steady, yet there was a subtle shift in it now, something softer than what he had shown inside the tent, something that belonged only here, in this moment.

"I missed y’all," he replied.

Lira let out a small breath, shaking her head slightly as she said, "You disappear into a war zone and come back like it’s nothing," though there was no real frustration in her words, only relief she did not bother to hide.

Selene stepped closer then, her gaze searching his face briefly as if confirming for herself that he was truly unharmed, before she spoke again, softer this time. "What did you see," she asked, knowing that whatever he had witnessed was not something easily spoken.

Lucas held her gaze for a moment, then answered simply, "Enough to know this isn’t ending anytime soon."

Nyx tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing just a fraction. "Then things are worse than we thought."

Lucas did not deny it.

Henrietta stood slightly to the side, watching the exchange quietly, her earlier composure fully returned, though her presence remained close, as if she had no intention of stepping too far away just yet.