It was well past midnight when the council meeting finally ended.
The atmosphere inside the King's private council chamber had remained tense for hours.
Maps still covered nearly every surface with red markings stretched across eastern territories where evacuation routes had already been planned carefully before sunrise.
War had already begun creeping into the kingdom long before anyone openly decided to acknowledge it.
Torak rolled one final parchment carefully before setting it aside.
"The eastern villages nearest the lower forests must move first," he said calmly.
King Elijah nodded once. "And the underground routes?" he asked.
"Already guarded."
Xander leaned back against the stone wall nearby while folding both arms tightly across his chest after the whole arrangements.
Alaric finally stepped away from the windows afterward. "The patrols leave before dawn," he said quietly.
