Chapter 229

Third Person POV

Archer Gray tried to keep his breathing steady as he stood before Ironfang. The dimly lit chamber was suffocating, the air thick with the scent of damp stone and something more metallic—blood, perhaps.

His palms were damp, but he refused to let his nerves show. He had dealt with dangerous men before, criminals and rogues who commanded fear. But Ironfang was something else entirely.

Seated across from him, the Northern warlord radiated quiet menace. His dark eyes held no warmth, only an unspoken promise of violence. It didn’t match his appearance at all.

He was dressed in a well tailored three piece suit and his dark hair was carefully slicked back. He was a handsome, older man with a grim expression that was the only hint about who he really was.

Legends spoke of him as a monster in the night, a demon disguised as a man, and standing in his presence, Archer was beginning to believe them.

“If you fail,” Ironfang said, his voice a low, measured growl, “Alexander will not be your only problem. I will not tollerate any more games. I want this finished. This is the end of the road. It’s up to you whether or not it’s a dead end.”

Archer stiffened, swallowing against the lump in his throat. He had known this meeting wouldn’t be pleasant, but the weight of the threat settled heavily on his chest. He had never intended to be in this deep.

When Amanda had first approached him, pleading for his help in taking down Ella, he thought it would be simple—use his connections, pull a few strings, maybe cut some deals in the shadows.

He had not anticipated aligning himself with one of the most feared figures in the North.

But he knew now that targeting Ella was Amanda’s mistake all along. There was something about her that seemed to protect her from every attempt to harm her. It was like she was blessed by the goddess.

Alexander, however, was just a man. He was powerful, but so was Archer. He was sure that he could take him down.

He had to. If he didn’t, he would have to answer to the general who had nearly defeated the South in the last great war. A shiver ran through Archer’s spine at the thought.

“I won’t fail,” Archer forced out, keeping his voice even. He couldn’t afford to show weakness. “With Alexander’s mother feeding me information, I have what I need. The people will turn on him when they find out about his bastard child.”

Ironfang’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—amusement, perhaps, or hatred.

“You think one scandal will bring him down?” He leaned forward, and Archer resisted the urge to step back. “Alexander is strong. He has survived worse than whispers of an illegitimate child. If you want to win, you’ll have to do more than expose secrets.”

Archer clenched his fists. He was painfully aware of how much was riding on this. The election was his only way out, his only path to power before everything collapsed around him. If he lost, Ironfang would come collecting.

And the Northern warlord was not known for his mercy.

“I’m not like Amanda,” Archer said through gritted teeth. “I don’t make reckless moves. I’ll handle this.”

Ironfang studied him for a moment before giving a slow, deliberate nod. “See that you do.”

As Archer turned to leave, a chilling thought struck him. People whispered that Ironfang was the true ruler of the North, that the supposed Northern King was nothing more than a figurehead.

Parents told their children stories of him to keep them in line. But Archer wasn’t a child, and yet… standing in Ironfang’s presence, he couldn’t help but wonder if even the gods themselves feared this man.

Alexander POV

I paced the length of my study, my mind churning with the latest reports. My contacts had confirmed what I had dreaded most—Ironfang had been seen near the border.

It was no longer speculation. It was undeniable. The warlord was involved, which meant things were far worse than I had anticipated.

My gut twisted with unease. I knew Ironfang well, had seen firsthand the devastation he was capable of. This wasn’t just political maneuvering anymore; this was personal.

Ironfang’s hatred for me burned as fiercely as ever, and now, he had inserted himself into the fight for the throne.

I exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of my desk. I had always known that my past would come back to haunt me, but I had hoped—prayed—that I could keep Ella away from it. Now, that hope felt fragile.

Someone was going to get hurt. I could feel it coming like a storm. No shelter would be enough to protect us from him.

I needed to tell Ella everything. She had accepted me so easily up to this point, had stood by my side despite the dangers and the chaos that followed me.

But this… this was different. My history with Ironfang was something I had buried deep, something I had never wanted her to know.

Would she look at me the same way if she knew the full truth? If she understood the depth of the hatred Ironfang harbored for me and the reason for it?

Would she still trust me if she knew the darkness I had been forced to walk through?

I ran a hand through my hair, my jaw tightening. There was no choice. If Ironfang was involved, then Ella was in danger, whether she realized it or not. I had to tell her.

Even if it meant risking everything.

I sat at the desk and took a few deep, shaky breaths before I hit the button to page my secretary.

“Sir?” her voice came through the crackling speaker.

“Send August in and cancel the rest of my meetings for the day,” I said.

There was a pause before she responded. “Yes, sir.”

I stood again and began pacing behind my desk. It was impossible to relax. The thought of Ella’s frightened face kept running through my mind.

She was so strong and resilient. She had been through hell and come out the other side. But against Ironfang, what could she do?

This was my fault. I had already put her through so much with the scandals and secrets, how could I possibly expect her to accept this risk?

I should send her back to her parents, at least for the time being. She would be safer there, further away from the border. The distance from me would also help. If it seemed like we’d broken up, maybe he wouldn’t hurt her…

No.

I knew better than that.

He would hurt Ella just to send a message. I had to find a way to stop him once and for all. His shadow had haunted me for too many years.

The door opened and August stepped in. He looked pale as he approached my desk.

“It’s confirmed then?” he asked softly.

“Yes,” I said, my voice strained. “It’s him. He’s behind it all.”

“What are we going to do?”

“The only thing we can do,” I said, sitting heavily at my desk. “We have to find a way to take out the warlord.” I took a steadying breath. “We have to kill my uncle.”