Perry's POV
I had to return to the palace immediately—my warriors needed their leader. Having their king fight alongside them would lift their spirits, but more than that, worry for my mate consumed me.
The elders would seize this opportunity to tear Phoebe down. Their tactics might not cause physical harm, but they'd never waste a chance to destroy her reputation publicly.
Damn it.
How could I not see this coming? Why didn't I anticipate this?
I knew Reginald and the Valerium would plot against me, set traps and pull dirty tricks.
But I assumed they'd target me directly, not my mate. What a fool I was, thinking she'd be safe just because she wasn't on the battlefield.
Now the war had come home.
"You can't leave alone," Timothy objected. "I'm coming with you."
"No, take the other warriors back. They need leadership. When you reach the fortress, adapt the strategy based on what you find."
