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NINE RIDERS HIT THE GROUND—THEN THE BROKEN DRAGON LET ONE WOMAN TOUCH THE WING THAT TERRIFIED HIM / Chapter 19 / 20

Chapter 19 - THE SHADOW TRUTH

Gasps echoed through the assembled ranks of noble riders as they saw the horrific injuries on the silver dragon.

"What is the meaning of this?" Thorne demanded, his face turning thunderous as he glared at Kael.

"It’s a trick!" Kael stammered, backing away toward the rear guards. "She modified those creatures herself to frame the War Ministry!"

"I have the Warden's private ledgers, signed by Kael himself," Alistair said, stepping forward and tossing a bloody book onto the commander’s table. "Every surgery, every illegal sale, every tortured beast—it’s all recorded here. They were crippling our front-line reserves to sell dragon-parts on the black market!"

Thorne opened the book, his eyes scanning the ledger entries. His hand shook with rage as he reached the final page, which detailed the planned butchery of Nyx and the Silver-Wing.

Thorne looked up, his eyes cold as ice. "Kael."

Kael didn't answer. Realizing he was trapped, he lunged forward, drawing a concealed dagger and throwing himself toward Marlo!

"Marlo!" Alistair yelled.

Before Kael could reach her, Nyx let out a deafening roar. With a lightning-fast sweep of his wing, Nyx struck Kael, sending him flying thirty feet across the stone plaza into a marble pillar, where he collapsed, unconscious.

Silence fell over the valley.

Thorne walked down the steps of the pavilion, stopping just inches from Nyx. The massive black dragon lowered his head, his golden eyes meeting the old commander’s gaze without fear, without rage—only a quiet, noble dignity.

Thorne reached out a trembling hand and touched the scarred joint of Nyx’s wing—the very scar that nine riders had been thrown for touching.

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Nyx didn't flinch. He remained perfectly still, trusting Marlo’s presence.

Thorne closed his eyes, a tear cutting through the dust on his cheek. "May the Light forgive us... we built an empire on the blood of creatures who trusted us."

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