Three weeks until the march.

Liam woke to pounding on his door at an hour that suggested emergency rather than routine military business.

"My lord!" The voice was Kael'thra's, strained with urgency. "The Fourth Order requires your immediate presence. It's about House Morwen."

He was dressed and moving before fully processing the words, his combat instincts overriding the grogginess. Whatever had happened was serious enough to bring the Fourth Order's commander to his quarters personally rather than sending a messenger.

That meant crisis.

Kael'thra led him through pre-dawn streets at pace that was almost running. No explanation offered, just grim determination that made Liam's stomach twist with anticipation of bad news.

They arrived at the Fourth Order's warehouse to find it transformed into active command center.

Warriors moving with purpose, intelligence reports being compiled, and in the center of controlled chaos—

Lord Arcturus Morwen, bound to a chair, bloodied but conscious, surrounded by Fourth Order operatives with weapons drawn.

"What the fuck is this?" Liam's voice carried authority that made every warrior in the warehouse freeze.

"Evidence," Kael'thra said simply.

She gestured to a table covered in documents, coded messages, and what looked like magical communication crystals.

"Lord Arcturus has been feeding intelligence to the Radiant Empire. Not just economic information—military deployments, assault timelines, strategic objectives. Everything."

The accusation hung like poison.

Arcturus looked up, his face bruised where someone had struck him, but his eyes were steady. "I can explain—"

"You can explain treason?" Kael'thra's voice was cold. "You can explain why coded messages to Sanctum Lux contained detailed information about our offensive? Why communication crystals in your private study were attuned to Radiant Empire intelligence networks?"

"I was attempting to—"

"Stop." Liam's command cut through the confrontation.

He moved to the table, studying the evidence with careful attention.

The documents were damning—detailed troop movements, supply calculations, even preliminary assault vectors for Sanctum Lux.

All in Arcturus's handwriting.

"How did you obtain this?" he asked Kael'thra.

"Surveillance over the past three weeks revealed suspicious activity. We infiltrated his estate last night, discovered the communication crystals and documents hidden in warded vault." Her voice was matter-of-fact. "We were preparing to bring evidence to you this morning. Then Lord Arcturus attempted to destroy the materials. We intervened."

"You infiltrated a House leader's private estate and abducted him without authorization." Liam's voice was carefully neutral.

"We gathered evidence of treason and prevented that evidence from being destroyed." Kael'thra's correction was subtle. "Our oath is to protect divine will. Lord Arcturus threatened that will through betrayal. We acted to preserve your offensive."

The logic was sound. The execution was catastrophic.

Because regardless of whether Arcturus was actually guilty, the Fourth Order had just kidnapped and assaulted one of the empire's most powerful House leaders based on their own investigation and judgment.

That was exactly the kind of independent action that created political disasters.

"Lord Arcturus," Liam said carefully. "You have sixty seconds to explain why documents in your handwriting detail our military operations to the Radiant Empire. Choose your words very carefully."

Arcturus met his eyes directly.

"I was conducting diplomatic back-channel. Attempting to negotiate terms that would prevent apocalyptic warfare while maintaining the appearance of supporting your offensive."

"You were undermining my authority."

"I was trying to save the empire from suicidal strategy." Arcturus's voice carried desperation. "Your offensive will kill hundreds of thousands of demons. Will devastate our economy. Will potentially result in total defeat that ends our civilization. I was attempting to find alternative through negotiation."

"By feeding intelligence to our enemies."

"By opening diplomatic channels that might prevent war entirely!" Arcturus's composure cracked. "You committed us to apocalyptic assault without considering alternatives. I was trying to create those alternatives before you marched two hundred thousand demons to their deaths."

The warehouse fell silent as everyone processed the admission.

Arcturus wasn't denying the betrayal. He was justifying it.

"Who else knows about your back-channel?" Liam asked quietly.

"No one. I maintained absolute secrecy specifically to avoid political complications."

"What did you promise the Radiant Empire in exchange for negotiations?"

Arcturus hesitated. Then: "Information about our offensive. Economic concessions. Territorial acknowledgments. Whatever was necessary to prevent full-scale war."

"And they accepted these terms?"

"They were... considering them. The negotiations were ongoing."

Liam studied the House leader who'd been essential to preparing the offensive economically.

Who'd managed impossible logistics and maintained supply chains that kept the army functional.

Who'd also been feeding detailed intelligence to their enemies while pretending to support the war effort.

"You understand this is treason," Liam said. Not a question. A statement.

"I understand this is an attempt to save the empire through means you're too committed to violence to consider." Arcturus's voice was steady despite his position. "Kill me if you must. But understand that destroying House Morwen's leadership three weeks before your offensive will collapse the economic infrastructure supporting that offensive."

The threat was subtle but real. House Morwen controlled soul-forges, supply chains, essence production.

Killing Arcturus would create leadership vacuum that couldn't be filled in three weeks.

Which meant executing him for treason would potentially doom the offensive he'd betrayed.

Kael'thra recognized the calculation. "We have candidates prepared to assume House Morwen leadership. The transition can be managed without disrupting military operations."

"Candidates who understand economic systems as complex as continental supply chains? Who have relationships with the Aurelian Republic and Iron Citadel traders?" Arcturus's smile was bitter. "Kill me and watch your logistics collapse within two weeks. You'll march on Sanctum Lux with armies that can't be fed or equipped."

He looked at Liam directly.

"I'm not just House leader you can replace. I'm irreplaceable infrastructure that your offensive depends on. Which is why I took the risk of opening negotiations. Because I knew you needed me too much to eliminate me even if discovered."

The warehouse fell into tense silence as everyone absorbed the impossible situation.

Arcturus was guilty of treason. Admitted it openly. Justified it through claimed attempt to prevent unnecessary war.

And was probably right that killing him would doom the offensive through economic collapse.

"Kael'thra," Liam said quietly. "What did the Radiant Empire do with the intelligence Lord Arcturus provided?"

"They've reinforced Sanctum Lux defenses based on our projected assault vectors. Increased guard rotations. Repositioned artillery to counter our expected approaches." Her voice was grim. "His betrayal has made successful assault significantly more difficult."

"How much more difficult?"

"Casualty projections increase from sixty-seventy percent to potentially eighty-five percent first wave. He's given them everything they need to prepare perfect defense against our attack."

The numbers were devastating.

Eighty-five percent casualties meant thousands of demons dead attempting to breach walls that now knew exactly how they'd be attacked.

All because Arcturus had attempted diplomatic solution.

"My lord," Kael'thra said carefully. "The Fourth Order requests permission to execute Lord Arcturus for treason against the empire and betrayal of divine will."

"Denied." Liam's response was immediate.

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