Shocked silence.

"My lord?" Kael'thra's confusion was evident. "He's admitted treason. Compromised our offensive. Increased projected casualties by tens of thousands. How is execution not appropriate response?"

"Because execution solves emotional desire for justice while creating practical disaster." Liam's voice was cold. "Lord Arcturus is correct that killing him collapses economic infrastructure we can't replace in three weeks. Which means however much I want him dead for betrayal, pragmatism requires keeping him alive."

He looked at Arcturus.

"You're not being spared because I'm merciful. You're being spared because killing you dooms the offensive you tried to undermine. You aren't off the hook, I just understand that your death costs more than your survival."

Arcturus absorbed this. "So I continue serving the offensive I betrayed?"

"You continue serving because alternative is economic collapse. But understand—the moment this offensive concludes, successfully or otherwise, you will answer for your treason. There will be reckoning. Just not one that destroys everything you've built."

Liam turned to Kael'thra.

"Release him. Lord Arcturus returns to his duties under Fourth Order surveillance. He continues managing logistics. Any further contact with Radiant Empire results in immediate execution regardless of economic consequences."

"My lord, this is—"

"Not negotiable." Liam's voice carried absolute authority. "I understand the Fourth Order wants justice. I want justice. But we need functioning economy more than we need satisfying desire for revenge. So Lord Arcturus lives, works, and prays I never discover additional betrayal."

The Fourth Order warriors looked to Kael'thra, who looked torn between obeying divine command and executing traitor who'd admitted compromising their operations.

Finally, she nodded. "It will be done as you command. But Lord Azra—this creates dangerous precedent. If House leaders believe treason can be survived through being economically necessary—"

"Then they'll learn differently after this offensive conclude." Liam's voice was firm.

He watched as Fourth Order warriors reluctantly released Arcturus, who stood with dignity despite his bruises.

"You understand the position you're in," Liam said quietly. "You live because killing you is inconvenient. You work because we need your skills. And when this offensive ends, you answer for everything. Clear?"

"Clear." Arcturus's voice was steady. "And Lord Azra? For what it's worth—I genuinely believed negotiation was better alternative than suicide warfare. I wasn't betraying for personal gain. I was trying to save lives."

"You were trying to undermine authority you'd sworn to support. Whatever your justifications, that's betrayal." Liam's grey eyes were cold. "Now get out. Return to your duties. And pray I never discover you've made contact with Sanctum Lux again."

Arcturus left, escorted by Fourth Order guards who would monitor his every movement.

Which left Liam alone with Kael'thra and the evidence of how badly the offensive had been compromised.

"The Radiant Empire knows our assault vectors," he said quietly. "Knows our timeline. Knows our force composition. Everything."

"Yes." Kael'thra's voice was grim.

"Can we change the plan? Adjust vectors, alter timeline, surprise them with different approach?"

"Three weeks isn't enough time to completely restructure two-hundred-thousand-troop offensive. We'd create chaos trying to implement new strategy while troops are still training for original plan."

"So we attack with compromised strategy that they're perfectly prepared to defend against."

"Unless we find way to turn Lord Arcturus's betrayal into advantage." Kael'thra pulled out the documents. "They know our planned assault. They've positioned defenses accordingly. What if we feed them information suggesting we've changed plans? Make them reposition based on false intelligence?"

Liam considered. "Using Arcturus as unwitting channel to deliver disinformation?"

"Using Lord Arcturus as knowing channel to deliver disinformation under threat of exposure if he refuses." Kael'thra's correction was subtle. "He avoids execution by helping us turn his betrayal into tactical advantage. We get chance to surprise defenders who think they know our strategy."

"That's clever. Also dangerous. If Arcturus warns them about the deception—"

"Then Fourth Order eliminates him immediately and accepts economic consequences. But if he cooperates, we potentially salvage offensive that his betrayal compromised."

It was ruthless. The kind of strategy that used every available resource regardless of moral complications.

Exactly what surviving impossible situations required.

"Do it," Liam decided. "Work with Arcturus. Feed false intelligence through his channels. Make the Radiant Empire prepare for assault that won't come from directions they expect."

"And if Lord Arcturus refuses to cooperate?"

"Then he discovers that being economically necessary only protects him as long as he remains useful. Once he becomes active liability rather than passive one, economic concerns become irrelevant."

Kael'thra smiled coldly. "The Fourth Order will ensure his cooperation."

---

Liam returned to the castle as dawn broke, his mind processing the catastrophic revelation.

Their offensive had been compromised. Their assault vectors known. Their surprise advantage eliminated.

All because one House leader had decided diplomatic solution was preferable to apocalyptic warfare.

He found Lilith already awake in the war room, reviewing reports that suggested she'd been working through the night.

"The Fourth Order abducted Lord Arcturus," he said without preamble. "Discovered he's been feeding intelligence to the Radiant Empire. They wanted to execute him. I refused because killing him three weeks before offensive collapses our economic infrastructure."

Lilith set down her reports carefully. "Is he guilty?"

"Admitted it openly. Claims he was trying to prevent war through diplomatic back-channel. Justifies betrayal as attempt to save lives."

"And you let him live."

"I postponed his execution until after offensive concludes. Because our attack requires we maintain functional economy even when that means tolerating admitted traitor."

Lilith was quiet for long moment. Then: "That was the correct decision."

"The Fourth Order wanted blood."

"The Fourth Order wants what they think serves you. Sometimes that's justice. Sometimes that's revenge. Your job is distinguishing between useful service and destructive zealotry." She stood, moving to the maps. "How compromised is the offensive?"

"Completely. They know our assault vectors, force compositions, timeline. Everything."

He then explained Kael'thra's proposal to use Arcturus as channel for disinformation.

"That could work," Lilith said slowly. "If Lord Arcturus cooperates. If the Radiant Empire believes the false intelligence. If we can successfully reorient assault in three weeks without creating chaos."

"A lot of ifs."

"Better than certainty of attacking into perfect defense." She looked at him seriously. "This changes calculations. Not just tactically—politically. House Morwen's leader attempted to undermine your authority. Other Houses will learn about this. How you respond determines whether they see weakness or strength."

"I showed necessity over justice."

"You showed that being necessary provides protection even from treason. That's dangerous precedent." Lilith's voice was careful. "House leaders might conclude that making themselves irreplaceable protects them from consequences. That economic importance exceeds loyalty."

"Well, whats the other choice? Killed him and watched logistics collapse?"

"Again, you did the right thing. But understand—there will be consequences to this decision beyond just Arcturus. Other Houses are watching. Learning. Calculating their own positions." She paused. "When this offensive concludes, you'll need to execute Arcturus publicly and brutally. Not just for his treason, but to demonstrate that postponed justice is still inevitable justice."

"He might die during the offensive anyway."

"He might. But if he survives, you execute him personally. Make example that being necessary only delays consequences, doesn't prevent them." Lilith's golden eyes were serious. "Otherwise, you're creating system where powerful figures believe betrayal is survivable through importance."

She was right. The decision to spare Arcturus was pragmatic but politically dangerous.

Would require careful management to prevent becoming precedent that undermined authority.

"Three weeks," Liam said quietly. "Three weeks to implement disinformation campaign, reorient assault, prepare for offensive that's been compromised before it began."

Lilith touched his arm gently. "You made right choice. Doesn't mean it was easy choice or one without complications."

"Story of my existence since arriving here."

"Story of leadership generally." Her smile was slight. "Welcome to making decisions that are simultaneously correct and terrible. It's most of what ruling requires."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.