The Fractured Wing (The Shackled Oath #2)

Chapter 1 – Dain

DAIN

“Azaria!”

Quinton’s shout bounced off the stone, sharp enough to make the guards flinch. He thrashed in Elias’s grip, wild-eyed, muscles straining like he could break free by sheer will. Lyra choked on a sob, pressing her fists to her mouth. The rest of the squad stood there, shock stamped across every face.

The palace doors shut with a heavy clang. Callan had walked Azaria through, and both were gone now, swallowed by the dark beyond. Half the guards remained, forming a line between us and the entrance, swords still drawn. Like they expected us to try again.

Sharp pain flared in my chest, white-hot and vicious. My hand moved instinctively, pressing against my ribs. I dragged in a breath, forcing my voice flat and cold.

“Everyone back to the wing. Now.”

Nobody moved. Kael’s hand was still clenched where his sword had been. Zephyr’s breathing came ragged, fists tight. Reyna stared at the closed doors like she could burn through them by will alone.

I stepped between them and the guards, making myself a wall. “Back to the wing. All of you. Stay there until I return.”

Elias finally released Quinton. He stood there, chest heaving, staring at the doors as if they owed him something. His hands were shaking—the kind of tremor that came from holding back too much for too long.

Thorne shifted beside me; something glinted in his palm. I caught it: a small, narrow blade. Azaria’s. The one she kept in her boot, the one the guards had somehow missed. Relief hit me like a fist to the chest. At least they didn’t take everything.

I met Thorne’s eyes. He didn’t ask permission, didn’t wait for orders. He held it like a promise.

“Keep it safe,” I said.

He nodded once. “Yes, Second.”

The word bit, but there was no time for it.

The squad finally peeled off, slow and brittle, drifting toward the common wing with all the energy of men marching to a wake. Nobody spoke. The fight hadn’t left them yet. Wouldn’t leave them for hours.

I turned my back on the guards and marched toward Tywin’s chambers.

I didn’t see the palace corridors. Didn’t hear the staff scattering out of my way. All I could feel was the roar of my pulse and the ache in my chest that wouldn’t stop.

Fifteen years in the shadows. Fifteen years of watching every angle, reading every face, anticipating every threat. And I’d missed this. I’d let them take her while I was distracted by missions and politics and the comfortable illusion that our loyalty meant something to them.

Tywin’s office loomed ahead. I didn’t knock. I shoved the doors open hard enough that they cracked against the walls. He was already on his feet, jaw tight, eyes blazing. His face held no surprise, only controlled fury.

“Dain,” he said.

“How?” I didn’t wait for him to speak. Didn’t give him time to offer platitudes. “How did they do this without you stopping it?”

His hands braced against the desk, knuckles white. “They moved while I was occupied with other matters. Tied me up in procedural nonsense, kept me out of chambers. By the time I realized what was happening, the warrant had already been executed.”

“Executed.” The word tasted like ash. “She’s not a criminal. She’s a godsdamned Captain.”

“I know.”

“Then where is she?” My voice came out harder than I meant. “Council holding? Chambers?”

Tywin’s jaw worked. “Dungeons.”

The world stopped.

“What?”

“They took her straight to the dungeons.” His voice was tight and clipped. “Not council holding. Not chambers. They bypassed protocol entirely.”

Ice flooded my veins. The dungeons were where they put traitors and enemies of the state, not captains under investigation.

“That’s a violation,” I said, voice low and lethal. “You know that’s a violation.”

“I know.” He looked like he wanted to put his fist through the wall. “I’ve already filed a formal objection. They’re ignoring it.”

The fact that a High Lord’s formal objection could be dismissed so easily said more about the council’s reach than any charge they’d leveled against Azaria. My hands curled into fists.

“What are the charges?”

“Shifting loyalties. Allegiance compromised by Dravareth involvement.” He spat the words like they burned.

“They’re using her acceptance of the Thornvales as proof.

Every decision she made to integrate them, every mission she led with them in her squad, they’re twisting it into evidence of treason. ”

“That’s absurd.”

“Of course it is.” Tywin straightened, something hard settling in his eyes. “But outside these walls, absurd doesn’t matter. Fear does. And they’re afraid of her, Dain. Afraid of the loyalty she commands. The influence she’s building.”

I already knew that. We all did.

“I need to see her,” I said.

“I’ll get you in.” Tywin’s voice was steady, certain. “But not yet. Right now, they’re watching everything. One wrong move and they’ll use it against her. Against all of us.”

“She’s alone down there.”

“Callan’s still with her.” Tywin’s gaze met mine. “Rylen confirmed it. He escorted her all the way down, hasn’t left.”

I didn’t know if that made it better or worse. Callan, who’d arrested her. Callan, who’d looked wrecked doing it.

“I’ve already called an emergency session,” Tywin continued.

“All captains. Two bells. We’re going to force the council’s hand, demand they show evidence, push for a formal hearing with a Truthteller present.

” He leaned forward, voice dropping. “And I need you sharp for it, Dain. Not reckless. Can you manage that?”

I forced myself to breathe. To nod.

“Good.” He placed a hand on my shoulder, brief and solid. “We’re not letting this stand. Go back to your squad. Keep them contained. I’ll send word when it’s time.”

I turned to leave, every muscle coiled tight.

“Dain.”

I looked back. Tywin’s expression was grim.

“Whatever happens next, I need to know: if it comes down to choosing between the council and her, where do you stand?”

I didn’t hesitate. “With her.”

He nodded slowly, like he’d expected that answer. Like maybe he’d give the same one.

“Then we’d better make sure it doesn’t come to that.”

The common wing was silent when I returned; the silence pressed against the walls. The squad had gathered in the main room, scattered across armchairs and sofas like the aftermath of a battle. Nobody spoke. Nobody moved.

Reyna stood by the window with her arms crossed, staring out at nothing.

Kael had his elbows on his knees and his head down.

Zephyr couldn't stop pacing, coiled so tight he looked ready to snap.

Lirael hadn't moved at all. Lyra had curled into herself in the corner, and Elias sat beside her, quiet but watchful.

Thorne stood near the door with Azaria's blade still in his hand.

And Quinton?—

Quinton sat apart from the others, staring at his hands. His shoulders were drawn tight, jaw clenched. He looked like he was barely holding himself together.

The door shut behind me. Every head turned.

“Well?” Reyna’s voice cut the air. “What did Tywin say?”

I moved to the center of the room, letting them see me. See that I was still standing. Still controlled.

“The charges are bullshit,” I said flatly. “Shifting loyalties. Dravareth allegiance. They’re using the Thornvales as proof.”

Zephyr’s laugh was harsh. “She saved this kingdom more times than half those crusted-up bastards in the council have drawn breath.”

“She did nothing wrong,” Lirael said, voice like broken glass.

“She never does,” Elias murmured. “That’s why they hate her.”

Silence fell, heavy and bitter.

I let it settle. Then: “Tywin’s calling an emergency session. All captains. Two bells. We’re going to force them to show evidence, push for a formal hearing.”

“And if they refuse?” Kael asked, voice tight.

“Then we escalate.”

Reyna turned from the window, eyes blazing. “We should’ve fought. We should’ve pulled her out of there before?—”

“And started a war with our own kingdom?” I cut in harder than I meant. “We’d be hunted down and executed. Every single one of us.”

“Better than leaving her in their hands,” Reyna spat.

“She told us to stand down.” My voice was flat, final. “You think she’d thank you for ignoring that? For making everything worse?”

Reyna glared, but she didn’t argue.

I looked at each of them and saw the rage, the helplessness, the line they were all teetering on.

“I know what you’re feeling,” I said quietly. “I feel it too. But letting this turn into a scene only gives them what they want. Azaria knew this was coming. She wasn’t surprised. That tells me she has a plan, or she’s trusting someone who does.”

“Callan?” Kael’s voice was full of venom.

I hesitated. “He looked like it hurt him to do it,” Elias offered.

“Doesn’t matter,” I said. “He did it anyway.”

Zephyr’s fists clenched. “So what? We sit here and wait?”

“No,” I pitched my voice steady, certain. “We stay sharp. We stay ready. And we follow protocol until we can’t anymore.”

I looked at Reyna, then at Kael. “I want eyes on the council wing. Who’s coming and going, who’s meeting with whom. Don’t be obvious about it.”

Reyna nodded, jaw tight.

“Lirael, check your contacts in the guard. Find out what you can about her condition, her location, anything.”

“Already on it,” she said quietly.

“Thorne, Zeph—inventory our gear. If we need to move fast, I want us ready.”

They both nodded.

My gaze found Quinton. He hadn’t moved. Hadn’t spoken. “Quin,” I said quietly.

He looked up. His eyes were dark and haunted. “I should’ve pulled her into the shadows,” he said, voice rough. “Should’ve run.”

“You’d both be hunted,” I said. “She knew that. That’s why she told us to stand down.”

His jaw tightened. He didn’t argue. Didn’t agree either. He looked away.

“We do this Azaria’s way,” I said, looking at all of them. “Controlled. Strategic. We don’t give them ammunition. And we bring her home.”

Nobody spoke for a long moment. Then Thorne stepped forward, Azaria’s blade still in his palm. “We’ll be ready, Dain.”

The others nodded, one by one. Still tense. Still furious. But contained.

For now.

The war chamber doors shut behind me with a low boom, cutting off the endless buzz of the palace beyond. The room was stone and iron, cold as always. The blackwood table had seen too many of these meetings. Every voice here carried weight. Every silence, even more.

High Lord Tywin stood at the head, with hands braced wide.

He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. Around him, the other captains had already gathered.

Veshar was halfway out of his chair, fury written across his face, his heavy coat thrown back.

Rylen sat quietly, calculating, every twitch of his jaw measuring odds.

Torik leaned forward, stone-faced and silent.

Serah’s gaze was keen and assessing. Every head turned when I entered.

I took the seat beside Rylen without a word.

Veshar didn’t wait. “You mean to tell me the council now has the power to arrest whoever they want, including the captains sworn to protect them?”

Tywin’s voice was iron-hard. “I’m telling you what they did. Not that I agreed with it.”

“There are protocols for this,” Veshar slammed a hand on the table. “We don’t snatch our own people like criminals. Not unless we want a mutiny on our hands.”

Torik’s voice was flat. “What are the charges?”

Tywin let out a breath like the words tasted bitter. “Shifting loyalties. Allegiance compromised by Dravareth involvement.” The scoff in his tone made it clear what he thought of the phrasing. A heavy silence followed.

Then Veshar laughed. “That’s the best they could come up with? After all she’s done for them?”

“Azaria Sylvenhart?” Serah’s voice was cold. “She’s bled more for this kingdom than half the council combined.”

“I know,” Tywin said quietly.

Rylen leaned back, eyes dark. “They're using the Thornvales. Every mission, every integration, every time she vouched for them—they've reframed all of it. They’re twisting it into evidence.”

“Desperation makes poor liars,” he added. “And desperate men are always dangerous.”

I found my voice. “They fear her.”

Every head turned my way.

“She’s gaining loyalty,” I continued, voice low. “Influence. She’s not one of them, and she never will be. That makes her more dangerous than any Dravareth connection ever could.”

Tywin nodded slowly. “Which is why we need to move carefully. I’m already pushing for an official hearing, Truthteller present, witnesses called. The council can’t stall forever.”

Veshar spat. “They’ll try. You know they will.”

“Let them try,” Tywin said. “We’ll be ready.”

I flexed my hand against my ribs. “Where’s Callan?”

Rylen’s gaze met mine. “Still with her. He hasn’t left the dungeons since he escorted her down.”

Something in my chest eased. Not much. But enough.

“Good,” I said quietly.

Tywin’s gaze swept over the table. “I want eyes everywhere. If the council so much as breathes wrong, I want to know before they do. We can’t lose her. Not to politics. Not to fear.”

He looked directly at me. “Dain, I need you on this. Your network, your people. Everything.”

I nodded once. “You’ll have it.”

Across the table, Rylen shot me a look. It said everything: If it comes to war, where do we stand? I didn’t need to answer out loud. He already knew.

Tywin straightened. “We reconvene tomorrow at dawn. Until then, keep your squads contained. No incidents. No escalations. We do this right, or we hand them exactly what they want.”

One by one, the captains rose. The meeting was over. But as I left the chamber, one thought burned clear: Whatever happened next, whatever rules I had to break, whatever lines I had to cross, I would get to Azaria.

Even if it meant burning every protocol in the book.