Frozen Flame of Dawn - Chapter 68

Chapter 68: Chapter 33: Embers in the Shadows_1

Aiden also relaxed his stance, though his sharp gaze never wavered. “Alright I’m listening.”

“I owe you an apology,” As she then took a steady breath her voice tinged with remorse. “I couldn’t bring justice to your fallen team members. They were under my command too, and I failed them. I failed you.”

Aiden’s eyes softened but his tone remained steady. “You don’t need to apologize, Aunt Helen. This isn’t on you and you tried… but there wasn’t much you could do. No one could.”

Helen’s expression twisted with frustration. “Then why did you go straight to the Elder Council for a vote without telling me? Why didn’t you trust me to help you?”

Aiden’s jaw tightened as he knew this conversation was inevitable. Before looking at her, he ran his hand through his hair. “It’s not about trust,” he said carefully. “I knew how the council would vote. I knew the verdict wouldn’t be in my favor, and after that, they would’ve put the Dragon Unit under their control. If that happened… we wouldn’t be able to do our job—to protect the people.”

“You think I don’t want to help the people too?” Helen leaned forward and raised her voice a little. “Do you think I’m just sitting here doing nothing?”

Aiden’s eyes got softer, but he held up a hand to stop her. “I know you want to help, Aunt and your motives are pure, but…” He hesitated before continuing, his voice lowering. “Good intentions aren’t enough when you don’t have the support you need. And right now… you’re in a passive position in the council. Not many support you openly.”

Helen blinked in surprise at his bluntness as she opened her mouth to respond but Aiden pressed on.

“You’ve seen it yourself.” His voice hardened. “If there was ever a vote against you do you really think it would go in your favor?”

Helen’s pressed her lips into a thin line as though she didn’t want to admit it but he was right.

“And keep an eye on Vice Chancellor Henry,” Aiden said in a serious voice. “He’s up to something.”

Helen’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

Aiden leaned forward, his voice dropping lower. “You’ve noticed how many awakened individuals we’ve been apprehending over the past month, right? We were sending them to the military headquarters for training and containment… or so we thought. But I’ve seen at least two of those individuals in that escort unit went with team and whom we imprisoned confessed to us privately that they were recruited as in Vice Chancellor Henry’s personal unit.”

Helen’s eyes widened, her hands clenching into fists. “You’re saying he’s building his own private combat force?”

Aiden nodded. “Exactly. And that’s not all. From him we got to know that currently more than 80% of the military is already under his influence. And if you thought about it little by little, he’s stripping you of your power.”

Helen’s face turned gloomy as she absorbed his words. “He disbanded the Phoenix Unit,” she muttered, as if the memory physically hurt her. “Our covet unit. The one meant to root out corruption…”

Aiden’s gaze didn’t waver. “He’s been playing the long game. First, he took the Phoenix Unit. Then, he siphoned away most of the military forces loyal to you. And you saw it during the last crisis—the hesitation. When you gave the command, they didn’t comply immediately. They hesitated. That’s dangerous.”

Helen’s hands tightened until her knuckles turned white. Aiden’s voice softened but remained resolute. “And today… he almost took the Dragon Unit from you too. If he succeeded, you’d only be left with your personal guards and combat force.”

Helen leaned back, the weight of Aiden’s words pressing down on her. She exhaled slowly, her mind racing.

“I didn’t realize how far it had gone,” she admitted quietly. “I knew he was trying to consolidate power, but… this?”

Aiden nodded. “That’s why I went to the Elders. I couldn’t risk our unit falling into his hands. If we did, we’d just become another pawn in his game. And we both know that if the he prioritizes self-preservation over the people, innocent lives will be lost.”

The air in Helen’s office grew heavy as Aiden’s words settled between them like an unspoken truth that neither wanted to admit but both knew to be undeniable. Helen leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temple as if the weight of the situation was pressing down on her shoulders.

Helen’s jaw clenched. “I won’t let that happen.” Her voice hardened. “You’re right—I’ve been passive. But no more. I won’t stand by and watch this unfold.”

Aiden’s expression softened as he gave her a small, reassuring smile. “You’re not alone in this. There are still people who believe in you—people who’ll stand with you when you need them. But,” he paused, his tone shifting to something almost reluctant, “this is as far as I can go.”

Helen’s brows furrowed as she watched Aiden pull an envelope from his coat. He placed it on her desk and slid it toward her. “Take this.”

Curious, she opened it and found several pages inside—neatly organized lists of names, addresses, and detailed notes about each individual. Her eyes widened as she scanned the information. “Aiden… what is this?” she asked, her voice laced with surprise.

Aiden leaned back slightly, his face calm but serious. “It’s a list of recently awakened individuals. Each one has been vetted—they’re strong-minded, loyal, and humble. No political baggage, no family ties that could be used against them. They admire you, Aunt.” He met her gaze steadily. “These are people who won’t crumble under pressure or be swayed by bribes. They believe in our your ideals—not in the selfish whims of the council.”

Aiden nodded. “Even if you filter it down, you’ll still have at least six or seven hundred capable awakened individuals.” He leaned forward again. “You’ll need them. And while I’m gone, I suggest you start training them in secret. Don’t expose them—not yet. Assign a few of your most trusted guards to oversee the training. This will be your trump card if things go south.”