CHAPTER 240 BETRAYAL INCINERATOR

The rays of the sun filtered into Marcus’s tent. The high intensity of the light behind his eyelids was blinding him until he had to just wake up. His sleep had been shallow and restless, filled with fragmented dreams of betrayal, bloodshed, and the Archon's twisted smile. Those better stay as dreams and not realities. Right now, he has no more time to dwell on them. The plan was set in motion, and today, he would take the first concrete steps toward seizing power. He sat up, rubbing the exhaustion from his eyes, and let out a long breath. The migraine still lingered at the edges of his mind, but he pushed it aside. He couldn’t afford weakness today because there was too much at stake. He needed to be sharp to control every aspect of what was about to unfold. Marcus dressed quickly, slipping into his usual dark leather shirt and an unobtrusive but strong armor beneath, enough to provide some protection in case anything went wrong. He strapped his dagger to his thigh, a weapon