Marked By The Mad King Alpha (Phoebe and Perry) novel Chapter 180

**His Mercy Tastes Like Hunger**
**Chapter 180: He Carried Her Burden**

**Phoebe’s POV**

“We can’t evacuate that quickly. The people won’t abandon their homes. You don’t understand these folks—they’d rather stand and fight with us than run. They’re warriors at heart.”

Abner’s voice cut through the tension in the room, his words laced with a deep understanding of the local populace. As one of the senior fighters stationed here, he had seen the resilience and spirit of these people firsthand. His bald head shone under the flickering lamplight, a stark contrast to the youthful energy that still radiated from him. Those dark, penetrating eyes of his seemed to hold a world of doubt, as if he were constantly evaluating every decision, every outcome that lay before us.

“They’re fiercely loyal to the crown. They will do anything to protect this land,” he continued, his tone firm and unwavering.

“Right, I overlooked that,” Joric admitted, his brow furrowing in realization. He had only recently been assigned to this outpost, while Abner had dedicated years to understanding the intricate dynamics of the locals.

Without a moment’s hesitation, the attention of the room shifted toward me, a silent plea for my input on this pressing dilemma. I could feel the weight of their expectations pressing down on me, and instinctively, I tightened my grip on my dress, the fabric bunching in my fists as I wrestled with my thoughts. Desperate for a solution, I reached for my writing materials, scribbling furiously as the others leaned in, eager to see what I would conjure up.

*What about a royal decree?* I turned the note around, allowing them to read my hastily written suggestion.

“What do you mean by that?” Joric asked, confusion flickering across his face.

Austen was the first to grasp the idea. “She’s the queen—she can issue an evacuation order. If they’re truly loyal to the king, they’ll follow commands from the palace.” His voice held a hint of excitement, as if the very thought ignited a spark of hope.

Only the king and queen possessed such authority.

I nodded, a wave of relief washing over me. I was grateful that I didn’t have to elaborate further; my wrist was already protesting from all the writing, and my notepad was nearing its limit.

“That could work,” Abner agreed, a glimmer of optimism in his eyes. “They won’t defy a direct royal command. The queen holds equal authority to the king, especially when he’s away.”

A sense of satisfaction blossomed within me as I witnessed the plan taking form. It seemed that the kingdom’s political structure wasn’t entirely broken, despite the challenges we faced. It was those stubborn elders causing all the complications.

They always had to throw in their two cents, just to be contrary. What a headache. Now I understood why Perry wanted them out of the picture. A smart move, indeed.

Those old troublemakers created more chaos than solutions. We certainly had enough on our plates without their interference.

“I think you should draft that decree now, my queen,” Austen suggested respectfully, his tone urging me to take action.

Fiona, on the other hand, was struggling to keep up. Her legs buckled beneath her, and she fell to the ground, the exhaustion overwhelming her. She had shifted back to her human form, unable to maintain the pace any longer. Every muscle in her body screamed in protest, and her feet were battered and bruised from the harsh terrain.

Cuts marred her skin—thank the stars for her healing abilities, or she would have been left scarred from head to toe, a testament to the sharp branches and jagged rocks she had stumbled over.

“I’m done. I can’t go on. Just leave me here,” she pleaded with Darius as he approached, concern etched across his face as he tried to coax her back to her feet.

“You have to keep going,” Darius insisted, shifting into his human form as well. He was older, built like a seasoned warrior, and this kind of physical punishment was nothing to him. The same could be said for Reginald and Allen, who stood ready to support their friend.

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