If Lin Lill’s news affected Ellina, she revealed no sign of it.
“The Dark Army does not appear aware of our current position,” Lin Lill continued, unrolling a map. “And—can you two pay attention?”
“We are paying themostattention,” Erol replied without opening his eyes.
“You cannot see the map.”
“Ellina has the region memorized, and I do not need to see it.”
Lin Lill scrutinized Ellina. “You have been studying?”
Ellina—eyes still closed, arms out for balance—nodded.
“How many cities sit between here and Kenath?”
Ellina flashed her fingers.Six.
“How many roads lead into Hurendue?”
Two.
“How much black powder does Farah possess?”
Ellina peeked open an eye, shooting the ranger a scowl. She had no way of knowing that from studying the map.
“It was worth a try,” Lin Lill said, shoving the parchment into Erol’s hands. He swayed but did not fall, clutching the map outwards for the others to view. Lin Lill tapped the page with a finger. “There are two roads leading southwest from Hurendue towards the water, as Ellina correctly guessed.”
Ellina’s scowl deepened.
“One of the roads is paved,” Lin Lill went on, “but unrestricted, therefore exposed. The other is unpaved, which would make for more difficult maneuvering. However, the unpaved road winds through a small woodland. We need the Dark Army to choose the woodland route. Otherwise, we will have to face them in open battle.”
“An option best avoided,” Artis said.
“At allcosts,” Branton added. “So how do we ensure that the Dark Army ends up where we want them?”
“We must give them a reason to avoid the open road,” Lin Lill replied. “Or a reason theyshouldtake the wooded path.”
“An incentive often works better than a deterrent,” Erol said from behind the map. “We could find something to act as bait.”
Lin Lill’s eyes came up. “Or someone.”
“No.” Venick spoke through his teeth. “That’s a hardno.”
“Lin has not even explained her plan yet,” Branton complained.
“I know her plan,” Venick said, then speared Lin Lill with a glare. “We are not going to use Ellina asbait.”
Silence.
Erol lowered the map. His eyes were open again. “Lin?”
The ranger spread her hands. “The Dark Queen wants Ellina. The conjurors made that clear in Igor. If Ellina allowed herself to be seen, she could lure the elves after her, turn it into a chase. We would be waiting under the cover of the trees, ready to strike. After we dispose of the first round of elves, the rest of the army will realize that their comrades are missing. They will send another brigade to investigate, and then another. They will be unorganized. The Dark Army will not know that we are hiding in the woods. We can pick them off little by little. It will be easy; we just require a catalyst. Ellina would hardly even be in danger,” Lin Lill added when she saw Venick’s expression. “The conjurors need only spot her from a distance. Just far enough for them to recognize her and use their shadow-binding to catch her trail. After, she’ll shake the binding—”
“You can’t shake a shadow-binding,” Venick snapped. “Not unless the elf who conjured the binding decides to drop the conjuring, or is killed. Ellina would be permanently marked.”
“Then we will make sure to kill—”
“And that’s to say nothing of the fact that if a conjuror is close enough to shadow-bind Ellina, he’d be close enough to do more.”
