Protect him. Guard his throat. Punch hers, maybe.
Her throat is so fucking punchable right now.
“The situation here has never been this dire,” Siegrid says plainly, pulling me out of my violent musings.
Right. Dire straits at the war front. Maybe don’t punch your chief commander… yet.
Siegrid clasps her hands behind her back and rounds the table to stand before us.
“The Siphons have made several deep incursions into the farmlands, as you could probably see from your approach. Our original perimeter, maintained by the Phylax pack, is justgone.”
She draws a deep breath, showing a rare moment of unease. It shakes me to see her so unsettled.
“Your Highness, as you know, our plan had been to use your strength as a last resort to shore up our second line of defense. But things have changed.” She visibly gathers herself, smoothing her face back to her usual impassiveness as she delivers the worst of the news.
“As of now, the town of Weisenstat and the largest of our farming areas remain intact. But we got intelligence last night that Astreona has sent reinforcements—a very powerful Siphon general, with a whole host of new forces. This isn’t just a defensive mission anymore. The Siphons have noticed our weakness here, and we anticipate a major attack.”
She doesn’t voice the obvious conclusion, but I can tell we all think it:It’s going to be a bloodbath.
Ironically, the news that we’re outmatched gives me a funny sort of calm.It’s like the buzz I’d get before a difficult fight in the underground rings, I realize. Facing up against someone bigger and badder than me. Knowing that this might be it, the time that I’m finally outmatched.
Now, just like then, my resolve hardens into something steely, edged with anticipation.
I live for dangerous odds.
Stepping up to the table, I study the battle diagrams. “What are your plans so far? Will it still work to leverage my shielding power until we can get reinforcements in place?”
“No,” Siegrid says flatly. “There’s just too much area to cover, and with the forces we’re facing now, it’s likely the Siphons will strike in multiple places. But we’ll be spread too thin if we try to anticipate every potential target. Plus, the farmers are refusing to abandon their land and seek refuge elsewhere—even if we had the extra troops to help them get out, they won’t go.”
She scrubs a hand over her face. “There’s something else. Queen Meryn, the corruption in the Bonded magic seems to be getting worse.”
My stomach drops. We were keeping an eye on this ever since it was first noticed. But Siegrid was so confident it would clear up once Tormun caught Killian. Once this wretched bracelet was off my wrist.
So much for that.
I’ve heard more mention of Daemos riders getting blowback when they impel like what happened to that boy in the arena, although Stark hasn’t experienced it. Noemi mentioned casually on the ride down here that her shields had becometoostrong on occasion, blocking Bonded out.
Not that we have that many Phylax left to worry about.
“Does the added strength in the magic help at all?” I ask. Since I put the crown on, everyone’s magic has surged.
Siegrid purses her mouth. “No. The troops have had no time to learn the scope of the changes or adjust our battle maneuvers to compensate for the differences.”
We’re all quiet, considering that.
My instincts are trying to tell me something. What would I have done in the fighting ring when the odds were so clearly against me?
I almost always managed to win. No matter how formidable the opponent.
It was because I could surprise them. They looked at me, and they thought they knew me. Thought I was a weak little girl who would fold easily, barely put up a fight.
What surprises do we have up our sleeve now?
“I should use foresight,” I murmur, growing more confident of the words as I say them. “We don’t need to accept defeat before it happens. Nothing is inevitable. Maybe I’ll get a glimpse of a path to success.”
Siegrid nods slowly. “It’s worth a try, Your Highness. Do you have the strength to attempt it now? We anticipate their attack coming tomorrow or the next day at the latest.”
I swallow hard. I’m worn out from our travel, and from fighting off the deserters who attacked Saela. But what other choice do I have?
