“You’ve heard,” I say as I step into the space, letting my voice carry just enough to reach them without effort.
Kareth shifts forward, his expression composed, though his shoulders square more fully as he addresses me. “We’ve heard there’s a deployment,” he says.
“There is.”
“Scale?” he asks, his tone even, but his gaze sharp.
“Limited,” I reply.
A few of the others exchange brief glances, quick enough to miss if you aren’t looking for them. I am.
“Objective?” another asks from the side.
“Interception and disruption of advancing orc forces along the northern routes,” I say, keeping my tone level.
“Command structure?”
“I lead.”
That lands differently.
Kareth studies me more closely now, his head tilting just slightly. “Support?”
“Minimal.”
There’s no masking it. No attempt to soften the reality of what this is.
“This is a proving action,” he says, the words careful, chosen.
“It’s an opportunity,” I correct, meeting his gaze directly.
His jaw tightens just enough to show he understands the distinction. Around him, the others shift, recalibrating without speaking.
“Selection?” another officer asks.
“I choose the unit,” I say.
That ends any further discussion on that point. No one argues. No one questions it again.
“Prepare your recommendations,” I continue, stepping further into the room. “I’ll review them personally.”
They nod, one after another, already turning toward movement.
“Timeline?” Kareth asks, his voice lower now.
“Immediate.”
That changes the energy in the room. It sharpens everything, compresses the space between action and preparation.
“Understood,” he says.
They disperse quickly, no wasted motion, no unnecessary conversation. That’s why they’re here.
That’s why I’ll use them.
I findher where I expect to.
The garden hasn’t changed, but the way it feels does. The air is warmer here, thick with the scent of damp soil andcrushed leaves, the faint sweetness of blooming plants layered over something more grounded. She’s in the same row as before, hands deep in the soil, movements steady but carrying tension just beneath the surface, like she’s holding something in place instead of letting it settle.
