“Interesting.” We’d speculated portals, but tunnels required far less energy. “The tunnels must be the way she snuck soldiers out to overtake Pruska.”
“If we had found them earlier, we could’ve starved them,” Alexei said.
“Still could be the plan...” Arthur said, looking at me.
“No. We launch our offense immediately,” I said, before I paused. “Though these tunnels could be our way in.”
“We could use the tunnels,” Finlay theorized. “Sneak into them, infiltrate the fortress and find Gabby.”
“That’s a good idea,” I reasoned. “Part of our army can follow us through the tunnels, and the rest can remain outside to distract Gabby’s forces.”
“But is it wise to split our warriors?” Alexei asked. “At least half of the soldiers will have to stay behind and fight them outside the fortress walls.”
“That’s suicide for those soldiers,” Arthur argued. “They’ll be run down while the rest of us are trying to get inside.”
“What do you think we should do, my king?” Finlay turned toward me.
It was the first time Finlay had addressed me with any kind of respect. We didn’t often get along. He was a pain in the ass on my council, and reckless to boot.
But he was willing to follow me into battle, and carry out my commands. He’d go along with whatever I decided.
“I will take Finlay and Arthur. We will take one tunnel,” I said. “The wolven soldiers will take the others, and slip into the fortress unseen. By the time Gabby knows we’re inside, the battle will already be won.”
“Agreed,” Alexei said. “I will lead you to the nearest tunnel.”
Alexei took us a half-mile into the woods, until we came to a carved out entrance in the ground near a cropping of trees. It was close to the fortress, near enough to make me nervous, but the woodland shielded us from sight.
“I’ve already walked down this tunnel myself. It leads straight to the fortress courtyard,” Alexei said. “Reports from other sentries agree the tunnels all go to the same place.”
“Excellent. Tell General Bani that his troops will have to lead an offensive attack outside the fortress,” I said. “We wolvens will be going in.”
Alexei nodded, and changed to run back through the trees. I felt confident in our plan. Even so, as I gave the order, I knew I was condemning thousands of shifters to their deaths. But how could we win without sacrifice? We could not.
Arthur’s mouth was thin, but he didn’t advise me further. Arthur didn’t agree with my judgement. He thought mounting any kind of attack on the Fortress of Towers was a foolhardy idea, especially without Emma here to back us up.
Emma needed to stay safe, and out of the reach of Black Claw oppressors. The eclipse was upon us. It would rise tonight, and if she was caught, her blood would be used to raise Droga. I would not risk her life to chance winning this fight. We would be victorious without her.
Nearly an hour passed before Stefan clambered out of the bush. “There’s fucking snow everywhere,” he bitched, brushing off his pants. “We’ll freeze our pricks off before we approach the gates.”
Frostbite was a concern, which was why we needed to mount this attack quickly. Shifters had natural warmth, and could withstand the worst of cold, but the sorceresses who were with them were vulnerable to the harsh elements. “Be patient. You’ll get your chance to spill blood.”
“Alexei sent me to tell you that the wolvens are positioned at the other tunnels. Everyone is ready to move on your sayso,” Stefan said.
Stefan would be in the air with the dragons. Theo would remain in the valley, leading the alicorns in a charge against the fortresses walls. Alexei was staying with General Bani and assisting the griffins wherever the other two battalions needed help, be it in the air on the ground.
Through a break in the trees, I saw someone come out of one of the tower doors, walking along the wall’s edge. He was a tall, stern-looking man with a great fur cloak. He towered over the soldiers behind him, and barked orders loudly at a sentry standing watch. He had to be a commander of some sort.
I didn’t think we were close enough to recognize him, but Stefan peered closer, then sneered.
“Him,” Stefan snarled.
“Who is he?” I cocked an eyebrow.
“That’s General Davor. Irena’s father, the one who abandoned her,” Stefan seethed. “I did not know he was working for Gabby.”
“Well, now would be a great time to get acquainted with your new father-in-law,” I suggested, knowing what he had in mind.
“I will take great joy in ripping him apart. Just give me the word,” Stefan growled.
