Silence commenced, aside from the occasional sound of a utensil scraping a plate.
“You have all been updated on who Andras truly is. Ava now has what she needs to banish him.” He gestured to Casimir. “While you were on your mission, I searched for anything else that could aid us, and I went to see the seer in the swamp.”
“And?” Hope bloomed in Ava’s chest that Nelida had some type of insight.
Thorne shook his head. “She had little information, claiming that when the gods interfere, she is unable to use her gift reliably, however she did confirm we’re on the correct path.”
Ava leaned back in her chair.
“It’s time to tighten up our plans,” Thorne continued. “Desmond, are we secure on weapons?”
The advisor nodded, his white hair almost yellow in the flames of the iron chandelier above them. “We have plenty. We also have a significant amount of the specialized arrowheads from Igneothenia.”
“Excellent. Quinn, where are the enemy forces?”
“Just outside Greywood Forest. But there has been no movement for several days.”
Ava frowned. “Why? Are they planning something? Waiting?”
“From what our spies have gathered, they seem to be organizing and rallying more creatures,” Quinn answered.
Aelerion sipped his wine from down the table. “We must regroup and meet them on the battlefield as soon as possible. Before they reach the mountains. We do not want to be trapped between the daemon army and the mountain range.”
“And if we attack now, while they’re resting, we’ll have a greater advantage,” Astrid added.
“We leave tomorrow,” said Thorne.
“But they need to rest.” Ava gestured to Raine, Maeryn and the others. “They spent almost all their magic. They’re drained.”
Raine gave her a sympathetic look across the table. “We’ll sleep tonight. And then again when we make camp. Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it. We’ll be alright.”
Casimir’s hand squeezed the back of her neck as he placed a plate of food before her. “Eat something…please.”
Trying to shove away the dread, Ava speared a potato and gave Casimir a tired smile.
“We must make our plans for you,” Thorne said, turning to Ava. “You are not to fight in the battle.”
She nearly dropped her fork. “What? Why? I’m strong. I can fight. You aren’t going to hide me away, I?—”
“It’s not about that,” he interrupted. “You have to reserve as much of your magic as possible to trap Andras and send him back.”
It would take almost all her energy to defeat him. But for some reason it hadn’t occurred to her that she couldn’t fight. Her task was the most daunting of all. Sending an ancient god back to his realm. She took a deep breath and worried her lip through her teeth.
“You can fight with your weapons if you must,” Thorne added. “But reserve your energy and do not use your magic.”
“Excuse me, but how are you sending Andras back?” Desmond asked. “It’s not as if he’s going to patiently wait for Ava to trap him with the crystal and open a portal.”
“We must lure him to us,” Maeryn said.
“How?” Thalia asked, her long gray hair pulled back from her face.
The volume of the room rose as the debate began on how to get Andras through the portal. Someone suggested attempting to trick him, others argued he was too smart to fall for it. Another suggested making a physical trap with their magic, but someone else said his own powers were much too strong.
Ava tuned them out as she realized exactly what they had to do. Whatshehad to do. She briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Me,” she whispered.
No one heard her.
