Page 111 of An Honored Vow

Syrra gave the Fae a knowing grin.

“If you need to retreat or we call you back in, double back around the fleet to safety. Rushing will only get us killed.”

Myrrah’s playful smirk fell to a straight line as she nodded again.

“The rest of us”—I marked the area outside of the city gates—“will be stationed here in four units. Syrra, you will lead one and take Fyrel with you. If you get your chance to slay one of theshirak, take it.”

Fyrel stood and flattened her palm over her face and then her chest. Syrra was less formal, only giving a nod.

I turned to Gerarda. “You will command a unit of your own. Pirmiith will protect you on the ground and Feron will protect you from behind the lines.”

Gerarda scowled. “Why should I be so well protected while the others are left to fend for themselves?”

“Because you’re our biggest asset.” I crossed my arms. “We lose you, we lose the war.”

Gerarda’s mouth opened, but she had no words.

Elaran wrapped her arm around Gerarda’s neck protectively. “Dynara and I can work together to confuse the soldiers from inside the castle.” She turned to Dynara, who was toying with a small, curved blade.

“I portal us in, take a leader, and El takes their place.” Dynara’s smile grew. “In all the chaos it’ll work a few times before they catch on.”

Elaran nodded. “And by then, they’ll lose trust in anyone giving orders.”

“I like it,” I said.

Nikolai turned to Gerarda. “If you can hold off on your light show—”

“Light show?” Gerarda’s eyes started to glow and dark sheets of shadow poured from her limbs.

Nikolai rolled his eyes. “Apologies. Your terribly fearsome sunlight blast.” He raised a brow. “Better?”

“Marginally.”

Nikolai ignored her and continued his point. “If Gerarda can hold off revealing herself, then perhaps theshirakwill disperse, attack our troops evenly. It would give Syrra and Keera the best chance to land a kill of their own before Gerarda blasts them from the sky.”

“If I can prevent an attack, I will. But I can’t face all the beasts on my own.” Her fist glowed bright. “Even my gifts have limits.”

“How many could you reasonably kill before you risked burning through your magic?” I asked.

Gerarda considered the question. “Ten. A dozen would be pushing it.”

“Even with two kills each, that is still more than twenty to contend with,” Riven murmured, though the entire room could hear his calculations.

Crison stepped from behind Dynara’s seat. “I can take care of the rest.”

“Your gifts are great, child, but even you cannot command that many,” Syrra said in a gentle tone.

Crison gave her a sideways grin. “I don’t need to control them all at once. Just long enough for you or Keera to get there.” She shot a look at Riven. “Two kills a piece is an underestimate even without me.”

Fyrel snorted on accident, and she hid her face in the collar of her shirt without looking at Riven.

“We can always try to kill as manywaateyshirakas we can and then retreat,” Feron said, turning to Dynara. “With strategic portals, our army could disperse very quickly.”

Dynara nodded her approval.

“What about the rest of us?” Vrail stepped forward. “We haven’t been given assignments.”

“You and Riven will stay behind in the healer’s tents with Rheih.” I eyed the tether around Nikolai’s wrist. “You too. If anything happens, I want Rheih close by to help.” Nikolai’s face hardened as hisfingers brushed the tether but he nodded. I turned to the others. “Anyone else can choose to fight where they wish.”

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