Page 84 of The Dark Rises
I fold it and slip it into my pocket. “What are you three doing?”
“I’m going to assess the aerial guard,” Rivan says with a frown. “If we even have one now.”
Madoc shrugs. “I’m going to evaluate the rest of our soldiers. Get a count. See if they’re in shape. Nobody has been to war here since…” He stops and winces.
“Since the last Fire Fae Rebellion,” Rivan finishes for him. “I’ve always hated that title. Rebellion. As if we were recalcitrant children throwing a temper tantrum. For two hundred years, we fought. It was war.” His hand pushes the red and black strands back from his face.
I lay a hand on top of his. “It was. And there were a lot of lives lost, including your mother’s. Maybe we can stop it this time.”
Cormal straightens. “We haven’t even started thinking in that direction. Our first thought was to prepare for battle, but what if we give them what they want? How many do we think will still want to fight? Especially when they see the size of our army.”
Madoc stares at him. “How many did our spies count for their side?”
Cormal shifts around a few papers. “Twenty thousand. Most of it comprised of Fire Fae, but there’s a hefty number of other Fae.”
Grabbing his pencil, Madoc starts writing out numbers. “Between us, Winter, and Autumn, we should be able to scrounge up… maybe five thousand soldiers. That will give us a start.”
“You’ll have to remove Autumn’s title first,” I interject. “He’s not a fan.”
“He’ll either command his soldiers, or I’ll bring the army and march across his land,” Madoc threatens with a grim expression.
“Go directly to the soldiers and ask,” I urge him. “Ultimately, they’re yours to command, right? Asking gives them a voice. Something I highly doubt Lord Autumn ever did.”
Madoc writes down a note on the pad beside him.
I look at Cormal. “I can’t believe you’ve converted another person to paper. Unreal.”
Rivan tilts his head. “Where do you keep notes?”
“In my head or on my phone,” I tell him. “Okay, back to the army. Five thousand with Winter and Autumn and, of course, the royal army. Lucifer has how many?”
“At least another five thousand,” Cormal states confidently. “Fallon’s elite add a few hundred, but honestly, it’s like adding another thousand. Ruthless and efficient bastards.” His tone is full of admiration.
“A little over half,” Madoc calculates. “Valerian has roughly a thousand dragons. Add three thousand for Torin’s dark Elves, and we’re at fifteen thousand. The creatures of the Wilds, while few, are truly monsters on the battlefield. Giving us the equivalent of fifteen thousand five hundred.” He drops his pencil and leans back, cupping his head in his hands. “Technically outnumbered, but only the Fire Fae are likely to be trained, which makes us about even.”
Rivan exhales and shakes his head. “At what cost? It took both sides hundreds of years to heal the land. Whole families were decimated. Everything was fractured. And it didn’t solve anything. Here we are, three thousand years later, facing the same war.” He shoves away from the table. “I’m going for a walk.”
I watch him leave, then turn toward Madoc. “War isn’t the answer. Fisk knew it. I knew it. Only real solutions, remember.Rights and independence. We need to find a way to offer them what they want and find peace.”
I wave a hand until I’m wearing my white suit with the plunging neckline and the turquoise blouse, then grab the note. Strolling around the table, I bend down and place a kiss on Cormal’s lips, then stroll over and do the same to Madoc’s. “I’m off to play with your council. Wish me luck.”
Madoc looks incredulously at Cormal. “What the hell is she wearing? Is she trying to get someone killed?”
Cormal drawls, “She’s fierce, isn’t she? I love it.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
MERI
Déjà vu. Are all council meetings the same? This one kind of makes me sad, though. I miss Solandis sitting regally in the front, silently cheering me on. My heels click on the stone floor as I stride into the chamber and take the black chair at the front that’s obviously meant for Madoc.
Conversations cease. I smile.
“Are there protocols here? Roll call?” I ask the lord standing closest to me.
He sputters for a second.
Lord Autumn makes a furious sound and pushes him out of the way. “This is a council meeting.”
