Page 61 of Songs of Retribution

Lennox frowned. "Why there?"

"If we got them close enough, maybe here"—I spread my fingers out over a stretch of land that had once housed the Alegre city—“we could keep the Alegre army hidden until the last moment, adding an element of surprise."

Lennox's brows jumped. "Yes, and we'd be able to use the caves to secure supplies as well. It's a good idea."

The clatter and neighing of a new group of soldiers arriving broke into the conversation. General Daksh looked back, and I knew he wished to meet with them and update them on our plans. "How long, Prince Sai, do you believe your journey to the mountain will take?"

I turned to Lennox as he knew the territory better. Lennox pursed his lips. "If we take kelpies which are faster,"—a few frowns marred faces, but no one interrupted—"three to four days in both directions. The mountain is steep and will slow us."

"Hopefully a week then," I said.

General Daksh pressed his hands together and bowed towards me. "With your leave then, Your Highness, I'll ready troops."

"Go ahead, General."

He bowed and left, the rest of the group breaking up. I offered Lennox my hand, and he stared at it for a moment as if uncertain why I hovered my arm in the air before he clasped it. "When should we leave?" I asked.

"As soon as we can, I think."

"Very well. Let me speak to the new arrivals and make sure the camp is secured and we'll go."

He nodded and turned towards Eldrick and Shaan. Lira tucked against my side again, but her face lit up, her spirit almost lifting with it. It was still strange to me how I could sense her feelings so acutely.

She ran towards the area where new soldiers milled into the camp. "Luz!"

Luz grinned as they clasped Lira into a hug. "You keeping these soldiers in line?"

Lira pulled back and smiled self-consciously. "I'm pretty much useless trying to strategize for a war."

Luz placed a hand on her shoulder. "I thought we got rid of this 'I'm useless' talk."

"I guess old habits are like magic. They creep up on you."

Luz grinned as I reached them and grasped their hand. "I hope your trip went well. Sorry to pull you away from your father."

Luz scoffed. "It's a blessing, actually. My papá and I are at each other's throats. Ay dios mio, I remember why I ran away." They grinned, though, with tenderness in their eyes. Once a being lost something they treasured, they held it even closer when it was found again.

"So, where am I needed?" Luz asked.

"Lira can take you to the sirens. That's probably the priority as they could compel our soldiers if they have illintentions.”

Lira grimaced but didn't argue that the group of women wouldn't do something malicious, which wasn't comforting. Except Luz was here now; the idea of that was like a stone lifting from my chest. It was such a relief to have some of our team returning to us. I’d missed Luz’s empathic abilities and didn’t realize how much I relied on them to read my enemies. As much as I disliked the idea of Elisa doing anything dangerous or being in harm’s way, I was happy for her to arrive as well. I longed for the broken remnants of our group. Everything seemed so helpless with them gone.

“Your mother is here, Sai,” Luz said.

My breath caught. Mother, here? She’d not mentioned traveling to the troops. We’d communicated multiple times a day with thrushes, and I was standing as her proxy for the army. "Did she say why she came?"

Luz shrugged. "I didn't ask. She'd like to speak with you, however. She's with some healers that just arrived."

"Thank you." I bowed towards Luz and shifted to Lira. I didn't wish to abandon her. Her discomfort in this camp ebbed from her like a ripple of tides lapping on the shore. It had become the steady rhythm of my day and I had no way to remedy it.

"Pah." Luz said to me as they offered Lira their arm and she accepted. "I'll be keeping Lira busy taking me to these sirens then the Seelie troops."

"You'll have a guard with you?" If the Seelie soldiers were here with malicious intent, they could lash out and harm Luz and Lira.

Luz scowled at me. "I'm disappointed in your belief in me. Anyway, we'll have something better than a guard."

"Better than a guard?"

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