“We’ll need a shield of our own. I can cover the front lines of our troops on the ground. Nerissa and Lyvia should be on the offensive, given their ability to fly. Focus on shielding yourselves and your caeluma,” Carina said, turning to us. “Drystan will join me on the ground.”
Drystan flitted his eyes to me. I held his gaze for a moment before raising my brows. Notmydecision, I tried to tell him without signing. He nodded to Carina.
He’d been quiet since unlocking the stone that held the Advetis Bone. We’d told no one, and Drystan kept it hidden on his chest, unable to tap into its powers these past weeks.
“Vienah,” Carina continued, sliding her gaze to the water witch, “I assume you would prefer to stay with the ships to keep them from turning into kindling?”
Vienah murmured her agreement, doing her best to hide the smile forming on her lips as her eyes shot to Astraeus.
“And should we have issues with flames on the field, you can send us rain?”
Vienah nodded her confirmation.
“Then you’ll need to focus your troops on marching from the south,” Carina continued, confidence riding her clear, steady voice as it carried through the tent. She stood with her shoulders back, one hand on her hip as she pointed at the map with her other. “Take half of them?—”
“Let’s get one thing straight,elf, you don’t give anyone in the Rising, least of all its commanders, orders.”
My temper flared at the sneering commander’s interruption and tone with the Princess of Lotrennia. I opened my mouth to join in the arguing that erupted as a young messenger boy burst through the tent flaps.
“Stynguard!” he shouted, waving a wet and muddied correspondence in his hand at the commanders. “Nivis has retreated! Saros’s forces march south to Aedrialis!”
