“Ooh,” Rafferty nodded, “I do like disguises. We’ll be your retinue. That could work.”
“It couldn’t,” Ethenn interrupted.
“Why not?” Rafferty asked with annoyance.
Ethenn raised his brow. “Doyouhave nine disguises fit for a king and his royal guard hidden in your saddlebags?”
Rafferty pulled a face. “I suppose the kid’s got a point.”
Vayden sighed. “I’m out of ideas, then.”
“I’ve got one,” Ethenn said casually. “But first,” he looked at Deckard, “how far can you jump?”
Deckard’s brows pinched together in confusion. “As far as the average man, I’d guess.”
Ilain snorted. “I believe he means magically.” She flashed her fingers in a motion that mimicked a poof of air.
“Ah.” Deckard tipped his head, recalling the details of his studies. His thorough practice over the last several weeks had afforded him a better understanding of the shocking ability. While he still wasn’t entirely used to the sudden jolt that took him from one location to the next, he was growing more and more comfortable with the stomach-turning process. “I believe it’s as far as I can sustain with my energy.”
“It’s unlimited?” Ethenn asked.
“Theoretically.” This plan was already beginning to worry Deckard. “But I’m still developing my strength.”
Ethenn glanced toward the city. “Are you strong enough to teleport into the palace itself?”
Deckard gaped at the young man, baffled by his suggestion.
A long silence stretched as they all considered this wild plan. Then Thom burst out with a nervous laugh.
“That’s insane,” he said. “Deckard can’t jump nine people acrossmilesof land.”
“That’s not what I’m suggesting,” Ethenn said. “He only has to jump five of us, including himself.”
Evylin huffed out a laugh at Deckard’s side. He was no less bemused. “That will still take too much energy,” he argued. “I’m not all-powerful, contrary to what you might think.”
“You have the Space Relic,” Ethenn countered. “You’re Bonded. Beyond that, you can share energy with anyone you jump.”
“It will weaken us,” Ilain warned. “All of us.”
“You’re a bloody goddess,” Ethenn returned. “You’ll be fine.”
A small, amused grin at his sharp rebuttal came to Ilain’s lips, but she remained silent.
Ethenn held Deckard’s gaze with fierce determination. “Forget jumping to the palace, in that case,” he said. “If you want to defeat Blount, then we have to outsmart him. He knows we’re coming. So let’s let him think he’s won.”
Deckard frowned. “How?”
“Give him what he wants.”
Tension filled the air as they all listened, skeptical of the plan he was presenting.
“We split up,” Ethenn continued. “Hewantsus to come to him because he wants the Relics and Evylin. He will allow her to walk to the front gate and have his men bring her straight to him.”
Deckard’s chest constricted, but he let the young Warrior finish his plan. “Send Thom, Ilain, and Raff with Evie as a negotiation party. Blount will bring them right into the throne room to boast about his victory.” Ethenn raised his brow. “Meanwhile, the rest of us will go with you, Colonel. You’ll jump us past the walls and shroud us through the city, and we’ll make our way onto the palace grounds through the same secret passage we took to reach the Space Keep. We’ll work our way through the palace via one of Ilain’s secret entrances and through the passageways.”
Evylin met Deckard’s gaze.
“The Bond will lead you to her,” Ethenn continued. “And together, we will all defeat Blount, take back the Relics, and raise Allund.”
