“They do,” he replied tightly. “Youknowthe king’s angels are highly trained. Theconcernis not their training, but rather The Rift itself. Unless your Guild has discovered a safe way to travel the abyssal darkness that looms between our city.”
“We haven’t,” I interrupted as both males turned my direction. “But the Guildhasdiscovered that those who follow the Eternal all report seeing a golden light that guides them through the darkness. I’m not saying the journey is without peril or danger, but, it is how we’ve managed to travel The Rift on numerous missions,without losing a single spy.” I emphasized the last words as I held the commander’s gaze.
“A light?” the commander stated. “That is the instruction I’m to give my men?”
“Only if you wish for them to survive The Rift,” I replied, my eyes narrowing on the male. “Should they have faith in the Eternal, they should make it across safely.”
He gave a single nod, and Elion continued to speak. “Now, with that taken care of, the units will arrive, setting up the war camps in the deserts, here.” He indicated a spot far from the main section of The Wall. “This area will provide enough ground to camp for the duration of the attack. Our soldiers won’t be visible, even with Solis Quarter monitoring from the tops of The Wall.”
“And you plan for both the Guild and the King’s army to hold camp there each night, following the flight?” Commander Drachen questioned.
Elion nodded in confirmation. “The instructions provided by Aeternus were detailed. Our execution must proceed directly as instructed for the mission to go off successfully.”
Heads nodded in understanding around the table.
“Yes,” Drachen replied, his tone clipped. “Our men will circle around The Wall once a day for six days. They are to fly in their cohorts, affinity by affinity, and circle The Wall once daily for six days, returning directly to the war camp once they’ve completed the singular loop around The Wall. There will be no blood spilled during these days, no displays of power, no affinities to be wielded.”
“Correct,” Elion confirmed. “We do not attack, we do not advance, we do not shed blood. We simply fly around The Wall once a day, letting the presence of our angels be seen by all in Solis.”
“We are simply to circle The Wall?” Axel questioned as he drummed his fingers on the table’s surface, studying the map of Solis Quarter.
“Yes,” Elion confirmed. “What Aeternus commands, we shall heed.”
“For six days, our men will circle around The Wall surrounding Solis Quarter,” Commander Drachen confirmed. “Flying through the desert sands, and alongside The Rift, displaying no signs of advancing or their affinities?”
Elion nodded.
“And on the seventh day?”
“Then we attack?” Axel spoke into the silence, and Elion shot my second a scathing look of reprimand.
“Not at first,” Elion scolded. “We will fly around The Wall seven times until Aeternus gives the land over to us.”
I frowned at this statement. “Were the instructions any clearer than that?” I asked. “I know we are not to undermine the Eternal and his commands, but was there mention of how we were to scale The Wall? Are we to fly over it? Will the ancient wards drop on their own accord?”
“Aeternus will give the land over to us,” Elion stated as though this were no concern. “Solis will fall, and once the Quarter is given over to us, we shall take control—destroying the corruption from within. We will ensure the darkness is no more, leaving nothing behind.”
“When you say ‘leaving nothing behind—’” Commander Drachen interrupted.
“We leave no one and nothing remaining.”
“Except for those in the apartment on The Wall with the red ribbon tied to the window,” I interjected, and Elion sent me a warning look.
“Those gathered in the singular marked apartment—they are the remaining members of the Remnant, of those who still put their faith in Aeternus. And they will be spared for their faith.”
“Yes, a specific cohort will be assigned to ensure those loyal to Aeternus are safely evacuated.”
Heads nodded in understanding across the table as Elioncontinued. “As I was saying, the remaining cohorts will attack, leaving no one and nothing remaining. And once that occurs, our soldiers will return to the base camp. The Shade will set the Quarter ablaze. With Solis destroyed, Blackwood,” Elion stated, gesturing toward me, “will heed the Eternal’s final command for Solis, unleashing his affinity to ensure that no corruption is left to linger throughout the Quarter.”
My head snapped up, fastening on Elion as I swallowed, the weight of Elion’s words hanging over me as I felt every eye in the room on me.
“Aeternus has commanded that of me?” I forced the words to fall from my lips in a monotone voice, my gaze focused solely on Elion as I processed his words:Ensure no corruption lingers.
“As Aeternus commands, so the Guild shall heed.” His eyes narrowed, daring me to speak against the Eternal’s command. I nodded my head as the blade in my hand spun swiftly between my fingers, the sharp metal pricking my fingertips as I watched the conversation continue around me.
I could feel the weight of Eleana and Axel’s gazes focused on me. I knew they too were doing the math . . . the weight of our mission weighing on us.
We would attack, we would take the Quarter. We would stop the corruption from spreading, but it would come down to us . . . It would beourjob to set the walls ablaze. To ensure that not a single soul left the Quarter alive.
