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We all tensed, Nica and Braz both sitting up, and Theon’s grip on my arms tightening.
“A moment, please,” I called, then lowered my voice to speak with the others as I climbed off the bed and wiped down my own body before pulling my breeches and boots on. “Don’t fret. If anything, he’ll only reprimand me for bruising so many of his warriors without prior approval.”
“Should we come with you?” Nica started to pull on his breeches as well.
“No, stay here with Theon. I won’t be long.” With a quick kiss to both Theon and Nica and a shared nod with Braz, I strode out of the tent.
Kasper was bent over a table covered in a large map, various knickknacks holding down the four corners. He looked up only after I’d stood there for several silent moments. “Weylyn. Thank you for coming.”
“Kasper. What can I do for you?”
He stood to his full height. “Did you mean what you said today? About doing your part to help the Resistance.”
“I did.”
“Good.” He glanced down at the map, placing a small marker on one of the roads. “I’d like to promote you to the position of lieutenant. I want your help to plan the mission that could win us this war.”
8
Nica
The five of us were going on our first official Resistance mission. There were arguments about bringing Theon and Florin with us, but Wey, Braz, and I refused to leave them at camp alone. No fucking way. Too many possible enemies in that place. Plus, we knew they could be assets—they’d both been training hard and had come a long way.
In the end, the Resistance decided they needed our help, so they’d agreed to my little bird and the tiny human accompanying us. I had mixed feelings. I wanted them with us so we weren’t separated; I needed to keep Theon close. But I also wanted to keep them both away so they were far from any danger.
But it didn’t matter what I wanted anymore because all five of uswerehere, and we were ready. We’d made a plan, one that kept Theon and Florin with at least one of us champions at all times. It would be strange fighting with two extra sets of hands instead of it being the three of us, like it had been for five years out on the sands of every arena in Zyon. But we’d practiced many times together, so we’d make it work.
We were huddled at the top of a hill, hunkered down to keep out of sight of the roadway below, lying in wait. Theon was between Wey and me, and Florin was on my other side with Braz on that end. Between the three of us, we’d protect the two of them.
There were five other shifters on our side—they were down the road a little farther, planning on attacking the back of the convoy while we did the front—and there was another team of ten on the other side of the road, but they were well hidden as well. We were waiting for a specific carriage to pass by, a carriage belonging to Lord Holcot.
Unfortunately, I’d recognize him anywhere from the times he’d come to House Natas over the years, but after what happened at the Pelas Games celebration with Lord Holcot’s wife… well, she was a face I’d never, ever forget.
She was the reason poor Samir had been killed and the reason Wey had lost his second wing all those months ago. That bitch who’d ordered another person’s death simply because he’d spilled a little wine. She deserved to find her end, but unfortunately, she wouldn’t be in the carriage today. Lord Holcot was on the way to his assigned post, which meant the bitch would remain safe and sound in their House since we were told that she hardly ever traveled with her husband.
We didn’t have much intel on Lord Holcot’s mage abilities, but considering he was so high up on the food chain, we knew he must be powerful. Not as powerful as Natas had been—at least we didn’t think so—but powerful enough that we needed to be careful.
After lying in the dirt for more than an hour, I finally saw movement up on the road. My eyes zeroed in on it, squinting, and when I made out the vague shape of several carriages and men on horses, anticipation simmered in my belly.
I wasn’t gonna lie, I was a little excited about the coming battle.
“What is it?” Theon whispered to me. “You’re vibrating.”
I startled, momentarily forgetting that humans—and it would seem mages as well—didn’t have very good eyesight. “I see the convoy.”
“You do? Where?” Theon kept his voice low to match my own. There was no way Holcot could hear us, even if we were speaking at a normal volume, but I didn’t want to take any risks. Our best chance was attacking by surprise.
I pointed in the general direction, then grinned at his squinting face. “It’ll probably be another twenty minutes or so before they’re close enough to attack.”
Wey said, “Remember to wait for my signal.”
I rolled my eyes. Kasper had put him in charge of this little mission, and I was pretty sure it was going to his head, the sexy ass.
Wey narrowed his eyes at me as if he could read my thoughts, and I smiled innocently at him over the top of Theon’s head. He snorted out a huff, then refocused on the convoy as he spoke. “We want him alive, but subdued. Knock him out if you can so he doesn’t hurt anyone with his magic, but keep him alive.”
“You’ve told us this literally a hundred times,” I said.
“At leasta hundred,” Theon added, and I snorted quietly.
