Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 127722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
“I will lead the second. Your job is to keep our men working on the wall. Take out as many Necrosis as you can before we reach them.”
“I think my talents are better suited on the battlefield.”
“And I think someone needs to rule in the event of my death.” She raised her eyes with anger, provoked by my disagreement.
I would never stop disagreeing, especially when Huntley disagreed with her all the time and it never deflated his standing. “We’ve never had a battle like this. They’ve never wanted to defeat us before, just feed on us. I imagine they’ll bring numbers we can’t even fathom.”
“Or they’ll underestimate us and bring far fewer.”
“Either way, our wall is impossible to breach. We can take out a lot of Necrosis while they’re on the ground, saving lives in the process.”
“And how will we open the doors to release our soldiers when they’re right on top of us?” she asked. “You think you know better than me?”
“We won’t need to open the doors when we can defeat them from the wall. Elora has created additional apparatuses that will help us take them down. Or perhaps we can plant our first wave elsewhere, so we can attack them from the rear. They’ll have a war on two fronts, and they won’t know which way to go.”
Mother stared at me, angry. “You sound like a coward to me.”
It was a knife right in the stomach.
“You’d rather hide behind your wall than protect your people.”
It was so offensive I almost marched out of there. But the anger made me stay. “There’s a difference between fighting hard and fighting smart. I choose the latter. Because I fucking care. Not just about the lives of my people—but their afterlives too. You’ve already proven to everyone that you’re just as fearless a leader as you are a warrior. Is this about what’s right? Or about proving your worth?”
She was silent, staring me down with eyes that could cut me clean through.
“Commander Dawson should hide his first wave out of sight outside the gates. When we sound the horn, he’ll come from the rear and attack their forces from behind. It’ll cause confusion, and if it causes enough, then we can send another wave through the gates. We have no idea what we’re up against, so it makes more sense to make those decisions as the battle rages on. Making a plan and sticking to it at all costs is how you lose.”
Her hands left the edge of the table, and she straightened, her shrewd stare seeing right through me.
Commander Dawson shifted his gaze back and forth between us. “Your Highness, I will follow whatever orders you give, but I agree with Ian.”
Now she really looked like she hated me.
You’d think I wouldn’t care anymore, but it still hurt—every single time.
She addressed her commander. “Then that will be the plan. Let’s prepare for war.”
The sun was beginning to set, and judging by the panic in the streets, everyone knew what was to come. I headed back toward my home to get my final meal for the night. Potentially my last meal ever.
My eyes were on the ground, and my helmet was tucked under my arm—just in case. Huntley and I spent our free time in our favorite pub, drinking beer and eating roast beef sandwiches with extra gravy. A couple women might come up and flirt with us, but most of the time, we weren’t interested because we were only interested in each other.
A pain filled my heart at the thought of him.
I hoped Elora was just paranoid—and Ivory wouldn’t turn on him.
Because I couldn’t live without him.
I was almost to the pub when Hadlee ran up to me. She was in slim-fitting breeches with boots that reached high on her shin. Her white tunic was loose at the top, showing her pushed-up tits where the tunic opened. “I just heard. I went to your house, and you weren’t there.”
“Going to get something to eat before I have to report to the wall.” I should be less calm about this, but I was so defeated by my mother’s treatment. When she gave me the outpost, I was relieved to be away from her, to find my own way in life. And a little part of me hoped I’d also win some favor with her…which was stupid.
Hadlee’s hands went to my forearms, but then she quickly pulled away when she saw the spikiness of my vambraces. There was no good place to touch me, not when my armor was strong enough to deflect a razor-sharp sword. “They say it’s Necrosis…”
“Yes.”
She inhaled a deep breath.
“They won’t breach the wall, Hadlee. We’ll keep you safe—as we always do.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about, Ian.” Her eyes turned watery, reflecting the sunset. “It’s you that I’m worried about…”