Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 235897 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1179(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 786(@300wpm)
“That’s what the report suggests,” Devera answers.
Shit. Shit. Shit. “To do all that after moving a horde through a storm…” I shake my head. “She has to be a Maven.” And I’m a fucking second-year who just spent three weeks chasing a mirage of hope on isles without magic when I should have been training.
“Most likely,” Devera agrees, giving me the same look Mira had on Zehyllna: expectation. Then she glances away. “So now let’s discuss how we defeat this particular assault. What signets could have made the difference? Nothing’s off the table. Who do you send to guard your most valuable targets with this kind of threat?”
“Water wielders could have helped the fire,” someone suggests.
“You send Riorson,” Caroline Ashton says. “He’s the most powerful rider we have, and he’s held back more than just a dozen wyvern. If Riorson’s there, this doesn’t happen.”
True, but at what cost? Would he have channeled from the earth to keep it from happening? I glance over my shoulder, but Xaden is already gone.
“Don’t we have a fire wielder powerful enough to have controlled the flames?” Baylor asks. “He’s a major stationed with the Southern Wing.”
“Major Edorta is stationed at Athebyne,” Devera confirms.
Rhiannon glances sideways at me, then looks away.
“Your turn to say something,” I whisper. “Don’t hesitate.”
“No way. Not even in hypotheticals.” Sawyer shakes his head at Rhi as people call out different signets around us. “You don’t send a cadet against—”
“You send Sorrengail,” Rhiannon announces.
“—a Maven,” Sawyer finishes in a whisper. “And yet you just did. Godsdamn.”
Cat and Maren both gawk at Rhi, and Sawyer sinks lower in his seat.
“You said nothing was off the table,” Rhi adds, keeping her eyes forward. “Sorrengail could have taken out a chunk of the wyvern on approach by striking into that same cloud, including their lightning wielder, as long as they don’t know Violet’s there.”
“And if they do?” Devera questions. “Remember that someone told them about the daggers being moved.”
Rhi swallows, and her breaths speed up.
“Do your job.” I whisper the reminder. “It’s just a hypothetical.”
She straightens her spine. “Then Sorrengail needs to be the better of the two.”
And I’m not. I’m distracted the rest of the hour, thinking of different tactics I could use to even the playing field between Theophanie and me and coming up empty-handed, with the exception of one fact. She wants me alive.
Battle Brief ends, and we have two precious hours before our next class, which Ridoc uses to cajole Sawyer, Rhi, and me into going down to the Archives.
Not that Sawyer needs much of a push.
“We really couldn’t have waited another couple of days?” I whisper at Ridoc as we walk through the tunnel, passing the stairwell to the interrogation chamber.
Rhi and Sawyer are far too into arguing about her decision to send me off to the front to pay attention.
“No,” Ridoc says. “We couldn’t. One day, Battle Brief is going to cover how a shadow wielder took out Cordyn, but you won’t be sitting in your seat because they will have already killed you to stop him.”
“Not much of a Battle Brief if you already have the answer.” I flash a fake smile.
“Basgiath was a unique case,” Sawyer argues with Rhi at my left. “We were defending the school, and we kept the first-years out of it for the very reason you can’t just order Violet into battle. They weren’t prepared.”
“Stop,” I tell him. “It’s her job as a squad leader to see me as an asset and not just her friend.”
“I still think it’s bullshit,” Sawyer mutters as we walk past the scribe on duty at the Archives door.
“It’s war,” Rhiannon reminds him as we reach the table at the front. “And I think it’s bullshit you haven’t even thought about flying yet.”
Ridoc and I exchange a look of oh shit.
“I can’t,” he fires back in a whisper, tapping his cane against his prosthesis. “Not with this thing. It’s not ready yet.”
There’s no need to ask for Jesinia. The class of scribes sitting at their perfectly lined-up desks sends someone running to the back the second they see us.
“You could ask Sliseag to—” Rhiannon starts.
“Sliseag isn’t Tairn,” Sawyer hisses. “I’m not about to ask him to make exceptions for me—not when he risked bonding a repeat in the first place.”
A few scribes pick their heads up, then quickly look away.
“You’d rather spend your time consulting with the retirees?” Rhi counters. “You’re still a rider, Sawyer.”
“Maybe we should ease up,” Ridoc suggests.
Sawyer’s face flushes. “All respect, but you have no idea what this is like, Rhi.”
I lean into Rhi just enough to get her attention, then shake my head subtly. “Subject change,” I suggest in a whisper.
Her mouth purses, and she sighs. “What’s going on with you and Riorson?” she asks, keeping her voice just as low as mine. “You didn’t so much as smile when you saw him during Battle Brief.”