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“Have you gotten other items from the parishioners?”

“Yeah. Food, livestock, and clothes. But I think this one is different, especially since I don’t know what it is. It could be something good or something bad. However, having said that, I think I should buy it anyway.”

I blew out a breath. My head was filled with the dozen of things I needed to spend money on. “I don’t know, Frankie. We’re in short supply of money. Besides, it could be bomb or a plot by Wally to infiltrate the kingdom somehow.” My irritation rose. “I don’t like the timing on this.”

“Please Angel. I really want it.”

I sighed, unable to refuse her anything. “Fine. Hope it turns out to be something worthwhile.”

“It will. If it doesn’t, I’ll take full responsibility.”

Kira returned from her diplomatic assignment abroad and reported on her alliance efforts. “There is a kingdom to the west called Draycott,” she said. “They want swords and food in exchange for military support.”

“I can spare two hundred swords, six of them gold,” Hala reported. “I can throw in a dozen cannonballs and one cannon.”

“Do it,” I told Hala.

“They also want a piece of land here.” Kira pointed to a spot right in the heartland of our farming area.

“No. That’s our most fertile land,” Frankie protested. “That’s not a good idea.”

“Angel said everything is on the table,” Kira said. “That’s their price.”

I studied the land. “Tell Draycott they can have the piece of land they want if they raise their conscript numbers by a hundred.”

Kira’s eyebrow lifted. “You want me to barter?”

“Exactly. Do what you need to. Promise what you must, but we need that army to win. Get everything you can.”

“Okay. I’ll head to Illragorn after that.”

I found Illragorn on the map I’d sketched out. “Good thinking, Kira. One army from the east and one from the west. Give the Illragons what they want, too, but Frankie is right. We have to be careful. We can’t give away all our resources, or we can’t keep our own citizens happy.”

“Understood.”

For the next few hours we worked furiously, building our kingdom, fortifying our land, keeping our inhabitants happy, and building alliances. Less than four and half hours later, Wally’s armies attacked.

I watched the large screen in shock. “He’s attacking already? What the heck?”

Hala came to stand beside me. “Element of surprise, I suppose. It’s just like you said it would be, Angel. The guys have a massive army.”

For a moment, I could only stare at the enormous rows of conscripts marching our way.

Holy crap.They were going to crush us.

“Angel?” Frankie asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. “What are we going to do?”

I blinked until the big picture came into focus. “I’m going to mobilize our forces. We have enough to hold off the initial surge. Kira, I’m going to need those neighboring armies right now.”

“I’m on it,” she said.

I scrambled around the kingdom organizing the conscripts while Frankie fed them and Hala fit them with weapons and magic potions. At some point, Frankie pulled me aside to talk to me privately.

“You’ve got this, Angel. So, they came early. Nothing changes in terms of our strategy, right?”

I took a deep breath. “Right.” The accelerated timeline was freaking me out, but I could handle this. “Thanks, Frankie.”

She smiled and patted my arm. “Now, let’s go beat them. I’m one hundred percent certain this win is ours.”