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Audra shook her head.

‘You didn’t care so much when it was your ward flinging herself off cliffs in initiation tests,’ Farissa said defensively. ‘Or pitting herself against wraiths in the midst of battle. Or are you forgetting that Althea is also a princess of Delmira?’

‘There’s plenty of us to go round,’ Anya said, silencing them both.

‘For now,’ Thea muttered beside Wilder, only loud enough for him to hear. He nudged her with his elbow, hating how quickly those words left her lips.

Kipp cleared his throat from where he surveyed the model at the end of the table. ‘And what of Esyllt?’

‘What do you suggest?’ Torj asked him. ‘As the weapons master, he’s under substantial guard in the dungeons.’

‘We need him,’ Kipp argued, bracing his weight on the table’s edge, clearly agitated. ‘Not only as another strategic mind to plan the battles to come. Without him, we won’t have the loyalty of the Guardians stationed throughout the realms. Regardless of Artos and Osiris, our warriors will answer to him. Without the Guardians rallying to his call, we’ll be vastly outnumbered.’ He glanced around the room. ‘If you want the military term, it’s: fucked.’

‘I’m still waiting for your suggestion,’ Torj replied. ‘Something tells me you know the underbelly of Thezmarr better than anyone. Can he be rescued?’

‘We broke Wilder out of the Scarlet Tower,’ Thea declared. ‘Thezmarr’s dungeons should be child’s play.’

Kipp nodded. ‘I’ll go,’ he said. ‘I’ll get Esyllt out, and take any willing shieldbearers with us.’

‘I’ll go with you,’ Cal declared.

‘I’ll take one of the shadow-touched with me,’ Kipp told him. ‘Your archery skills serve our cause better here – not just in the territory’s defence like today, but in training anyone who shows a lick of promise with long-range weaponry.’

Wilder was impressed. With the life of his mentor on the line, Kipp had dropped the joker act and descended into full-blown strategy mode. No one argued with him.

‘Who goes to parley with Queen Reyna?’ Wilder asked, searching the group for the best option, each seeming more unlikely than the last.

‘We do,’ Anya said, thrusting her chin towards her sisters. ‘All three of us together. A united front of Delmirians, taking a stand against the darkness that claimed our family, our kingdom.’

‘Agreed,’ Wren said firmly.

‘Also agreed,’ Thea added from Wilder’s side.

He suppressed the urge to pull her close. It was selfish, but his first response was regret. Regret that in the face of that hourglass that ticked against them, they would be pulled apart yet again. But the Embervale sisters were right. No one else could make a stronger case. No one else had lost more in the face of Artos’ corruption, and it was something the widow queen needed to see for herself.

‘So be it,’ Talemir said. ‘Kipp will return to Thezmarr for Esyllt and any willing fighters remaining in the fortress. Anya, Wren and Thea will go to Aveum to secure Queen Reyna’s alliance.’

‘Who will escort them?’ Torj asked, not taking his eyes off the youngest sister.

Anya made a derisive noise in her throat. ‘We’re three storm wielders. A warrior, a Warsword and an alchemist.’

‘If you’re attacked, Wren can’t just throw potions at the enemy,’ the Warsword argued, his face lined with concern.

Wren’s nostrils flared. ‘Care to bet?’

Anya’s expression contorted as she fought to hide her amusement and resume her hardened countenance. ‘We need no escort to the winter lands, Bear Slayer. I’ll take us there myself.’

‘And I’ll pretend not to be insulted that you’re dismissing my Warsword prowess,’ Thea added.

‘But —’

‘No buts,’ Talemir said in agreement with the sisters. ‘The Embervales are more than capable of defending themselves. You’re needed here. I’ll send for more shadow-touched units to arrive by the end of the week. They’ll need training, as much as we can give them if we mean to take a stand against Artos on the field.’

Torj fell quiet.

‘So while Kipp rescues Esyllt, and the Embervales go to Aveum, the rest of us are to make something of your forces?’ Wilder sought Talemir for confirmation. ‘And we have two weeks, likely less, to do so?’

‘Pretty much.’