Page 80 of Broken Forced Mate

I give her a quick overview of Thornridge’s planned assault and our trap. She listens without interruption, but I can see her evaluating our strategy with the mind that made her legendary.

“Your plan has merit,” she tells me. “But you’re assuming Mordaunt will react predictably to seeing you exposed.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s been planning this operation for months. Do you really think he hasn’t considered the possibility of a trap?”

The question makes my stomach clench. We’ve been so focused on using Mordaunt’s desires against him that we haven’t fully considered how he might have prepared for exactly that scenario.

“What would you do in his position?” Wyn asks.

“Test the trap before committing forces. Send expendable units to probe your responses. Force you to reveal your positions early.”

“Then we adjust,” I offer, though I sound much less confident now.

“How?”

Before I can answer, Theodore approaches with a communication device. “We’re intercepting new Thornridge transmissions. Their strategy has changed.”

He activates the speaker, and Mordaunt’s voice fills the space around us.

“Secondary units will probe defensive positions before the main assault. Primary objective remains securing the Amanzite reserves, but we proceed with caution regarding potential ambush.”

“Well, shit,” Wyn mutters.

Lydia nods. “He’s adapting faster than you expected.”

“So we adapt faster,” I reply. “What do you suggest?”

“Multiple contingencies. If he sends probe units, we respond minimally. Make him think he’s found our main defensive positions while keeping the real trap intact.”

It makes sense, but it also requires perfect coordination between groups that have never fought together before.

“Can your specialists handle deception operations?” I ask.

“Better than anyone. Witches excel at misdirection, and Llewelyn forces train extensively in adaptive tactics.”

Elder Nettle speaks up. “We can create false signatures that mimic large defensive formations. Make small units appear much larger through magical enhancement.”

Captain Morwen nods in agreement. “My units can stage withdrawals that suggest we’re falling back to secondary positions. Classic misdirection.”

“What about the healing units?”

“Essential for sustained combat,” Lydia responds. “Your psychic abilities are already damaged from overuse. Without support, you won’t survive another major exertion.”

Her blunt assessment of my condition isn’t comforting, but it’s probably accurate. The nosebleeds have stopped, but I still feel hollow inside, like something has been snuffed out.

“How bad is it?” Wyn asks, squinting at me.

“Manageable with proper treatment,” Lydia answers for me. “But she needs to be careful about pushing beyond safe limits again.”

“I’ll be fine,” I insist, though even I don’t fully believe it.

A young witch with bright green eyes appears. “I’m Sage Willow,” she introduces herself. “I specialize in psychic stabilization. I can provide an enhancement that will help prevent further damage during combat.”

“What kind of enhancement?”

“Magical buffering that absorbs some of the strain when you use your abilities. It won’t eliminate the risk, but it will reduce it significantly.”