Page 88 of Forged in Fire

“Like what?” Viktor asks.

“Like when it’s going to happen.” Iris’s mouth sets in a grim line.

“There’s a timeline?” says Caleb.

“Of course there’s a damn timeline,” Iris snaps. “Which wouldn’t be an issue if you’d just done as I’d asked and helped me get him out of there!”

“Let’s keep our heads,” says Viktor, turning to Ember. “What can you tell us about this timeline, Ember?”

“They’re going to have a ritual in the chamber… on the night of the Blood Moon,” she tells them.

“The Blood Moon?” I ask.

“It’s an eclipse,” says Iris. “In three days.” Her expression is grim.

“Shit,” I say, because even with my skills, that would be tight.

“We need to move fast,” Viktor declares. “Full assault, maximum force. Hit them before they can complete whatever ritual they have planned.”

“No.” Ember shakes her head. “Not full assault. The chamber is ancient, probably fragile. Bring too much firepower and you risk bringing down the entire mountain.”

“Killing Kieran in the process,” Iris adds. I half wonder if Viktor and Caleb are particularly worried about that. Though I guess I should give them the benefit of the doubt.

“Then what do you suggest?” Caleb asks.

“Small team. Surgical insertion. Get to Kieran before they can use him, extract him before the situation deteriorates further.” I look around the table, meeting each of their eyes in turn. “Twopeople. Maybe three. Fast, quiet, precise.” I give a slight shrug. “It’s what I’d do, at any rate.”

“That’s insanity,” Viktor objects. “The Syndicate will have layered defenses, magical barriers, enough firepower to stop an army.”

“Then we don’t fight the army,” I say. “We slip past it.”

Iris nods. “The chamber has been hidden for four centuries. There have to be ways in besides the main approach. Paths the original builders used, emergency exits, service tunnels.”

“Ancient construction doesn’t typically include service tunnels,” Caleb points out.

“No, but it includes things the Syndicate might not expect.” I study the topographical maps, noting water sources and geological formations. “Underground rivers. Natural caverns. Cave systems that connect to the chamber through routes that were never meant for defense.”

“You’re talking about infiltration through unmapped terrain,” Viktor says. “In the dark, probably underwater, with no backup if something goes wrong.”

“But there will be backup,” Iris replies. “Because this time, you’ll be helping me.”

I watch her face as she studies the intelligence, seeing the calculations behind those sharp eyes.

“You’regoing in?” Caleb says sharply.

“Of course,” she says.

“I’ll go with her,” I say quietly, because although I’d rather swallow broken glass than let her go in there, I know there’s no stopping her. And I’ll be damned if I’ll let her do it alone.

The room goes silent. Viktor’s eyebrow rises. Caleb’s expression hardens. Ember looks between us like she’s seeing something the others miss.

“You sure about that?” Viktor asks.

“Can you think of anyone better?” Iris says. “I can navigate shadows, handle stealth insertion, get us past magical barriers. But I can’t fight my way out if everything goes wrong.”

“And I can,” I finish. “We complement each other.”

“That’s one way to put it,” Ember murmurs, and I catch the slight smile she’s trying to hide.