“What if we run into too many defenders inside the house?” Loren asked.
“Save whoever you can and get the hell out. The High Priestess is the priority.”
“What time?” I asked.
“A few hours after midnight. Position your team near the manor. You’ll know when we attack. Get in and get out as fast as possible. Understand?”
“Yes,” Odd and I said in unison.
Odd glanced at me then turned to Drisana. “Captain, did Prince Ryne say who is going to lead our part of the mission?”
She gave him a tight smile. “If you have to ask, then it’s not you, Sergeant.”
Quain stifled a snicker.
“My instructions from the prince indicated Healer Avry would take point. You’re familiar with the house. Correct?” she asked me.
“Yes. Has anyone confirmed that Estrid and her staff are still in the ballroom?”
“Our latest intel suggests they remain inside the house. As for their exact location... That’s harder to determine.”
And that would be a no. “All right, where’s the other squad? Do they know how to go silent?”
“I believe Sergeant Saul’s men had the training.”
Odd and I grinned at each other.
“Where is he?” I asked.
“He said he’d meet you over by the rear entrance of the manor.”
Perfect. “Thanks. Good luck.”
“You, too.”
“Let’s go,” I said to my team.
We headed northeast, angling around to stay within the forest and to avoid being seen by anyone near or inside the house. As we drew closer, a few off notes sounded nearby. I stopped the team.
“Come out, Saul,” I called. “You’re good, but not that good.”
He stepped from behind a thick tree trunk. “I didn’t want to startle you.” Saul wore camouflaged fatigues. With his buzzed blond hair and blue eyes, he appeared to be Drisana’s slightly older brother.
“Yeah, right,” Odd teased.
Saul’s gaze swept my companions. “Nice to see so many familiar faces.”
“And we’re back in familiar territory,” I said.
“At least we’re not trapped by the dead,” Odd said.
“Yet,” Flea added, meeting my gaze for the first time in days.
Lovely. I needed to have a little chat with Flea before the mission. Focusing on the matter at hand, I asked Saul, “Where’s the rest of your squad?”
“A little farther north. I figured you’d remembered that back entrance.”
Hard to forget. I’d used it to escape Tohon. “Any activity?”
“Nope. Been quiet all day.”
I glanced at the darkening sky. “Let’s go over the plan and get into position before it’s full dark.”
“What’s there to plan?” Odd asked. “It’s a straightforward mission.”
“Uh-huh. And what happens when we reach the ballroom and no one is there?” I asked.
“We search the rest of the house.”
“All of us together? Or do we split up and search different areas?”
“Oh.”
“And what if we’re attacked? Do we stay and fight or retreat?”
“Gee, Avry, you sound more like a general than a healer,” Odd grumbled.
“I was a healer on the run for three years. I’ve learned the hard way to have plenty of backup plans.”
“All right, you made your point. What are the contingency plans?” Odd asked.
I told him. He wasn’t happy about a few of them, but since I was in charge, he couldn’t do anything about it. Once the team understood, they moved to their positions to wait for the signal. I pulled Flea aside before he joined the monkeys.
He shook off my hand and stared at the ground.
“Flea, we need to talk.”
No response, but he didn’t turn away.
“You’re going to need my energy to break the stasis trapping Estrid and the others.”
His gaze snapped to mine. “What if I don’t want to free them? No one asked me.”
“Didn’t Ryne discuss—”
“No, he just assumed I’d do it.”
“Then why didn’t you say something sooner?”
“’Cause I’m gonna do it. It’s important. It’s just... I don’t want to use my powers. Look at what you did to Yuri with yours. It’s horrible. I hate magic.”
Flea had rotten timing. “I understand. I’m hating it, too, right now. But let’s just get through this mission, and we’ll talk it through, okay?”
“There won’t be anything to discuss. Once this mission is complete, I’m done using magic.”
“It is your choice, Flea. Let’s hope Sepp lied when he claimed he’d put Belen into a magical stasis.”
“I’d wake Belen.”
“Why?”
“He’s my friend.”
“Oh, so you’ll help your friends but not the strangers who also need you?”
“Yes,” Flea said with a belligerent tone.
“Hmm. Maybe I should do the same thing. I’d have more energy and not as many scars. Except...”
Flea refused to take the bait. He kept his sullen expression.
“Except, Poppa Bear would be disappointed in me, and I’d have a hard time sleeping at night, so I guess I’m stuck helping everyone.” I shrugged. “Anyway, for this mission, you’ll need me to share my energy with you. Will you be able to?”