Page 126 of First Ritual

If someone had foretold that a delay in getting to the library would annoy me, I would’ve laughed myself to death. I pushed away that annoyance—because I did want to go to the strategy meeting. “Yeah, I am.”

We walked to the communal chamber in a silence that seemed loud. I could tell Rooke wanted to pepper me with questions but restrained herself out of respect for my… state. We found seats with a table of magus that I’d seen several times but hadn’t spoken with.

We settled in as Barrow rose.

“Vero,” he boomed.

They cheered in unison. My heart leaped into my throat at the suddenness of the noise. Mother be. I was on edge in a major way.

“The team leaders stayed up late into the night finalizing a plan we believe to be one of the strongest in the history of Caves.”

An excited murmur broke out that wouldn’t get past the barrier blocking off the other half of the chamber where Fertim held a similar meeting. All sight and sound of the second half of the coven was gone.

Barrow smiled at the response. “A two-territory mission is never easy, but this week, I’m eager to announce that we envision a win.”

The same map of the southeast territory appeared on the surface of the table where I sat. A quick peek confirmed the map was on every surrounding table too. Vero magus were craning over them eagerly.

Barrow detailed the plan for the novices, calling out their names and who they would battle.

Some of the angst I’d had after trawling through demon books faded as I awaited Barrow to announce the second target in this week’s mission. Which one did the team leaders choose? The attack’s plan or defense’s?

“Picking a second territory took time,” Barrow announced in the tense concentration that had captured the team, me included. “We have settled on the plan put forward by defense.”

Yes. I grinned.

Rooke nudged me. “Happy?”

“It was the slightly better plan.” Very slightly. In this game, a slight advantage could surely make the difference.

Barrow gestured for quiet. “This week will differ from anything done in Caves for a long time. Vero will take a risk by increasing the attacking numbers fighting for the second target.”

Rooke swore. “Whoa. That’s big. I wonder why they decided to do that.”

My brows were in my hairline. I couldn’t believe they’d listened. I frowned. Really, though—why did they listen? I’d had nothing to back up my suggestion other than that ‘magic told me to do it’.

“An extra two proven and four novices will attack,” he added.

I grimaced. “Not enough.”

My cousin leaned in. “What do you mean?”

“Not enough to win. We needed three more proven and six more novices for that plan.”

Rooke’s gaze widened. “You think?”

After eight hours with my quipu last night? Yes. Frustration bubbled. If they’d decided to use more, why not give the full amount needed? They’d still lose, just less so.

The list of proven and novices and their final matches were read out for the second target. In my mind’s eye, threads layered over the list, and four of the matches flared bright. I blinked, standing suddenly as a thread twanged in my ears for only me to hear.

“Miss Corentine… is something amiss?”

Barrow’s voice startled me from the near-hypnotic state that had overcome me. I stared at the list of names. I’d had to braid in all the names of the proven and novices involved in the attack and defense last night. That’s what took so long. I didn’t have every magus in the coven entered into the quipu—that would take a few weeks at least—but these four matches had flared, and my gut was saying they weren’t right.

The team leaders had convened. This was the final plan.

And I was Rowaness’s granddaughter, and not in the mood to give a fuck. “Without another proven and two more novices added to the attack, you won’t win with these matches.” My voice floated through the chamber. “Yet—” I drifted toward the list. “—if you switch these two matches.” I moved my finger down the list. “And these two matches, Vero has a fighting chance at winning the mission.”

The stupor snapped, and I grunted as the noise and movement in the chamber returned to me in full.