“Lena,” Elias said, his voice rough, “Are you sure about this?”
I didn’t hesitate. “We can’t afford to second-guess anymore. Magnus won’t wait. He’s counting on our hesitation.”
The war room was colder than it had been hours ago, though the fire still burned in the hearth. Maps lay scattered across the table, some marked with Elias’s crimson ink, others with my notes. The scent of ash and pine drifted in through the open window. Outside, the night howled.
Elias paced beside me, his jaw clenched. “The scouts just returned. Magnus’s warriors are gathering near the eastern ridge. If we’re going to strike, it has to be tonight.”
“Then we strike,” I replied. My voice didn’t shake this time.
He stopped, looking at me like he was seeing someone else. “You’ve changed.”
I lifted my eyes to me
