Max's POV
The boys scrambled to their feet, brushing off dirt, trying to stand taller. My eyes lingered on each of them in turn—measuring, weighing, seeing more than they knew they were showing.
I nodded toward Ezra first. “You’re the spine of this group. You read the field, you adjust, and you don’t hesitate to take responsibility. That’s leadership. But don’t carry them—guide them. Let them rise with you.”
Ezra’s jaw tightened, but he nodded, the weight of the words settling into his stance.
I turned to Leonardo next. “You’re learning to vanish. That’s good. But stealth without timing and planning is just silence. Strike when it matters. Make your presence felt only when it changes the outcome. You need to work on planning while moving. You need to have three plans before you attack.
