Elena caught up with the group two hours into the march east, dropping out of the treeline with her team like she’d never been gone at all.
“You started without me,” she said to Damian, dry despite the exhaustion carved into her face.
“You said you were pushing further out. I wasn’t going to wait on a maybe.”
“Good thing I found something worth the trip, then.” She fell into step beside him, matching his pace. “There’s a second route into the harbor. A drainage tunnel that lets out below the eastern wall. My team confirmed it two nights ago while you were still staring at a map that wasn’t telling you anything.”
Damian’s stride didn’t slow, but something in his shoulders eased, just slightly. “Why didn’t you send word sooner?”
“Because I wanted to be sure before I gave you false hope.
