Lyra’s POV
I followed Derek down a dimly lit corridor that led to an ancient room I had never seen before. The walls were lined with strange symbols, and the air felt thick with centuries of forgotten secrets. Derek stopped, turning to face me.
“What do you need?” he asked, his voice low but curious.
I looked around the room, taking in the dusty shelves and old relics. “How many soldiers do we have?”
He hesitated for a moment before answering. “We’ve got around 2,600 here. Plus, with the soldiers that Lord Ranio brought, we’re looking at over 3,000.”
“Good,” I nodded. “Can you get me enough fabric—something we can cut—to cover the faces of all the soldiers?”
Derek blinked in surprise. “Cover their faces? I’ll see what I can find.”
“And,” I continued, “I’ll need a large basin of wate
