The attack on Topaz had gone far better than the elves' Citrine assault. In a plan almost identical to the operation in Zerena, the human half of the Aerial Legion had created a firestorm to consume the city centre but protect the valkyrie citizens. When the Kallians had come calling, they fought a brief and bitter battle that lasted three days until all of the defending troops were either slaughtered or imprisoned.
Neat. Circumspect. Entirely uninterrupted by unpredictable Elfin Queens who couldn't decide whether or not they hated their aunts. What had Maia and Zara being doing? She didn't care about the Words of Command. Maia should have been able to control her twin sister.
Thirty thousand enemy Kallian troops had escaped a sure loss because of Layla's reckless actions. And of course, Nala, Myra and all the others were meant to suddenly endorse her stupidity in order to stop the dissent in their ranks showing and ensure that the allies they had gained because of that insane girl remained with them.
Nala wanted to yell at Zara and Maia for obeying the orders of an eighteen-year-old, uncrowned, completely biased and utterly unexperienced child. This was war. You couldn't go around making stupid hostage deals and following the orders of a teenager, Elfin Queen or not. But just as she was about to send that message through a MindWeaver, one of her inner circle shook his head.
"Elves are elves," he shrugged. "They believe in things we find utterly nuts. Get between Zara and her entire religion and we alienate her forever. In her mind, Layla is the heir of a goddess. Questioning her will not go down well. The same with the valkyries."
"This is war," Nala moaned. "Their utter faith in Layla gets people killed."
"It also drives them forward," he replied. "There's no point picking fights, Nala. What's done is done and tensions are high right now." Nala reluctantly relented and then took out her anger on several innocent boxes.
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Once Talia's elves and Myra's valkyries had decided who to leave behind, they met in Topaz to prepare for the next attack. Azul wouldn't be nearly as easy-if you could consider any of this easy-and their old tactics wouldn't work anymore. Medea was smart enough to guard against them, or at the very least, prepare herself for them. The element of surprise was long gone.
"We expect the original fifty thousand in Azul, along with an additional thirty fleeing from Topaz. Here's the plan," Myra announced to the gathered leaders. "We strike the camp of soldiers outside first with the Aerial Legion and maybe some elves. We'll surround them in the middle of the night and try to stay out of shooting range. If necessary, we bring in the Kallians to help. It's possible we will be able to draw the soldiers inside the city out and fight them as well. Patience is essential and so is staying far above. Over the hours, we can diminish their numbers with minimal casualties. Afterwards we attack the centre of the city. It won't be as clean or easy as Topaz, Zerena or Citrine. We're likely to lose more people. But I believe we can take the capital. And Azul will be invaluable, not just from a fortress perspective. but also because it stops any attacks from behind and secures the north of Miras. Any suggestions?" The tent was silent. No one had any better ideas. Myra's approach—wearing them down with the Aerial Legion and slowly
picking the enemy off—was the best thing anyone could come up.
"We'll travel to Azul at dawn," Myra said when no one offered any other ideas. "With luck we can arrive in four or five days." And with none, Nala silently added, we'll get there in ten and the war will be lost before it can begin.
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Queens & Liars-Sequel to Three Broken Kingdoms (Completed)
Fantasy'She was a blade, forged in the flames that had burned her kingdom.' Book 2 of the Lost Continent Asriel and Miras have fallen. Their legendary armies are gone, their cities burnt to their ground, their people enslaved or murdered. The Empress now r...
