Chapter 21 - Wyn #2
“That’s Oren,” I tell Raegan. “Right on schedule.”
We move outside to meet the reinforcements. Oren arrives with exactly fifty fighters as promised, all of them looking ready for battle. He spots Raegan, and his relief is visible.
“You look terrible,” he tells his sister bluntly.
“Thanks for the pep talk,” she responds. “Did you bring the good fighters or the ones you wanted to get rid of?”
“The best I could spare without leaving our territory defenseless.” Oren’s eyes scan the defensive positions we’ve established. “Brief me on the situation.”
I give him a quick rundown of Thornridge’s planned assault and Raegan’s proposed trap. His face grows darker with each detail.
“You want to use my sister as bait,” he growls. “You’re her husband, Wyn. You’re supposed to be looking after her, not putting in right in the middle of the shit show.”
“It’s the best tactical option we have,” Raegan argues before I can respond.
“It’s also the most dangerous.”
“Every option is dangerous now. At least this one gives us some control over the engagement.”
Oren eyes the tactical map, cocking his head to the side. “Their magical weapons change everything. Traditional defensive positions won’t protect against life-draining devices.”
“That’s why we need to neutralize them quickly,” Raegan explains. “If we can capture or destroy their weapon teams early in the engagement, we level the playing field.”
“And if you can’t?”
“Then we’re all dead anyway.”
Oren winces at her but doesn’t argue the point. “What’s your escape plan if things go wrong?”
“Multiple fallback positions,” I answer. “Theodore has mapped three different retreat routes, all with overwatch positions and rally points.”
“Show me.”
We spend the next twenty minutes walking through the tactical plan in detail. Oren asks pointed questions about timing, coordination, and contingencies. His experience shows in the way he identifies potential weaknesses.
“The plan is sound,” he finally admits. “But it requires you to be exposed for too long.”
“Not if everyone does their job correctly,” Raegan counters.
“And if they don’t?”
“Then we adapt and keep fighting.”
Oren studies his sister’s face for a long moment. I can see him wrestling with the same protective instincts that have been driving me crazy.
“I don’t like it,” he states.
“There’s one more thing we need to discuss,” Raegan says, looking at her brother. “You need to stay hidden during the engagement.”
His eyebrows pinch together as he replies, “Like hell I do.”
“They mentioned targeting pack leadership,” I point out. “If they see you, every magical weapon they have will focus on you.”
“I’m not hiding while my sister acts as bait.”
“You’re not hiding,” Raegan argues. “You’re staying alive to coordinate the broader defense. If this fails and I’m captured, someone needs to be in position to mount a rescue operation.”
“The plan requires a clear command structure,” Theodore adds. “If you’re killed in the opening minutes, we lose coordination between all our forces.”
Oren clenches his hands into fists. “You’re asking me to watch from the sidelines while you walk into a trap.”
“I’m asking you to trust my judgment and do what’s best for everyone,” Raegan replies.
“No matter what happens,” I continue, “you don’t reveal your position unless absolutely necessary. Your fighters will follow our orders during the engagement.”
“This is ridiculous,” Oren growls.
“It’s a tactical necessity,” Raegan snaps. “The intercepted communications made it clear they want to eliminate pack leadership.”
Oren is quiet for several minutes, clearly hating every word we’re saying.
“Fine,” he grinds out through gritted teeth. “But only because if this fails and you’re captured, someone needs to be in position to mount a rescue operation.”
“And one more thing,” Raegan tells him. “I want Lydia to help.”
“The matriarch? Why?” Oren asks.
“The magical weapons. If anyone can figure out how to disable or redirect them, it’s her. Besides, she did say if we need anything, she’s here, right?”
Oren considers this. “I suppose she did.”
“She’ll want to know why someone is mass-producing magical weapons powered by stolen Amanzite. That kind of operation threatens the balance she’s spent centuries maintaining.”
“You think Thornridge is planning something bigger than conquering our territory?”
“I know they are. The scale of their weapon production doesn’t make sense for a regional conflict. They’re preparing for something much larger.”
Jay pulls out a communication device. “She’s still in town. Let’s send for her.”
Theodore, who has been standing nearby, nods and starts composing the communication to the matriarch.
“What about our fighters?” I ask Oren. “Do they understand the situation?”
“They know we’re facing overwhelming odds against an enemy with advanced weapons. They’re here anyway.”
“And if we ask them to hold defensive positions for hours while outnumbered?”
“They’ll do their job.”
The confidence in his voice reassures me. Grayhide fighters have a reputation for stubbornness that might serve us well in the coming battle.
“Positions need to be finalized before Thornridge scouts get close enough to spot our preparations,” Theodore warns.
“Then we’d better get moving.”