*****
The hideout was a frenzy of motion, a storm of bodies and voices clashing in a space too small to contain the weight of what was coming. Cyrin had wasted no time after the Queen's decree. He rallied every soldier he could find, his voice booming over the chaos, his sharp commands cutting through hesitation. Warriors sharpened their blades and strapped on armor, their movements fueled by grim determination. Even the students, were gathering weapons, their faces pale but stubborn. They were scared, yes, but they weren't backing down. Not now, not when their Queen had given the order herself.
Still, for all their noise, Magnus could not shake the gnawing certainty in his chest. Numbers didn't lie. Numbers decided wars. And right now, the numbers were damning.
