Lucas reached the forward ridge where his personal squad waited in disciplined silence.
Commander Alexander, Captain Varran, and the king were far to the rear with the second half of the force, moving exactly as instructed, slow, unthreatening. Henrietta rode beside the king, Nyx at her shoulder. Lira, Selene, and Seraphina followed with their retinues, watchful and tense.
Here, however, the real preparation began.
Lucas dismounted.
"Volde," he said.
Volde stepped forward immediately.
"Select thirteen."
Volde turned and scanned the assembled men. He did not choose the largest. He did not choose the loudest. He chose those whose breathing did not change under pressure. Thirteen soldiers stepped out from the formation.
Lucas opened the reinforced case Tom had carried earlier.
Inside lay additional Dominion bracelets, he handed one to each of the thirteen.
