Darius studied the map. "Hmm, the valley is tight. We send two teams around the ridges to block their escape. The main force drives through the center."
Kane nodded. "I take the left flank. Rylan takes the right. You stay in the center with the main group."
Rylan's fingers tapped the table. "We burn the supplies they have stored. Starve them of resources while we take their leader. They will scatter after that."
I looked at the three of them. The bond between us felt steady, the argument from the night before settled into something stronger. They stood with me now, not over me. They had learned.
The rest of the afternoon passed in planning. We marked every route, every contingency, every position for the riders. The children stayed in the nursery with the women, their laughter drifting down the corridor every so often. I let the sound anchor me while we worked.
