Master

Chapter 45

"I know," I say immediately because I could never be doubtful about that.

I had, in fact, agreed with everything they'd said, to the letter. I was of the same mind... it was just that something was making me feel uneasy.

I didn't know what it was, whether it was just a feeling, instincts, or paranoia, but there was something inside of me that recommended patience.

"Then what is it suckling," the wench drawls from somewhere in the room, "your silence is hardly inspiring."

I don't bother glaring at the elf, his existence was insulting enough.

"Lincoln," I finally look away from the map of our coming battlegrounds and to Malcolm stood, where there was confidence before, there was now worry as well, "why are you hesitating now? When we've come so far?"

"It is just..." I take a breath, "I feel as if this is all too easy," I confess to the room, causing several pairs of eyes to widen all around.

"Easy?" Malcolm repeats with only confusion now and a deep frown to support it.

"Have you forgotten all the hunts we've been on?" Wequie asks disbelievingly, no longer leaning on the wall he stared at me with his hands gripping his cocked hips, "or all the times we've had to put lives on the line to build this clan, ours included?"

"The negotiations," Karios supplies.

"The secrecy," the plank of wood includes unhelpfully.

"It has not been easy," Malcolm concludes for the group.

"But it hasn't been hard either," I reply gently, knowing they were rightfully tired of remaining relatively stagnant, "we've put lives on the line, yes, but we haven't lost any," I point out with a glance at Wequie, "we've had to be exceptionally smart with our negotiations and careful with who we allow in, but we've weeded out all the bad fruit so far."

Weeded was a very nice way of putting beheading.

"It's been challenging, yes, I admit that. But in the same breath, tell me you don't find it all not nearly as challenging as it should be."

When only silence follows after my words, I relax in my place, satisfied to know that I was making some measure of sense.

"So you wish to wait longer Pylen?" Sterling questions with a grimace of clear displeasure. As our appointed battle commander, I was sure that Sterling was more than tired of being stuck in the castle walls instead of being on the outskirts, slicing through our enemies.

"No," I answer instantly, "I agree that we need to act and that we are in a good position to do so, I just think we need to be careful about it. As you all have stated, we've put in a great deal of work to get to this point and I won't let it all go to waste because of negligence."

"That is wise," Alexander replies with a nod, "we are a smaller force, so being more careful is essential."

"Aye," Sterling agrees through his thick Scottish accent.

 Hums and nods of agreement come faster this time as understanding passes between us all.

"Shall Sterling and I plan the first attack?" Fae asks, her nerves only showing a bit through her words, and while she tried to hide it, it wasn't necessary. 

I'd picked Fae because she was tactical as she was kind, she was the heart needed in war rooms to ensure that darkness and violence didn't reign unprovoked.

"That won't be necessary," I state as I take a step closer to the map, "I've already made one."

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