When Gemma was the only to return, Myra knew something was very, very wrong. Honestly, she'd known something was very wrong the moment she'd seen Nala and Kestra's odd glances, as though they knew something she didn't and were waiting for her to find out.                                         

"What happened?" She asked Gemma frantically, barely giving her the time to breathe or get off her brown-black gryphon.                                  

"Ambush," the exhausted warrior croaked. "Lily, everyone—dead."             

"Rose?" Myra asked, almost too afraid to form the words properly.     

"Captured." Gemma said dully. "All the others were either killed fighting or when they were were caught."

Myra sank to her knees. One thousand valkyries and half that many wyverns and gryphon...it was too many for them to lose. They were done. It was over. What could they do from here?                            
"What did the Kallians do next?" She asked, hollow with shock.     

"They left," Gemma said bluntly. "All of it was just to knock down our numbers. To get Rose. Maybe me as well. I still...I still can't believe I made it. That I escaped, when so many didn't." Myra turned to the waiting War Council members. Nala, Talia, Zara, Maia, Layla and Kestra—the last two more honorary than anything else.                                     

"What now?" She asked. The Dragon humbled, uncertain of where they could turn next. Soon she would be filled with ideas, battle strategies and countermoves. But now she turned to the others, for once defeated.           

"What we do now is name your next heir," Kestra said, first to recover.  

"Rose is still alive," Myra said, fire returning. "I won't give up on her yet."         

"We're not asking you to," Nala reasoned. "But if both she and you die, then who leads the valkyries forward?" Myra silently assessed her options.

Lilith was too young, too inexperienced and frankly, not good enough. Bronwyn might be a mighty warrior but she was no leader. Gemma was best. Strong-willed and inspiring. She remembered her from younger days, before Myra had been High General and before Gemma lost her eye. She could trust only her to led them forward in the event of the Dragon's death. She didn't care about her disabilities. She was still the best warrior they had.   

"Gemma," she said at last. "But in the meantime, I want to talk to Lysandra. She has to save Rose. Like she saved Layla and I."      

"I'll speak to her," Nala sighed at last. "But it won't be easy."       

"How do we go on with so little troops?" Talia demanded, asking the question they'd all been dancing around. "We couldn't afford to lose a thousand valkyries and five hundred of their steeds."                            

"We train the people properly," Kestra declared. "Valkyries, any elves we manage to free. Build up our army from the ranks of the citizens it protects." Myra beamed with pride. Her daughter was truly becoming a Queen.    
          
"It takes too much time—" Talia objected, but Myra interrupted her.       

"We hold Miras. From what Gemma said, we'll be able to take back the Hawk Mountains. The only resource we have is time."                       

"Myra's right," Nala said decisively. "Get the valkyries trained up well. Even the Keepers posses some war-gift. That means they'll be better fighters than any inexperienced human would be. Spend a few months defending Miras to buy us time to train them. I'll go to Lysandra and check up with her. Ask for her help and some information. We should only go for Asriel when we're ready."

For a moment Myra thought Talia would object, argue in favour of going to the archipelago earlier, but the elf was silent.

  "I'll head off at dawn," Nala said at last. "Leave you to get the valkyries ready. I have some business to deal with in Crimsith anyway."

————————————————

Nala

The journey by sea had been long and hard, but taking the Isthmus was too risky. With the world still believing her dead—according to Lysandra, Medea was still gloating over killing her, the great leader of the other rebellion—it was easy to slip into a boat with the many Kallians fleeing Miras. She arrived in Crimsith within days even with the Asrieli Strait more wild than usual.

When she and Lysandra saw each other in the usual meeting place-just outside a café, where Nala had held a knife to her throat years ago-they rushed into each other's arms, gripping each other in a tight embrace. When they finally pulled away, they each wore rare smiles.                  

"I haven't seen you in months," Lysandra smiled. "Why couldn't you have visited me?"      

"Been pretty busy recently," Nala smiled. "Not that you haven't been busy, too. Sending Jasper and Talia along with an army."                     

"Oh, just part of a day's work," Lysandra said, beaming. Her expression turned suddenly serious. "Don't ever do what you did in Warrior's Forest to me again. No, listen. Never."                          

"Yes, Your Majesty." Nala smirked, making a pretend bow. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't know how that would play out. Forgive me?" Lysandra gave her a short nod.           

"I need you to rescue Rose," Nala said.       .                               

"Rescue Rose?" Lysandra asked, incredulous. "She's in Dorgon."     

"I know," she said hurriedly. "But so were Myra and Layla and you rescued them and we really need this. Urgently. Medea wanted Myra to suffer and had promised to keep Layla alive, but Rose...she might kill her to send some sort of message. She needs you. I need you. Please?"

Lysandra's expression remained emotionless. "Security's too high now. I can't trick Mother into letting them out in the open like before. There's no way I can get Rose Isidore out of Dorgon. Medea's too careful now. I can't do it." Nala gave her a long, desperate look. Lysandra stared right back. Before she could make a speech about how important this was and how much Rose had done for them Lysandra sighed in surrender and agreed.                   

"Okay," she grumbled. "I'll do my best. But if I succeed in freeing Rose from under my mother's nose, I'll never get anyone out again. The security will seriously be too high. Rose is the last person I'll get out of Dorgon. Okay?"                                                                

"Yes, yes, thank you," Nala said, smiling happily. "Thank you, Lysandra. You have no idea how much this means to everyone. Just one last thing..." Lysandra groaned. "How is Medea going to attack?"         

"Listen, she doesn't trust anyone anymore. So only I know her plans."  

"That's good—oh. I see. If you tell me anything, you're exposed. But can you at least say if she'll strike Miras at all?"                                             

"No," Lysandra sighed at last. "Small-time attacks, little distractions. Nothing big. She knows not to face Myra Isidore in her own country when she has an army of this size. She wants to wait until you come to Asriel." Nala nodded.                                                                     

"You should go before someone sees you. I've organised transport through a favourite smuggler of mine, Taryn Gold."

"I have to be able to do something to help you. I've come all this way."     

"Don't worry. Now go. The ship is waiting. You have to stay out of Crimsith. Don't come back until the time comes to assassinate her, are we clear?"                                      
Nala nodded faintly, still lost as she rushed towards the harbour at Lysandra's behest.