As the council turned to more detailed preparations, I slipped away. Behind me, Bethiv called another officer to the table, and the discussion continued without pause. No one needed me to understand troop formations or decide how many soldiers could hold a passage.
I needed air.
I didn't want to be separated from my friends. I didn't want to go with Jessia. Even Fable would be somewhere else, beyond walls I couldn't see through, fighting enemies I couldn't protect him from.
Every part of the plan made sense. The barrier, the divided attack, my ability to dismantle the formation. I'd stood beside the table and nodded along with all of it. Now, with no one watching, I folded my arms tightly around myself.
