Meta Gods War 3 by B. Miles (the ebook reader txt) 📕

“And Lycanica came to me. She warned me that she wouldn’t allow us to defeat her armies. That she’d kill us all.” He looked at Brice and felt his face tighten with anger. “She said she’d let me run away if I left that day.”

Brice let out a sharp laugh. “You’re right. I almost don’t believe you.”

“It’s true.”

“Lycanica showed herself to you. An actual god appeared before you and spoke.”

“I know how it sounds.”

“I’m not sure you do.” She shook her head. “The godlings don’t talk about their gods much. And they certainly don’t let Humans meet with them.”

“I’m not sure the godlings can really control what their gods choose to do.” Cam said. “She was… something else.”

Brice stomped her boot. “The wolves are killing us,” she said. “And you sound like you’re in awe of their god.”

“You would be too, if you met her.”

“Cam.” Brice banged her glove against her armor. “Tell me you’re not starting to rethink things.”

“No,” he said. “Of course not. But I think Lycanica is directly in charge of them now.”

He wanted to tell Brice about how scared Felin was of Lycanica, but he kept his mouth shut. Felin made it seem as though the wolves would do whatever the goddess commanded, no matter how atrocious or difficult. If that were the case, then Lycanica would have complete control over her forces. But he wasn’t sure Felin wanted him talking about that, and he didn’t want to betray her trust.

“Which means our entire strategy is at risk.” Brice cursed and turned her back on Cam.

“Not necessarily,” Cam said. “But we are going to have to rethink how we’re doing this.”

“You don’t want to meet them head on. But your plan of baiting them into attacking the Mansion doesn’t seem like it’s going to work either. How can you expect to win this war?”

“I’ll figure it out,” he said. “This isn’t some game with easy right and wrong answers.”

“I know what’s right.” Brice let out a frustrated snarl. “We need to kill the bastards before they hurt our people.”

Cam moved closer to her. He could see blood splattered on her armor.

“We will,” he said. “But we have to be smart about it.”

“I’m a heavy infantry commander,” she said. “I don’t care about smart. I care about smashing the skulls of those damn animals.”

“And I care about getting this army through this alive.” Cam held a hand up, palm out. “You need to trust me, Brice. We can’t fall into the same trap we wanted to build for the wolves.”

“And what trap’s that?” she asked.

“Fighting among ourselves,” he said. “We need to work as one.”

Brice’s eyes narrowed as she shook her head. “I guess that’s why you had Felin torturing men.”

Cam went still. “I didn’t know about that.”

“But you put her up to it. She’s your little personal police force, isn’t she? Your spymaster?”

“Yes,” Cam said. “But I didn’t know how far she was taking things. When you warned me, I went out to her.”

“And you saw it?” Brice asked.

“I saw what she was doing. That won’t happen again.”

Brice grunted again and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and seemed to steady herself.

“I know you’re right,” she said. “If we keep going down this path, nothing good will come of it. But I’m just so angry.”

“I know,” Cam said. “I’m angry too. We have to be smart about it though.”

She nodded once, sharp and deliberate.

“Thank you for listening to me,” she said. “About Felin.”

“Of course. I trust you, Brice, and I promise I’ll do my best to listen to what you have to say.”

“That’s more than the old Generals ever did,” she said. “Shit, Cam. I lost my cool for a second. My blood’s still up from the fighting. I know you’re doing your best.”

“I understand.” He tilted his head. “Let’s get the men organized and start the march back to camp.”

“Yes, sir.” She gave him a tight smile. “Whatever you say, sir.”

He watched her turn and walk back to the men. She barked orders as he lingered near the trees.

Wind whipped through her hair and he wondered how much of the blood on her armor was from her own men.

He gripped his sword to steady himself and followed in her wake.

21

Cam stood in front of his gathered general staff and leaned his palms against the pitted wooden table. The table was buried under maps and notes. Cam felt the weight of his father’s sword tug at his hip.

Miuri tilted her chin toward him. She’d come into camp several hours earlier covered in road dust and sweat.

“I gathered you all here to speak about the future of this army,” Cam said.

He saw some of them flinch. Key looked dour, her light eyes somehow devoid of their usual sparkle. Brice’s face was ashen. Several of the minor Captains stared at each other like they could hardly believe this was happening.

“But first,” Cam continued, “Miuri brings news of the Mansion.” He gestured to her and sat back down.

Miuri cleared her throat. Her blonde hair was pulled back in tight braids. She wore a simple green and gray tunic and still looked all the more stunning for it.

“The main wolf host followed the army,” she said. “They pulled away from their original position and left only a skeleton crew at their former camps.”

“How many?” Key asked.

“Several thousand,” Miuri said. “They’re dug in tight. I’ve never seen the wolves build fortifications like these.”

“Does your father have the numbers to match them?” Cam asked.

“We do,” Miuri said. “I believe the wolves left three thousand, and we have five. Plus, Galla is already conscripting more men and women and believes she can add another three to our numbers.”

Cam let out a breath. “Of course she is. That woman could wring blood from stone.”

“My father believes we can make a move on the smaller force left behind,” she said. “He doesn’t think they know we still remain in the Mansion.”

“Or else they would’ve left more,” Key said.

“It could be a trap,”