Change of Darkness (The Change Series Book 3) by Jacinta Jade (best new books to read txt) 📕

This time, it was Pyron who answered the lord’s question, and at hearing his voice, Siraay felt like invisible heckles were rising along her spine.

‘Well. Not as experienced as the other two in combat but still a skilled group.’ A pause. ‘Once the final group of new trainees joins the division, it will be ready to move out to take up its position.’

Trainees. It was almost amusing how the two sides used such similar terminology. And when Pyron said ‘new trainees’, he was, of course, talking about Siraay’s former friends and the other Resistance captives who had survived until now.

She also hadn’t missed the fact that his slight pause had been an intentional jibe at her. He obviously had reservations about her loyalty or value and wanted them all to know.

Chezran nodded at Pyron and then glanced back to the map, waving one hand lazily towards the red mark that symbolised the city of Lalinta. ‘Are you still recommending their deployment towards the third city?’

Atalia responded swiftly. ‘Yes, my lord. All three cities will be attacked at once, in order to gain the biggest element of surprise. That way, they will not be able to come to each other’s aid.’

Siraay looked with interest at the map, then let her voice break through the murmurs that had sprung up following Atalia’s confirmation. Softly, but clearly, she stated, ‘You won’t win this way, even with the numbers you have.’

The silence that followed was brief but electric.

The first stage of the silence appeared to be one of shock. This silence belonged to those whose voices had been robbed from them by Siraay’s words. They had not expected her to speak up and were obviously not used to someone uninitiated offering an opinion, even if that person had been welcomed—warmly—by their lord. Two of the captains, and Atalia, were clearly experiencing this, their thinning lips also showing the quick transition of shock to disapproval.

Then the silence held an amused and watchful air, with small signs evident in the slightest of creases at the corners of some mouths, including Captain Raque’s and Chief Archon Pyron’s.

Yet the third stage of the silence was a deep thoughtfulness that could have meant anything. It conquered the first and second hush, laying over everyone like a heavy blanket. There were no outward signs of it, bar the considering eyes of Lord Chezran and the spymaster, Archon Renhed.

His face betraying nothing, Chezran turned to her and, with a sweep of his hand, bade her to take the floor beside Atalia.

Siraay forced herself to relax her shoulders, as if this command to present her theory had been anticipated. Her own face devoid of any expression, she rose silently, smoothing tiny wrinkles from her dress with her hands as she walked slowly up to the projected map, the slight rustle of her dress against her legs loud in the silent room.

Standing to one side of the projection, Atalia regarding her stonily from the other side, while Siraay took another look at the map. Despite what she had expected, the map actually seemed to grow in detail as she drew closer, almost like an auto-focusing lens. This allowed Siraay to see more of the rises and falls in the miniature terrain and cities, one of whose details were infinitely more familiar to her than the others.

She pivoted to scan her waiting audience, some obviously intent to hear what she had to say, others ready to scoff. Well, she wasn’t here to win their approval. And she most certainly was not here for their amusement. She had to show them that she was not a passing fancy that their lord had picked up.

She was here to win a war.

‘The main council’s peace-keeping defences are located in the capital, while the Resistance forces are scattered throughout the wilderness. While your divisions cannot be beaten by the divisions of the Resistance forces alone, they may be overwhelmed by the combined might of the three cities’ citizens, peace-keepers, and the Resistance, if they were all to join against you.’

She paused, meaning to turn back to point something out on the map, but Atalia interjected impatiently.

‘We know this—it is why we are bringing the fight to each city at the same time, so they cannot join forces.’

Siraay didn’t even bother acknowledging the female archon, instead only pausing a moment before continuing to speak.

‘The Ruling Council’s main peace-keeping forces are located in the capital, and only smaller sections of the council’s protective divisions are in the other two cities. True, one of your divisions could match the entire might of the Resistance, but if you split your divisions, it is likely that the Resistance will direct all their resources to support that of the Ruling Council’s at the capital. Thus, the division that takes on the capital will be overwhelmed and wiped out in short order by the larger force, leaving your other two divisions separated geographically. And then the capital’s forces will join with one of the other cities to take down the next division. And so on.’ She rolled her over hand in a downwards gesture, indicating the swift fall of Chezran’s army that would follow.

‘How could you possibly know where the Ruling Council has placed its main strength?’ Atalia crossed her arms, her long black dress shifting as the female’s body became lined with doubt and disapproval of Siraay’s analysis.

Keeping her back straight and chin level, Siraay looked calmly at the archon.

‘It was detailed on a paper on the Resistance commander’s desk when I met with her, many turns ago, early on in the golden time.’

‘Many turns ago,’ repeated Atalia slowly, employing a tone that hinted at just how many reasons there were to doubt this information.

‘What do you suggest?’ Chezran asked Siraay.

The shock evident in Atalia’s rigid posture at the lord’s question amused Siraay, but she kept her expression blank as she turned back to look at Chezran holding his eyes for a moment before she responded. ‘Attack the capital in force with