Toppinir cleared his throat before speaking. “Do we have any guesses as to why they’re attacking? It’s been months since the meteor, and we’ve had no reports of any attention from the Dark One. What changed?”
An image of Vardis appeared on the projector screen. “As some of you might know,” Myrddin explained, “two days ago, we retrieved a crashed ship from an unknown planet. The being inside, Vardis, stated that he was from the same dimension as the Dark One. I find the claim doubtful, but this sudden attack does lend credence to it. I have no doubt that the attack has to do with Vardis’s arrival.”
Alex was glad to hear that Myrddin didn’t trust Vardis. It wasn’t that the alien was lying, but how often did someone show up on your doorstep and offer to fix all your problems?
Roy, who was leaning against the wall chewing on his cigar, asked, “So, what’s the plan? Are we going out to meet the Dark One’s welcoming party, or are we waiting until they come here? I’d like to avoid what happened last time.”
Myrddin’s eyes softened as if he were experiencing the pain of the last invasion. “What happened before cannot and will not happen again,” he said slowly. “Our defenses have been upgraded. No one can teleport into the Nest. We can keep the battle outside and protect the cadets who aren’t combat-ready.”
Roy seemed satisfied with the answer. Alex noticed that the younger captains had yet to speak or ask any questions. They just stood and stared ahead, like the definition of good soldiers. Alex hoped she didn’t look like them.
Myrddin spoke again. “We will be splitting into different groups. Roy, naturally, you’re in charge of the mech riders. Toppinir, you and the rest of the faculty will lead seventy percent of the dragonrider captains. Alex, you will take Boundless and the remaining captains and their squads under your command.”
Alex couldn’t believe what Myrddin had said, and she furrowed her brow as she tried to understand his words. “Wait, what do you mean?”
Myrddin spoke sharply. “You will be leading your squad and at least twenty other riders. You’ve proven yourself in combat and leadership. Can you do this? I need to know now.”
Alex looked at Roy, who slowly nodded.
Leading twenty riders? That meant that she’d be giving orders to some of the captains at her side, older and probably more combat seasoned veterans. And I’m supposed to be responsible for them? Alex asked herself.
But Alex was answering Myrddin before she even realized it. “Yeah, yeah, I can do it.”
Myrddin smiled softly, a caring twinkle in his eye. “Good. I want you all in the air by the end of the hour. When intel on what we’re up against comes in, I’ll update all of your tactical planners. Dismissed.”
The tone in the room changed, and the other captains relaxed. Myrddin left quickly, no doubt to implement whatever plans he had to set in motion.
Roy walked up behind Alex and clapped her on the shoulder, causing her to jump. “Why didn’t you tell me he was going to do that?” Alex asked, hoping the sting could be heard in her voice.
“I didn’t know,” Roy answered curtly. “Myrddin plays a lot of stuff close to the chest. I’m proud of you for stepping up when you’re needed. My suggestion is, don’t get too chummy with anyone other than your team.”
“Why would you say that?”
Roy sighed heavily. “There’s no easy way to say this. People are going to die today, Alex. And you and I will be responsible for that.”
In the back of Alex’s mind, she had already known that. Hearing it from Roy didn’t make it any easier to deal with, though. She clearly remembered the last invasion. Luckily, she had been able to save lives that day. But she knew that wasn’t an option today. “Yeah, I kinda figured,” Alex whispered.
“You know, if this is too much for you, I can talk to Myrddin. You and Boundless can be another squad. I don’t want you cracking—”
“Under the pressure? You don’t think I can do this?”
“It doesn’t matter what I think you can do. It matters what you know you can do.”
Alex thought about it again, without letting herself be as reactionary as she had been with Myrddin, but it didn’t matter how many times she turned the question over in her head; there was no way to get around what was plainly in front of her. “I have to do this,” she said. “And I think Myrddin knows that.”
Roy squeezed Alex’s shoulder, trying to bestow some encouragement on her. “Yeah, he usually does. Well, you heard the man. We gotta go.”
Alex called each of her teammates and let them know what was going on. She didn’t spend a whole lot of time talking, but she wanted to hear their voices. It was for that reason Roy had told her not to get too close to any of her squad. Alex already knew she wouldn’t listen to that advice.
None of Boundless seemed even slightly worried that Alex was going to be leading such a large squad. They saw the choice as logical. Alex hadn’t realized it until she hung up on Jollies, but she had been looking for affirmation. Even if she had said twice that she knew she could handle this, it still felt like too large a thing to get her head around.
Alex headed for the stables where Chine and the rest of her team’s dragons were kept. She hadn’t had a chance to speak to Chine since she’d been quarantined. Chine’s telepathy was strong enough to reach through most of the Nest, but Alex hadn’t heard from him
