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"It seems odd to me," Valerius said "That's all Such a project les"

A else, sir?"

"I find myself reluctant to trust your word, Countess - or the word of the Count who built these unauthorized and illegal fortifications - "

"Oh bloody crows, man!" Antillus Raucus abruptly snarled "What the crows does itas we have them at hand e need theal nored once the current crisis is abated If we are to entrust the security of the Realm to the loyalties of this questionable pair of individuals"

Lord Placida didn't speak He sirunt flung him out of the tent to sprawl in the uards were caught frozen Placida turned to face them with narrowed eyes, then pointed at the door

They went

"Ass," muttered Raucus

"Thank you, Placida," the Princeps murmured in a dry voice "Countess, please continue"

Amara smiled at Lord Placida, nodded to the Princeps, and returned to her narrative "We have been studying the potential defenses of the Valley for some time," she said "This is the plan we believe will best accooals the Princeps has specified"

Chapter 31~32

Chapter 31

Gaius Octavian's host came down upon the vord-occupied city of Riva like a thunderstorh I'm not sure anyone's ever done it quite this literally, Fidelias ions and their Cani clouds and curtains of rain see to the banners of Aleran troops and Caniible scarlet threads that stretched out into the air all around The leashed clouds engulfed the entire force, concealing their numbers and identity from outside observation - courtesy of the Canim ritualists, led by their new commander, Master Marok

Within the cloud, Crassus and the fliers of the Knights Pisces hovered over the heads of the athered up the swirling energy of a dozen thunderbolts froht The strokes of lightning ruhts, blue-white beasts caged in a circle of windcrafting Their growling thunder rolled out ahead of the advancing host, concealing the sound oftroops and cavalry alike

"This all looks quite stylishly ominous," Fidelias commented to the Princeps "And appearances can be quite i this, Your Highness"

Octavian waited for a crash of thunder to roll by before he answered "There just aren't uise the identity of a force on the move," he called back, his voice confident "And I want our full strength to come as a surprise to the vord"

"I see," Fidelias said "For a ht that you'd effectively blinded and deafened us all for the sake ofFidelias his teeth "We have eyes outside the ions"

"You're still creating an infor in here to tell you anything If a large force arrives unexpectedly, that could be fatal"

The Princeps shrugged "There won't be any such force," he said with a confidence so perfectly familiar that Fidelias was almost violently reminded of Sextus