Lieutenant Jarhad said when he and Darby joined her in the well-lit cavern. “What’s this plan of yours?” He filled the entrance to the cavern and held his large hand on the hilt of his sword, the knuckles white from gripping it too firmly. His legs were spaced comfortably apart, as if he were bracing himself for a quick movement. Embril nodded from inside the cavern and gestured past him. “That tunnel is large enough for the horses to pass through if they duck,” she began, “and this cavern is large enough to hold them all.” The muscles along Lieutenant Jarhad’s jaw bulged but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he stepped inside the cavern and looked around. He nodded, “Yes,” he said, his voice tight. “It will be a good place for a temporary camp. What of it?” “We will need to stay the night,” she said. “I won’t be able to cast my spells until after the rest of your men arrive. I will also need my books and time to prepare. The casting will take most of the morning.”
