Chapter 166

　　Rivyn stepped into the tent. "Ah," he said. "You're eating. Daerton tells me you're damming and drying out the river?" he asked me, stealing a slice of meat from Akyran's plate, and folding it neatly before taking a bite.

　　"Yes, I'll cast the spell at midnight. Take the city by surprise when they're all abed, reduce civilian casualties for the princess."

　　"Good plan," he chewed and nodded.

　　"I'm planning on raising the vermin of the city," I said to him. We were all pretending that things were as they had been in previous wars, smoothing a veneer of casualness over the tension that boiled beneath. "If you wanted to intersperse some familiars as spies, that would be a good opportunity."

　　"True," his eyes were to Akyran and then back to me. "So…"

　　"Go away Rivyn," Akyran drank his wine. "I am trying to have a conversation with my wife."

　　"About time you did," the Fae mage responded. "Good luck, Ecaeris. Punch with your left - you might as well even out his fat lip."