Fidelias grimaced and looked from her to her two immediate escorts. Aldrick ex Gladius looked completely unconcerned. The big swordsman was one of the most unreadable individuals he’d ever met, and it was entirely possible that the man wasn’t sane. He might actually not feel any genuine anxiety about today’s outcome. Araris, though, was scowling and eyeing Fidelias as though he expected him to Do Something About That Woman.

On the ground below, the vord broke open an enormous hole in the shieldwall, and only the efforts of the First Aleran’s Knights Terra managed to close it again. Crows, but he didn’t need another problem to solve. “You can get out alive, and take my wounded Citizens with you. They might be needed.”

“I told you... Marcus, isn’t it? There are simply too many vord in the air.”

“Take Antillus Crassus,” Fidelias said. “He can probably veil the whole lot of you, if you flew in close enough formation. He can’t walk, but he can sit in a coach. Antillar Maximus and Ambassador Kitai are down there, too, unconscious.”

“First Spear,” Isana said. “You need such talents here. Or better yet, helping my son.”

“They were helping your son,” Fidelias growled. “That’s how all of them wound up in healing tubs in the first place.”

A trio of vordknights came zipping in from one side, with the risen sun behind them, and the Knights Aeris on the roof didn’t redirect their windstreams in time. Fidelias moved on pure instinct, grabbing the First Lady and taking her down to the stone of the roof with as much speed and as little harm as possible. He stayed there, shielding her body, as the swords of Araris, Aldrick, and half a dozen Windwolves leapt clear of their scabbards.

Bits and pieces of vordknight, divided in perfectly neat lines, scattered to the roof around them.

Fidelias lowered his voice for Isana’s ears alone, and said, “My lady. We cannot hold the position. We do not have much time. Do you understand?”

Isana’s eyes were a little wide, but her expression was controlled. She took in a deep breath as Fidelias rose and Araris helped her up.

“Captain Aldrick,” she said.

Aldrick gave a slight bow of his head, “My lady?”

“This Legion is short of their company of Knights. I wish you to deploy your men to support them.”

Aldrick said nothing for a moment. His eyes shifted, left and right, toward the waiting wind coaches and the vord outside the steadholt, respectively.