She tried to think what to do. She wanted to keep them contained in the narrow passageways of the Outer Wall where they couldn’t spread out to the inner Keep. If they got into the courtyard, they would be all over the place.

The tower room was too confining to use the magic she would need to hold back the men pouring into the walls, but she had no choice. Going outside meant giving them a better chance to get behind her and reach the gates. She backed into the shadows of the next corridor, giving herself a clear view of the tower chamber and thereby a window of vision large enough to see the men she knew were coming.

Then she waited.

Drust Chazhul hunkered down in the forest just beyond the west wall, watching his soldiers cross the open space to where the tiny service door gaped open to admit them. Stoon was crouched at his side, the two of them counting heads as the soldiers disappeared inside.

“Good as his word,” he observed softly.

“Always has been.” Stoon was watching the top of the wall intently, scanning it end-to-end, searching for signs of the Druid Guard. “He’s clever, that one.”

Another two or three soldiers had made it inside. That made it more than thirty now. They had brought fifty, thinking that would be more than enough to force at least one of the main gates. They had left the rest of the army at the south gate as a diversion. A second force was hidden in the trees behind them waiting to enter when the west gate was opened by the advance party. It should happen quickly once all fifty were inside.

“Don’t forget,” Drust said. “I want the Elessedil girl alive.”

Stoon shrugged. “Why bother? You’ll just kill her anyway.”

“Maybe not. After my soldiers have reminded her that insolence has a cost, I might still send her back to her grandfather.”

The assassin gave him a look. “Kill her and be done with it. You don’t want to play games in this business.”

Drust turned away. “When are you going in?”

“In a little while. No need to rush things.”

They went silent, watching as the last of the advance force disappeared through the doorway. On the walls above, nothing moved and no one appeared.

“I think I’ll move over to the west gate and wait there.” Drust was restless, impatient. “I want to be there when it opens.” He rose, looked down at Stoon and smiled. “It’s almost here. The end of the Druids and their precious Keep. The end of their magic. And I will have been the one who brought them down.”

Stoon was tempted to suggest it was a little early to celebrate, but he managed to hold his tongue.