“We just heard,” Titus said, out of breath as he and Crissim ran up just as Pax and the others were exiting the workshop. Astra buzzed in the air above him, an ominous warning for people to treat Titus well.

  “We’re on our way to the committee.” Pax barely paused as he marched out of their workshop, an angry purpose making his steps rapid.

  “We figured. And we’re here to back you up.” Titus spun and quickly matched Pax’s pace.

  Pax gave him a smile, feeling some of the tension leave his shoulders. “Thanks. I really appreciate that.”

  “Well, if we can’t stand up to dunders together, what good are we?”

  Pax heard a few chuckles around them at calling the committee dunders and was glad to have his brother by his side for the coming confrontation. “Stay close, then.”

  As they traversed the halls, the rest of the surrounding base responded to the news like a disturbed anthill. Rumors flew. People whispered to each other and stopped friends to ask questions, their eyes wide with a mix of both excitement and fear. Others ran back through the halls on urgent errands.

  Pax and his large group of friends with all their companions caused an even greater stir. Whispers flared up behind them as eyes watched them pass with visible questions. All Pax knew was that this news meant the war would escalate to the next level.

  The rebellion had operated in the background for so long. And even when they stepped out of the shadows to take Quarrybrook and the other towns, they hadn’t really faced a true reprisal from the empire. The force they’d defeated and wiped out had been a token one. If what Pax suspected about this news was true, then the empire had finally taken the rebellion seriously enough to mount a powerful retaliation backed by the full might of their army.

  Pax forced down the lump of stress making his chest tight. This was exactly what they’d been working toward for so long now. They’d all expected this. And if the army was just leaving the capital, they still had time to plan an effective response. But that was reliant on the committee moving past their indecision and acting quickly.

  Pax clenched his fists as they entered the hallway leading to the committee’s chamber. He and his friends were going to ensure they got to work immediately and used all the advantages Pax and his crew had developed for them.

  The two guards sitting on either side of the doors were new. But they obviously recognized Pax and his group. They jumped up, one standing in front of the doors while the second stepped forward, one hand raised with a determined expression.

  “Stop right there. The committee is currently deliberating and is not to be disturbed.”

  Pax slowed his walk, feeling all his friends fall in behind him. He didn’t need to look back to know they were an imposing sight.

  The guard’s eyes flicked over them all, and he swallowed hard. “I can let them know you’re waiting as soon as they finish.” His eyes practically begged Pax to accept that.

  Pax pursed his lips and gave him a slow shake of his head. “I’m sorry, but that won’t work for us. I’ve been negotiating a position on the committee, which means I need to be in there for all the crucial deliberations.”

  The man glanced over his shoulder at his partner, who shrugged, looking very happy to be the one standing in the back.

  The guard looked back at Pax, obviously trying to find a way to appease him. “So, you’re on the committee? Because then we’d have to let you in, right?”

  “I control the entire base now, including the power, lights, water and the guard golems. I’m sure you heard about the last time I brought one to a committee meeting. I’d hate to do that again to get you to let me in.”

  The guard’s face blanched, and he waved a hand in a defensive motion. “Let me inform my sergeant that you’re here, and she’ll take care of things.”

  He turned to the doors, making a quick motion for his buddy to step aside. When he cracked the right door enough to slip through, Pax glanced over at Incedis, who stood with Eldan and Titus on either side.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Incedis nodded, and Pax grinned. “Follow me, everyone.”

  Over the sputtering of the second guard, they pushed both doors open wide and entered the large chamber with a confidence and strength that the leaders couldn’t ignore.

  The room was empty of the usual hangers-on. A handful of guards stood around the perimeter, keeping anyone from entering through the other doors. The first guard had hurried to a stern woman, likely the aforementioned sergeant, and leaned in, whispering a furious update.

  They’d moved the committee tables into a circle so they could face each other. Leaders filled every chair. Their voices were loud as they argued and spoke over one another, each of them full of the confidence that came with long-time leadership and the assumption that others would listen and do as told.

  Though Pax’s group had stayed quiet as they stepped inside, their group was so large, their boots made enough noise to draw attention. That wasn’t counting the claws of their companions, Eris’ flapping wings and the loud buzzing from Astra’s flight just above Titus.

  Heads turned, and the voices all went silent, one by one, as eyes widened and stared. Pax didn’t know why they looked surprised. What did they expect? They’d wasted a week dithering, and he’d told them he’d be back tomorrow to force the issue. So what, if he was a day early?

  Of course, Merchant Nightblade was the first to speak, sputtering objections that weren’t coherent enough to understand.

  Pax ignored him and met the gazes of General Thalia Draven, the senior warrior on the committee, and Mage Eamon Lysander, the man in charge of the mages. They were the ones he needed to convince. Once he did that, the others would fall into line.

  “I presume the guards informed you this was a closed meeting. You came in anyway?” General Draven’s tone was calm and emotionless, giving nothing away.

  The others around her quieted down, even Nightblade, letting her take the lead.

  Pax held her gaze, not flinching. “I presume you haven’t forgotten that I’m the commander of this base with complete control of everything, including the golems and defenses that keep us from having to fight off nightly beast waves like every other town in the empire.”

  Lysander stifled a chuckle and ignored the glare that earned him from Draven. “He’s got a point, Thalia. And we’ve been stringing him along too long. With the latest news, the one thing we really need now is more power, and he’s offering it to us on a platter. We’d be idiots to turn him away again.”

  “Exactly.” Incedis didn’t bother to hide the disdain in his tone.

  Titus growled his support while the rest of Pax’s friends made it clear they agreed, too.

  “If you’re thinking of objecting to Mage Lysander’s very reasonable points, I suggest you look up.” Mage Eldan picked the perfect break in the conversation for her droll words to catch everyone’s attention.

  Heads tipped back instinctively before anyone could think better of it.

  Pax glanced up and worked hard not to laugh out loud when he saw Whisper gripping the ceiling with her multiple legs. She leered down at the committee directly below her with all the menace a level 4 cyclone howler could muster. Behind him, he heard more than one stifled laugh from his friends.

  Ahead of him, gasps and a few shocked cries rose from various committee members at the threatening sight. Merchant Nightblade ducked down so fast he almost fell out of his chair.

  General Draven did the opposite, almost coming up out of her seat, her sword hand already moving into position. She stopped herself before pulling a weapon out of her inventory, but it was a close thing.

  Mage Lysander’s wrists flared with power that disappeared a moment later as he shook his head. Once he recovered, he aimed an amused look at Mage Eldan. “I see you still have the flair for the dramatic, Viessa.”

  “I don’t think we’re on a first name basis anymore, Mage Lysander.” She gave him a scowl that was a touch playful. “Unless you decide to quit acting like a bunch of old farts, too scared of your shadows to do what it takes to win this war. If you think my little Whisper scared you, imagine doubling our armies with a host of beasts like her.”

  Her comment didn’t stop all the scowls aimed her way as the committee members recovered from the scare. But at least a few seemed to consider her words. None of their responses looked to bother her in the slightest.

  “Are you ready to give me a position on the committee so you can use what we offer to help the rebellion win?” Pax kept his tone even, hoping he was successful at hiding his delight at Eldan and Whisper’s antics. “We’re obviously out of time, aren’t we?”

  “I vote yes.” Mage Lysander tipped his head toward Pax before turning to look at General Draven.

  The hard-bitten warrior stared at Pax, her experienced eyes moving over their group as she seemed to take in every detail. Finally, she sighed and nodded. “Like Mage Incedis so succinctly said, we’d be idiots not to.”

  “Finally.” Titus’ tone was a quiet mutter, but Pax heard it and had to work to keep the smile from spreading across his face.

  “Sergeant Krouter, please bring another table and a few chairs for our newest committee member and his advisors.” General Draven waved a hand toward the door guard’s supervisor.

  To her credit, the sergeant moved to follow the instructions without hesitation. A few moments later, and some shuffling of tables and chairs, Pax had his own table in the circle. They’d scrounged up enough chairs for a few of his friends to sit down with him. But most of them just found a suitable spot to stand, close enough to still hear and also look intimidating.

  When everyone settled, General Draven gave Pax and his group one last look before turning toward an officious-looking man seated at a table across from her. “Mage Acker, please continue with the agenda.”

  A slender man with visible elven heritage nodded at her before looking down at the top page on the table in front of him. He cleared his throat, looked up to see that everyone was ready, and began speaking.

  It only took thirty minutes before the meeting bored Pax out of his mind.

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