Chapter 70: WE RISK CIVILIAN CASUALTIES
The car split at the next intersection.
Jack got out with Mira, and they hailed a separate car to head to the employment center.
Ben stayed behind the wheel, glancing at Lin Yue in the rearview.
"Where to first, Madam?"
Lin Yue looked at the halflings.
Their clothes were torn, dirty, barely holding together. The stag had a hole in his shirt big enough to see his ribs. The doe’s dress was stained and frayed. The mushroom and butterfly had shrunk so small their clothing was hardly visible, but Lin Yue doubted they had anything better waiting for them.
"Clothes.." she said. "And shoes. And maybe some basic toiletries. Is there a shop near here that won’t ask too many questions?"
Ben thought for a moment. "There’s a place. Not fancy, but they sell basics. Won’t care who buys as long as the credits clear."
"Good. Take us there."
The shop was small, wedged between a pawnbroker and a laundromat.
The sign above the door read GENERAL GOODS in faded letters.
Ben parked and got out first, scanning the street before nodding.
Lin Yue climbed out, Auriel still strapped to her chest. The halflings followed, the stag helping the doe down, the mushroom and butterfly returning to their full sizes once they were out of the cramped car.
They stood on the sidewalk, blinking in the daylight like creatures who had not seen the sun in a long time.
The shopkeeper, a heavyset woman with cat ears and tired eyes, looked up as they entered.
Her gaze swept over the halflings, then landed on Lin Yue.
"What do you need?"
"Clothes for all of them. Shoes too. And soap, toothbrushes, anything else they might need for basic hygiene."
The woman raised an eyebrow but did not argue. She led them to the back of the store, where racks of plain, sturdy clothing hung in rows.
"Pick what fits.." Lin Yue said. "Don’t worry about the price."
The stag hesitated. "Madam, we cannot repay you."
"I’m not asking you to." Lin Yue gestured to the racks. "Go."
They moved slowly at first, as if afraid to touch anything.
But soon the doe was holding up a blue dress against herself, and the stag was running his fingers over a thick wool coat.
The mushroom found a small jacket that fit her tiny frame, and the butterfly discovered a rack of shimmering scarves that caught the light like her wings.
Lin Yue watched them, Auriel cooing softly against her chest.
Ben stood by the door, his eyes on the street.
The shopkeeper rang up the pile—pants, shirts, dresses, coats, boots, underwear, socks, plus a basket of soap bars, toothbrushes, and combs. The total was not small. Lin Yue waved her hand over the terminal without flinching.
Outside, they loaded the bags into the trunk. The halflings looked different already, cleaner clothes, shoes on their feet, coats around their shoulders. They still had the hollow look in their eyes, but something else was there too.
Something that might have been relief or hope.
"We have food at home," Lin Yue said. "Let’s go."
They drove back to the estate as the sun began to set. The car was still crowded, but the atmosphere had changed. The halflings were not trembling anymore. They were looking out the windows, watching the city pass, their faces soft with something Lin Yue had not seen before.
The gates opened.
The house loomed ahead, warm lights in the windows.
Lin Yue took a deep breath.
Now came the hard part.
She had no idea what Uriel would say.
But she was about to find out.
YESTERDAY NIGHT.
The command center was quiet now, the training grounds empty. Uriel stood at the head of the long table, his hands braced against the polished surface. Around him sat the military council—Monty, Caliban, Rakesh, Selas, Yerazig, Aibek, Oberon, and Andromeda.
Magus stood at his right hand, a data tablet in his grip.
The holographic display in the center of the table showed the document Uriel had received—the old seals, the faded ink, the name that should have stayed buried.
"Triton," Andromeda said. "I thought he died in the last war. We all did."
Uriel’s jaw tightened. "So did my father."
Monty leaned forward. "He was your father’s closest ally. His best man. They grew up together."
"And now he is advising the Zephorian council," Rakesh said. "The man who helped shape Primus’s military strategy is now teaching our enemies how to destroy us."
Uriel looked at the image of Triton—older now, his face lined, his hair white, but his eyes still sharp. Those eyes had watched him as a child.
That voice had called him nephew.
"It would break my father’s heart to see what has become of Triton," Uriel said quietly. "So before he finds out, we will ensure that he remains dead."
Magus nodded slowly. "You want to proceed with the plan?"
"Yes." Uriel straightened, his hands leaving the table. "We kill all of Zephor’s leaders. Every general, every council member, every person who ordered civilians to the frontlines. Every last one of them. And we kill Triton."
Caliban shifted in his seat, his massive bear-like form creaking the chair beneath him. "That is a long list, Uriel. Dozens of targets, scattered across their territory. Some in heavily fortified compounds."
"Then we start tonight." Uriel’s voice was flat, final, leaving no room for debate.
"Magus, I want final confirmations on locations and security details. I want to know where they sleep, where they eat, where they hide. If they have families, I want to know that too, so we can avoid collateral damage. We are not butchers."
Aibek tilted his head, his dark fur catching the light. "And Triton’s family? He has a daughter, does he not? A granddaughter?"
Uriel’s jaw tightened. "They are not targets. They are victims of his choices, not accomplices. We leave them alone."
Andromeda nodded, her lion-like mane shifting. "Agreed. We kill the leaders, not the innocent. That is the line."
Oberon spoke next, his dragon eyes glinting. "And what of the timing? The Zephorian council meets in three days. If we strike before then, we risk scattering them. If we strike during the meeting, we risk civilian casualties."
