According to the battle reports they had gathered so far, Hebrew was garrisoned in the city not far away. If it were merely that the Pope's presence had been detected, Captain Kales would not have rushed a message over so urgently; nor would the ever-tactful head maid have come knocking in the middle of the night just to deliver this intelligence to her.
Astrid sat up at the words, her left hand lightly brushed her lips while her right tugged at the top of her thigh-high black stockings, smoothing the delicate fabric flat where Lyra had left a few faint wrinkles. She straightened her back and asked in a low voice.
"What exactly is the situation?"
Elise appearing here meant things were far from optimism, something major had happened, something that required her, the Regent, to issue orders personally.
