The Nightveil estate had survived the wedding.
The guesthouse had not been quite so fortunate.
Fortunately, Jax Darquebane had already paid for the repairs, and Velmora Nightveil had assured him that the damage was nothing a few skilled craftsmen couldn't handle.
She had also suggested reinforcing the furniture.
Jax had wisely declined to comment.
Three days after the wedding, the newlyweds and the rest of the Vixens gathered around the Nightveil family's breakfast table. The meal was nearly finished when Jax set down his coffee and glanced toward Velmora and Rikard.
"There's something I'd like to discuss with you."
Velmora immediately smiled.
"Another wedding? Are you considering those who are already married yet?"
"No."
"A second honeymoon?"
"Mother!" Nyxian protested.
"What? I'm only asking. I'd like to be a part of the second one if so."
Jax chuckled. "Actually, we'd like to stay in Moondrip for a while longer. Assuming you don't mind."
Velmora's expression brightened.
"Mind? Darling, this is your home now, too. How long were you thinking?"
"About six to seven weeks if you don't mind."
Rikard raised an eyebrow. "That's rather specific."
"There's a reason for it."
Jax glanced around the table. The Vixens already knew the broad outline of his intentions, but the Nightveil family deserved an explanation.
"The Empire believes I'm dead. We have reason to think they're planning something significant, and I don't want to correct their misunderstanding until we're ready."
Josric, seated beside Seralya, leaned forward.
"So you're hiding?"
"Not exactly." Jax smiled. "I'm letting them believe what they already believe. There's a difference."
Llandra nodded. "Every day they continue planning without accounting for Jax is another day their intelligence becomes less reliable."
"And without accounting for us," Bunny added.
"Which is rather insulting," Nyxian observed.
Pixelle, sitting at the table in her human-sized form, grinned. "I think we should send them a thank-you card."
"For what?" Zee asked.
"For being stupid."
Rikard laughed.
Velmora, however, appeared to have stopped listening somewhere around the words seven weeks.
"Well, that settles it. You'll stay here."
"We don't want to impose, so we can stay in our caravan." Jax said.
"Nonsense. We have plenty of rooms."
Seralya leaned forward eagerly. "The guest suite would be perfect."
Jax glanced at the two women, almost licking their lips at the thought of him staying under their roof.
"I don't want us to be a burden. We can secure room elsewhere."
"Nonsense," Velmora assured him. "I would love to have you close by."
"You mean your daughter and the rest of us?" Jax asked.
"Sure. Let's go with that."
"I think we should secure our own place for the time being," Llandra stated.
Gasps from Sera and Vel escaped so audibly that everyone looked at them with suspicion.
Nyxian covered her mouth, failing to conceal her laughter.
Velmora waved away the looks. "As long as all of you are in my life, I think we will be content with whatever you decide."
"We don't mean disrespect, we just with privacy?" Jax asked.
"Naturally."
Seralya exchanged a look with her mother.
"But if they stay in our house, mother..."
"Oh, I've been thinking about little else."
Zee slowly lowered her teacup.
"Should I be concerned?"
"Not at all, dear," Velmora replied. "Succubi simply have a natural appreciation for certain forms of magical energy."
"Especially when someone produces enough to make the entire guesthouse practically glow," Seralya added.
Nyxian smiled proudly.
"I did tell you my husband was exceptional."
"Oh, we noticed," Velmora said.
Seralya leaned closer to her mother, although she made absolutely no effort to lower her voice.
"Can you imagine what he'd do to you if he unleashed that much energy?"
Velmora sighed dreamily.
"Sweetheart, I've been imagining that since the day I met him. Rikard has been enjoying the benefits ever since."
Rikard stopped chewing.
Across the table, Josric looked down at his plate with the resigned expression of a man who had learned that breakfast was occasionally a dangerous activity.
Seralya laughed.
"I know exactly what you mean. I accidentally called Josric 'Jax' the other night."
Josric closed his eyes.
"Seralya."
"What? It was an accident."
"Twice," he muttered.
Pixelle made a strangled noise.
Bunny stared at Seralya. "Did he answer?"
That finished Pixelle.
She doubled over laughing while Llandra quietly covered her smile with her napkin.
Jax looked from one woman to the other.
"You do realize I'm sitting right here, listening to this conversation?"
Velmora turned toward him with a perfectly innocent expression.
"Of course, darling. That's why we're discussing you."
"Right. Silly me."
Seralya rested her chin on her hand.
"Besides, Jax, you must know you're a very attractive man."
"Thank you. That's very flattering."
Jax laughed and shook his head.
"I appreciate the compliments. Really. But I'm very happy with the women I married."
"A pity," Seralya replied.
Velmora studied him for a moment, then smiled with something approaching genuine approval.
"Well, at least my daughter married a faithful man."
"One with six wives," Rikard observed.
"Faithful to all six," Llandra corrected.
Once the laughter subsided, Rikard returned to the matter at hand.
"If you're staying for nearly seven weeks, I assume you'll need somewhere to work."
"Actually, yes. And there's one other thing I'd like your permission to build."
He explained the portal.
Not a public gateway. Not yet anyway. Simply a secure connection between the Nightveil estate and a private location in Solmere. Something once he returns can be permanent.
The Solmere doorway had already been prepared before Jax departed. He needed only to construct its counterpart here.
"It won't be activated while we're maintaining the illusion that I'm gone," Jax explained. "But if something happens, I'd rather have it ready."
Rikard considered the request.
"You can build it. I would prefer it somewhere the it won't interfere with business."
"The portal will create business."
Velmora smiled.
"And after this business with the Empire is settled, perhaps we can discuss opening it properly."
"Absolutely," Jax replied.
"Imagine being able to visit Solmere whenever you please. And have those visitors visit you. All within minutes."
Seralya's and Velmora's eyes lit up.
"That could change things drastically."
"If I have permission to do so, I will set that up. But this also gives you time to prepare for that influx of potential customers."
"So that is why you have been buying property around Moondrip."
Jax just gave a knowing smile.
Later that afternoon, Jax stood alone in a private room at the Nightveil estate.
The Vixens knew where he was going. Nobody else needed to.
He checked the room one final time, then reached toward the shadow beneath a heavy wardrobe.
"Shadow Swap."
The world shifted.
One instant he stood in Moondrip.
The next, he was inside a secure chamber beneath the Compound in Solmere.
The room was dark, silent, and deliberately isolated from the rest of the building. No servants entered. No guards patrolled its interior. Even the handful of people who knew the chamber existed had no reason to visit it.
Jax had arranged that before leaving.
He waited a moment, listening.
Nothing.
Good.
"Warden."
Darkness rose from the floor.
The enormous black knight emerged without a sound and knelt before him.
"My lord."
"Good to see you. What have we got?"
Warden rose.
"Imperial preparations continue. Our observers report substantial troop movements beyond Alexandria. Training grounds remain active, and supply caravans have increased significantly."
"Any of our people still inside the city?"
"No, my lord. Our remaining positions are outside the capital."
Jax nodded. They had already withdrawn the network from Alexandria itself. There was no reason to risk exposing it merely to satisfy his curiosity.
"How many troops are we talking about?"
"Current estimates indicate approximately two hundred and fifty thousand soldiers are being assembled for the campaign."
Jax whistled softly.
"That's a lot of mouths to feed."
"Indeed. Their logistical preparations are considerable. Supply wagons, engineers, siege equipment, replacement weapons, and medical personnel are being organized along several routes."
"Multiple columns?"
"Yes, my lord. They appear to intend a coordinated advance rather than moving the entire force along a single road."
"Smart. You'd never move that many people efficiently otherwise."
Jax walked toward the table in the center of the chamber.
A map of the United Kingdom and its surrounding territories had been spread across it.
"Any indication of when they're moving?"
"Not yet. However, their preparations suggest a fixed timetable."
Jax studied the map.
"Solstice?"
"That term has appeared repeatedly in intercepted communications."
Jax looked up.
"Interesting."
Warden continued.
"Certain Imperial units have also begun receiving specialized training and equipment. They are being separated from conventional forces."
"The Chaos troops."
"That is our assessment."
Jax folded his arms.
The Empire had already demonstrated its willingness to employ Chaos Magic. And they knew that its influence grew stronger around the winter solstice.
The question was how much stronger.
"Keep watching those units. I want to know where they're stationed, how they're equipped, and whether they can operate independently of the regular army."
"Understood."
"What about the sabotage?"
"Reports indicate continued disruption of Imperial supplies. Several shipments have been delayed, and replacement equipment has failed to reach its intended destinations."
Jax smiled faintly.
"Good. But I don't want our people taking unnecessary risks. Delays are useful. Dead operatives aren't."
"Your instructions remain unchanged."
"Perfect."
The information reaching Jax through his protective shadows told a similar story.
He had left shadows with selected allies, not merely as bodyguards but as additional eyes and ears. Through their observations, he could learn what those allies were hearing from scouts, messengers, merchants, and military officers.
The reports weren't always dramatic.
Sometimes an Imperial supply convoy arrived three days late.
Sometimes a unit requested replacement equipment that never appeared.
Sometimes a commander complained that his troops had been ordered to train with weapons that hadn't been delivered.
Individually, the incidents seemed minor.
Together, they painted a picture of an army struggling to prepare for a major campaign.
And importantly, none of the reports suggested that Imperial intelligence had discovered the true source of the interference.
Jax tapped the map.
"What are they saying about me?"
Warden paused.
"Imperial authorities continue to circulate reports of your death."
"Still sticking with that story?"
"Yes, my lord. They appear increasingly confident."
"Excellent."
"Your continued absence has also been noted within the United Kingdom."
"I expected that."
"The Chronicle has begun mentioning it."
Jax chuckled.
He studied the map again.
"Anything else?"
"Not at present."
"All right. Keep the network in place. I don't want anyone taking chances trying to get closer to Alexandria. We have enough information to know they're preparing something substantial."
"Yes, my lord."
"And Warden?"
"My lord?"
"When we know exactly what they're planning, I'll have instructions for you."
The black knight bowed.
Jax rested a hand on the edge of the table.
"Until then, let them keep thinking I'm dead."
Inside the living room, there stood a Shadow Spider. It walked around like it didn't have a care in the world. The Vixens didn't move or react at all. Every single servant ran screaming once they saw the shadow. Eventually Vel, Ricard and Vel reached the room where the shadow had been seen.
They were shocked to see the creature, but more shocked to see that the Vixens don't seem to care, or want anyone to do anything about it.
The Vixens gave a stern response that nothing happens to the shadow.
Jax switched back, and the shadow spider was gone.
Vel, Sera and Rikard were in shock.
Llandra just shrugged.
"This is just how Jax travels from time to time."
The first newspaper article appeared four days the groups disappearance.
It was buried in the Chronicle's society section, between a report on a new restaurant opening and a lengthy discussion of imported Elven fabrics.
THE UNITED KINGDOM CHRONICLE
WHERE HAVE ALL THE VIXENS GONE?
Solmere's most celebrated ladies have been conspicuously absent from public life, leaving our fashion correspondents with no new gowns, hairstyles, or accessories to report. Even the United Kingdom's Most Eligible Husband, a title made considerably more impressive by his multiple wives, has not been spotted in recent days. We can only hope the Darquebane household is enjoying a well-earned holiday rather than abandoning the kingdom's fashion enthusiasts entirely.
Nyxian read the article aloud at breakfast.
When she finished, she looked personally offended.
"That's it? They're worried about my wardrobe?"
Pixelle laughed.
"To be fair, you do have an impressive wardrobe."
"I've helped save entire towns!"
"And you've done it while looking fabulous," Zee replied.
Llandra accepted the newspaper from Nyxian.
"At least they aren't asking serious questions yet."
Jax sipped his coffee.
"Give them time."
A week later, the Chronicle returned to the subject.
THE UNITED KINGDOM CHRONICLE
THE DARQUEBANES: A FAMILY VACATION?
Another week has passed without a confirmed public appearance by Jax Darquebane or any of his wives. Several merchants and prominent citizens report that they have not seen the family recently, though speculation about an extended holiday remains widespread. No official announcement has been made, and the Compound has declined to comment on the family's whereabouts.
By then, Jax had already made two additional secret visits to Solmere.
Each lasted only long enough to receive intelligence and issue instructions.
Each ended with him returning to Moondrip without being seen.
The protective shadows continued gathering information from his allies.
And the Empire continued preparing.
Seventeen days before the Chronicle's first article had become little more than a curiosity, Imperial commanders made their decision.
The army would march.
Not against the border towns.
Not against isolated garrisons.
Not against the settlements that had already resisted Imperial pressure.
Solmere.
The heart of the United Kingdom.
The objective was straightforward: reach the capital in time to launch the main assault during the winter solstice, when Chaos Magic would be at its strongest.
The Empire's conventional soldiers would provide the overwhelming force.
Its elite Chaos-enhanced troops would provide the decisive advantage.
Two hundred and fifty thousand soldiers, supported by supply wagons, engineers, siege equipment, and the enormous logistical machinery required to keep such an army moving.
The columns began their advance approximately thirty days before the solstice.
They traveled along several routes, bypassing settlements whenever possible.
Their orders were to avoid unnecessary engagements.
Every delay threatened the timetable.
Every casualty before reaching Solmere weakened the force intended to take it.
And every village they passed understood that something far larger than a border dispute was unfolding.
An army that size could not move unnoticed.
Nor could its destination remain a secret for long.
Jax learned of the march within hours of the first confirmed reports.
He was standing in the secure chamber beneath the Compound when Warden finished delivering the intelligence.
"Two hundred and fifty thousand," Jax repeated.
"Approximately, my lord."
"And they're avoiding towns?"
"Wherever possible. Their columns have been instructed to bypass resistance rather than engage unless absolutely necessary."
"They're conserving their strength."
"That appears to be the intention."
Jax studied the map.
"Destination?"
"Solmere."
"Expected arrival?"
"The winter solstice."
Jax nodded slowly.
There it was.
The reason for the timetable.
The Empire wasn't simply waiting for an auspicious date. It was arranging an entire invasion around the moment its elite troops would be strongest.
"How long until the solstice?"
"Thirty days, my lord."
Jax looked down at the map.
For several moments, he said nothing.
Then he smiled.
"Well, that answers a few questions."
Warden waited.
Jax traced the routes of the advancing Imperial columns.
"They're planning to arrive with their full strength intact. They're counting on the Chaos troops to make the difference once they reach Solmere."
"Yes, my lord."
"And they still believe I'm dead?"
"Imperial communications continue to treat your death as confirmed."
"What about the Vixens?"
"Current assessments suggest Imperial commanders believe they have withdrawn from the United Kingdom."
Jax laughed softly.
"That's even better."
He walked around the table, studying the distances between the columns, the roads they intended to use, and the towns they planned to bypass.
Then he looked up.
"Warden, I need you to arrange something."
The black knight straightened.
"Your orders, my lord."
Jax began explaining.
He spoke for several minutes, occasionally pointing to the map.
Warden listened without interruption.
At one point, the knight asked a question.
Jax considered it, then adjusted one detail.
When the explanation was finished, Warden bowed his head.
"It will require coordination."
"I know."
"And careful timing."
"Especially the timing."
"Understood, my lord."
Jax folded the map.
"Make sure everyone who needs to know receives the instructions. Nobody else."
"It will be done."
"And Warden?"
"Yes, my lord?"
"Let's make certain the Empire gets exactly what it's marching toward."
The knight bowed.
Jax returned to Moondrip.
The preparations began.
The next Chronicle edition carried a very different headline.
THE UNITED KINGDOM CHRONICLE
EMPIRE MOBILIZES: MASSIVE ARMY ADVANCES TOWARD SOLMERE
Confirmed reports from multiple settlements indicate that an Imperial force numbering in the hundreds of thousands has begun advancing toward the United Kingdom. The army is traveling in several columns accompanied by supply wagons and siege equipment, bypassing towns rather than engaging local defenders. Military authorities have begun strengthening defensive positions as the kingdom prepares for what may be its largest confrontation with the Empire.
The article spread rapidly.
Merchants discussed it in crowded markets.
Travelers carried copies to neighboring towns.
At the Neon Moon, conversations that had once centered on food, entertainment, and business turned increasingly toward the approaching army.
The news was impossible to ignore.
And with every discussion came another question.
Where was Jax?
Where were the Vixens?
Why had nobody seen them?
The following week's Chronicle addressed those questions directly.
THE UNITED KINGDOM CHRONICLE
WHERE IS JAX DARQUEBANE? QUESTIONS MOUNT AS IMPERIAL FORCES ADVANCE
As Imperial columns continue their march toward Solmere, public concern is growing over the continued absence of Jax Darquebane and his wives. Several individuals known to work closely with the family acknowledge that they have neither seen nor heard from them in recent weeks. No official explanation has been offered, and speculation about the kingdom's most powerful defenders continues to intensify.
At the Nightveil estate, life continued with an almost suspicious degree of normality.
Bunny had discovered a local bakery and become one of its most enthusiastic customers.
Lexi spent hours exploring the estate's gardens, frequently accompanied by Pixelle, who had decided that the gardeners needed help whether they wanted it or not.
Zee and Llandra reviewed the intelligence that Jax had provided.
Nyxian divided her time between her family, her husband, and reminding everyone that she was technically on an extended honeymoon.
Velmora and Seralya remained enthusiastic hosts.
Sometimes too enthusiastic.
One afternoon, Jax entered the sitting room to find Velmora studying him with a thoughtful expression.
"Darling, have you been sleeping well?"
"Very well, thank you."
"Wonderful. I was wondering whether you'd like a different room."
"What's wrong with ours?"
"Nothing at all. But the room with me has a much larger bed."
Jax paused.
Nyxian, sitting nearby, slowly lowered her book.
"Mother."
"What?"
"You're being obvious."
Velmora smiled.
"I've never considered subtlety one of my better qualities."
Seralya appeared in the doorway.
"Mother, did you ask him?"
"Not yet."
"Ask me what?" Jax said.
Seralya smiled brightly.
"Whether you'd be interested in joining us for a private evening."
Jax looked between them.
"That sounds suspiciously like the beginning of a conversation I'm going to regret."
"Only if you say no," Seralya replied.
"Then I'm afraid you're both going to be disappointed."
Velmora sighed.
"Such a devoted husband."
Nyxian grinned.
"Yes. Isn't he wonderful?"
"Terribly inconvenient," Seralya muttered.
Jax laughed and continued toward the door.
Behind him, Velmora called out.
"Do think about the larger bed, darling!"
"I'll keep it in mind!"
Nyxian waited until he was gone before turning toward her mother and sister.
"You two are absolutely shameless."
The fourth week brought darker rumors.
THE UNITED KINGDOM CHRONICLE
IMPERIAL SOURCES CLAIM DARQUEBANE DEAD
Reports circulating through Imperial territories allege that Jax Darquebane died following an undisclosed illness. The Chronicle has found no independent evidence supporting these claims, and the continued absence of his wives has prompted additional speculation about their whereabouts. With Imperial forces drawing closer to Solmere, authorities are urging citizens to rely on confirmed information rather than unverified foreign reports.
By then, the Empire's advancing army had become a daily subject of conversation throughout the kingdom.
Scouts tracked its movements.
Commanders prepared defensive positions.
Supply depots were inspected, weapons distributed, and emergency plans reviewed.
The United Kingdom was not sitting idle.
Its soldiers trained.
Its officers planned.
Its citizens prepared.
But the uncertainty surrounding Jax and the Vixens hung over everything.
Even people who had never met them knew the stories.
The Empire had learned to fear them.
Now, with an invasion approaching, the United Kingdom wondered whether its greatest defenders would be there when they were needed.
One month after the Darquebanes' disappearance, Kat Virellyn sat at her desk in the Chronicle's offices.
Several reports lay before her.
Statements from merchants.
Accounts from travelers.
Interviews with military personnel.
Rumors arriving from Imperial territory.
And repeated inquiries concerning the Compound.
She had personally attempted to verify the claims surrounding Jax's supposed illness.
There was no confirmed diagnosis.
No medical testimony.
No death announcement.
No funeral.
Nothing that would justify printing his death as fact.
But there was something she could establish.
Jax Darquebane had not been seen publicly for more than a month.
Neither had his wives.
And several people who ordinarily maintained regular contact with them acknowledged that they had received no word.
Kat leaned back in her chair.
She knew better than to confuse absence with death.
She also knew better than to ignore the question.
Outside her office, the printing presses continued their steady rhythm.
The next edition would be going out soon.
She picked up her pen.
THE UNITED KINGDOM CHRONICLE
250,000 APPROACH SOLMERE: WHERE ARE THE DARQUEBANES?
More than a month has passed without a confirmed public sighting of Jax Darquebane or any of his wives. Imperial claims that Darquebane died following a mysterious illness remain unverified, as do rumors that the Vixens subsequently fled the United Kingdom. With an estimated quarter-million Imperial soldiers advancing toward Solmere, citizens are increasingly asking whether the kingdom's most powerful defenders will return before the approaching battle.
The article did not claim Jax was dead.
It did not claim his wives had fled.
It reported the facts, identified the rumors, and asked the questions that ordinary citizens were already asking.
But beyond the United Kingdom's borders, Imperial intelligence officers read those same words.
And they drew their own conclusions.
Inside an Imperial command tent, several senior officers studied the latest reports from Solmere.
A copy of the Chronicle lay open on the table.
"More than a month," one officer observed.
"And still no confirmed sightings," another replied.
"Their own associates admit they haven't heard from him."
"Or his wives."
The commanding general studied the newspaper.
For weeks, Imperial intelligence had maintained that Darquebane was dead.
There had been skepticism at first.
Understandably so.
The man had demonstrated abilities that defied conventional military understanding.
But even the most powerful warrior could succumb to illness.
And now the evidence seemed to be accumulating.
No public appearances.
No official statements.
No sightings of his wives.
No response to the Empire's advancing army.
If Darquebane were alive, surely he would have emerged by now.
One officer pointed toward the article.
"The Vixens appear to have abandoned the kingdom."
"Understandable," another replied. "Without their husband, they have little reason to remain."
The general considered that.
Reports from earlier engagements had made clear that Darquebane's wives were formidable combatants in their own right.
Their absence was almost as valuable as his.
He looked toward the map.
"How long until the solstice?"
"Seventeen days, General."
"And our forces?"
"Advancing according to schedule. Some supply delays remain, but the main columns are maintaining their pace."
"Good."
The general placed the Chronicle aside.
"Continue the advance. We reach Solmere as planned."
"And if Darquebane reappears?"
The general looked back at the newspaper.
"Then we deal with him."
He paused.
"But I see no reason to plan our campaign around a dead man."
The officers nodded.
Outside the tent, thousands of soldiers continued marching toward the United Kingdom.
Wagons creaked along the roads.
Officers shouted orders.
Scouts rode ahead.
And far behind the advancing columns, additional supplies and reinforcements struggled to keep pace with the enormous army.
The Empire had committed itself.
There would be no turning back.
At the Nightveil estate, Jax sat on a balcony overlooking Moondrip.
The evening air was cool, carrying the distant sounds of the town settling into night.
Nyxian sat beside him, her legs resting comfortably across his lap.
A copy of the Chronicle lay open on the table.
She had read the latest article twice.
Then she had laughed.
"Apparently, I've fled the country."
Jax smiled.
"Have you?"
"Terribly far. All the way to my mother's house."
"That's practically exile."
"Tragic, really."
She leaned against him.
"Do you think they actually believe it?"
"The Empire?"
She nodded.
"From everything we're hearing, yes."
"And the people back home?"
"Some probably do. Others don't. Kat's doing her job, though. She's not claiming anything she can't verify."
Nyxian glanced at the newspaper.
"She's asking the right questions."
"Exactly."
For a while, they sat quietly.
Then Nyxian looked toward him.
"Seventeen days."
Jax nodded.
"Seventeen."
"The Empire will be at Solmere."
"That's their plan."
"And yours?"
Jax smiled faintly.
"Coming along."
Nyxian studied him.
She knew better than most that the expression usually meant someone was about to have a very unpleasant day.
"Have you told Warden everything?"
"Everything he needs."
"And the others?"
"They'll know what they need to know, when they need to know it."
Nyxian smiled.
"You're enjoying this."
"A little."
"A little?"
Jax chuckled.
"All right. More than a little."
She leaned closer and kissed his cheek.
"Good. I like it when you're confident."
"I'm always confident."
"Darling, you're occasionally reckless."
"There's a difference?"
"Not nearly as much as you think."
He laughed.
Below them, Moondrip's lights began appearing one by one.
For the people of Solmere, the coming weeks would be filled with uncertainty.
For the Empire, they would be filled with anticipation.
For the soldiers marching toward the United Kingdom, they would be filled with endless roads, heavy equipment, and the promise of a decisive battle.
And for Jax Darquebane?
He had seventeen days.
Seventeen days to let the Empire continue believing he was dead.
Seventeen days to allow its commanders to commit themselves to a plan built around his absence.
Seventeen days before the winter solstice.
Nyxian rested her head against his shoulder.
"Do you think they'll be surprised?"
Jax looked toward the darkening horizon.
"Oh, I certainly hope so."
She laughed softly.
"You're terrible."
"That's what I've been told."
"Not by me."
"No?"
She kissed him again.
"Never by me."
Jax slipped an arm around her and drew her closer.
Somewhere beyond the mountains, an army of two hundred and fifty thousand soldiers was marching toward his home.
Its commanders believed they knew what awaited them.
Jax intended to let them keep believing it.
For seventeen more days.