Katerina didn't respond immediately.
The glass remained in her hand, tilted just enough for the liquor to describe a slight sway inside.
The room's dim light reflected in the dark crystal, drawing muted flashes that barely managed to break the penumbra. From her position, she observed Bernard without looking away, measuring each gesture, each inflection in his voice, each doubt she could exploit.
Under the mask, her breathing remained controlled, though not entirely stable.
She had a plan.
One that admitted no nuances.
Withdrawing the men from Ebanar's wall would open a crack in the defense.
One wide enough for the creatures from Kokytus abyss to advance without encountering real resistance. It wasn't a minor incursion; when those entities moved, they did so in waves, without stopping until razing what they found in their path. First the border, then nearby roads, and finally the villages.
The beast-men tribe would be trapped in that advance.
Without escape.
