The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

Casteel glanced at me. I remained quiet because I
believed she was looking for a more detailed plan beyond
me not losing control of my emotions.
“Kieran and Delano will go with us,” Casteel decided.
“Netta, I know you’re quick with a blade, so I want you with
us. You, too, Nova.”
Both of the women nodded, and then Nova advised, “We
have archers on the wall, and several wolven already
beyond the gate, hidden in the woods.”
“Perfect,” Casteel replied, and I started to speak but
stopped. Cas took note of it. “What?”
“I’m just…I’m curious about why you chose only Kieran
and Delano in their wolven forms, and Vonetta and Nova,” I
admitted, cheeks warming as I looked between the two
women. “Not that I doubt you two are skilled. I know for a
fact that you both are, so please don’t take my question
that way. I’m just curious to understand the strategy.” And
that was the truth. I wanted to know why he would approach
the Ascended without the entirety of the wolven present and
every armed soldier we had.
“There are two reasons,” Casteel explained as I quickly
reached out with my gifts, relieved that I didn’t feel anger or
irritation from Nova and Vonetta. “They don’t need to know
how well-organized we are. The less they see, the better. It
gives us the element of surprise if needed.”
I nodded. “That makes sense.”
“And as you know, the Ascended nor the people of Solis
expect females to be as skilled as men when it comes to
battle,” he continued. “That’s something so inherently
ingrained in them that even those who have heard of the
Guardians’ fighting skills still won’t view them as a threat.”
I should’ve realized that. “They’d be sadly mistaken to
hold that belief.”
“And that is a mistake we intend to exploit,” Nova
stated, and I hoped the Guardian no longer viewed me as a
possible distraction to Casteel or a weakness.