Dorian's pov.

The moment I returned, I wasted no time. "We prepare for an ambush," I told the commanders.

"They’re coming tonight. Hundreds. Maybe more. We strike first—hit hard, burn brighter. I want teams stationed along the southern ridge and perimeter scouts rotating every fifteen minutes. Set traps, reinforce the barriers, and spread the word: this is not a drill."

Voices buzzed around me—commands shouted, footsteps echoing—but I was already somewhere else. My ...