Rising from the Ashes (Andrew) novel Chapter 3373

Cormac turned to Andrew. "Andrew, about your earlier proposal to launch a surprise attack on the Three Empires' allied forces… Asher and Atticus just finished explaining everything to me in detail. So the way you've got it mapped out, we split up and hit them from two directions. I think it's got real potential. The question is, when do we move?"

Andrew replied calmly, "We move tonight, after dark. We don't need a big crew for this. You take 500 of your best guys and circle around to the back of their camp. On my end, I only need 50 people. We push in from the side, just enough to stir things up and make some noise.

"Under the cover of night, we must make it look like we're launching a full-scale assault. Set fires and cause as much destruction as possible. That way, the Three Empires' allied forces will panic and assume a massive army is attacking them. When they scramble to respond and focus on surrounding my side, we'll already be prepared to retreat.

"With only 50 men on my side, we can retreat at any time. And when that moment comes, that's your cue to charge in from the rear and completely destroy their main camp."

Andrew's plan was airtight. With every sentence he spoke, Cormac and the others nodded in agreement.

By the time he finished outlining the final details, Cormac's eyes were shining.

He praised, "No wonder you're the leader of Holtrien's legendary Iron Cavalry. You really know what you're doing. Guillermo losing to you? Honestly, that makes complete sense now. Not even a little surprising!"

Andrew simply smiled at the praise. Then he said, "Let's each go prepare. When night falls, we move out."

Cormac replied eagerly, "Alright. Take this time to get some rest too."

Andrew immediately returned to his residence with Shiloh and Nyx.

As soon as he left, Jakob could not hold back. "Mr. Cormac, Ms. Greene is no saint. Her reputation in Holtrien's martial world is terrible. And yet she's Andrew's woman? Are you sure about that?"

Cormac smiled. "We're sure. But that's Andrew's private matter, and it's not our place to interfere."

Jakob snorted. "Andrew is really something else. He just collects trouble like it's a hobby, doesn't he? He's already got that knockout foreigner on his arm, and now he's pulled in Shiloh. That woman's basically a walking disaster. Isn't he scared she'll knock him off in his sleep?"

Cormac and Asher exchanged glances and said nothing, just smiled.

Everyone in that room could see right through Jakob. He was putting on a whole performance of moral outrage, but his eyes told a completely different story.

The envy was written all over his face, plain as day.

Asher, famously slow-witted within the Cavendish royal family, frowned. "What do you mean, the next best option?"

Asher pouted. "If you don't explain it, I don't want to know."

Then he paused, something catching his attention. "Half an hour, he said. That's… kind of a short window, don't you think?"

Asher gave him a genuinely puzzled look. "How would you even know that?"

Cormac just laughed. "Don't worry about how I know. I just know. Anyway… Enough about Jakob. Let's get moving and pick out our raid team."