Finally, about five minutes later, Dante and Steve came back up the hill.
Dante stepped forward and spoke directly to my brother.
"The bird said Billion asked him to keep an eye on Saturn and make sure he does not escape. I did a quick sweep. Their grandmasters are gathering here. Saturn is still inside and not hurt. We can expect fifteen to twenty-five more grandmasters. The kid handled the rest."
His last words landed like a stone.
"Rest of them?" my brother asked.
"Yeah. The bird says around thirty or so."
Something sharp moved through me — a mix of fear and a strange, hot hope. The number pleased me. It meant chaos. It meant loss. It meant the chance I had been waiting for.
"Then we attack." My brother's reply was immediate, cold, and sure.
He gave quick orders.
"Dante, you handle defensive wards. Don't fight unless you must. Focus on finding and breaking traps Saturn might have laid. Everyone else, strike hard from the start. Edgar, watch the youngsters."
