arrived and the lizards killed them,” Isabel said.
“Most of them, anyway,” Hector said, looking at Shadowfang who was busy cleaning his face by licking his paw and rubbing it along his snout.
“They didn’t even notice us?” Ayela asked.
Isabel shook her head and said, “We had Alexander’s help.”
“I can’t believe I slept through the whole thing,” Ayela said.
“The healing potion we gave you has that effect on people,” Isabel said. Then she turned and looked at the dead chameleon lizards. “I wish we had time to skin them.”
“What for?” Horace asked.
“Remember Jack and his cloak?” Isabel said. “What do you think it was made out of?”
“Really?” Horace said, appraising the two dead lizards, then looking at his brother. “With a pair of cloaks like that, we’d be dangerous.”
“You’re already dangerous,” Isabel said. “Besides, we’d have to get the skins to Mage Gamaliel and he’d have to take the time to enchant them. We have more important things to do right now and I suspect he does too.”
“Pity,” Hector said. Horace nodded.
“I just hope we don’t run into any more of those things,” Ayela said, tenderly touching her nearly healed wound and grimacing.
“On that count, I agree,” Hector said.
“The swamp shouldn’t be far,” Horace said.
Isabel tipped her head back for a moment. “It’s a few hours that way. I see why they call it the gloaming swamp, the place is completely shrouded in mist. It won’t be easy to navigate in there.”
“Hopefully, Lord Reishi will provide us with guidance,” Horace said.
“I’m sure he’ll be there when we need him,” Isabel said, cinching down the straps on her pack.
They set out cautiously. The chameleon lizards had them all a little spooked. Isabel used her link with Slyder to guide their course and watch for any sign of danger while keeping Shadowfang out in front several dozen feet to meet any threat they might encounter. He had proven to be an invaluable ally in the jungle.
Ayela stepped up next to her while they walked.
“I think I understand what you said about surprise better now,” she said.
“Tell me,” Isabel said, taking on the mantle of teacher.
“When you were able to surprise the enemy, they fell quickly,” Ayela said. “When the chameleon lizards surprised us, we barely survived, or at least I barely survived. I always thought that battle was supposed to be like the stories I heard as a child around the campfire … until now.”
“And now?”
“It’s terrifying and it all happens so fast … then it’s just sad and ugly once it’s over.”
Isabel nodded. “Good, you’re starting to understand.”
They walked on for a time while Ayela thought about Isabel’s words. “Not all battles can be won by surprise,” she said.
“No, but surprise is just a small part of the lesson. Surprise is simply your enemy’s belief that they aren’t about to be attacked, thus they aren’t prepared and thus they’re at a sudden and often decisive disadvantage. The greater lesson is about belief.”
“Belief about what?” Ayela said, frowning.
“First, about your circumstances,” Isabel said. “Believing that your enemy is wounded when they’re actually feigning an injury, believing that you outnumber the enemy when they in fact have soldiers hidden from view, believing that an enemy is really an ally, believing that your enemy is more powerful or less powerful than they really are … these are all factors that can decide the day. The most important thing in any fight is knowledge, knowledge of yourself and knowledge of your enemy. If you accurately understand both your own capabilities and those of your enemy, you’ll carry the day because you’ll know how to use your strengths to exploit your enemy’s weaknesses.
“Second, and far more importantly, believing in the rightness of your cause will give you the strength to persevere even when it seems that all is lost. This is the greatest power of those who fight for the light—we’re on the right side and we know it.
“Those who ally themselves with the darkness are selfish and greedy, seeking power and dominion over others for their own glory, but those qualities are inextricably linked with cowardice and an inability to trust others. Evil people can only lead through fear, intimidation, and deception, so their allies will inevitably betray them, either because they’re selfish and greedy themselves or because they’re secretly good and can’t stomach the wrong they’re being asked to do.
“Belief is the key to everything.”
“That’s a lot to think about,” Ayela said, falling back behind Isabel as they trudged through the jungle.