Chapter 259

We all give up pretending to study as Jackson comes back from the nook with some paper, some markers, and some tape, and – bizarrely – two different kinds of candy that my mom sent back to school with me, knowing they’re my favorite. Quietly, we all watch as Jacks hastily tapes four pieces of paper to the table and then uses a marker to deftly reproduce the schematic map, effectively blowing up the scale so that he and Luca can see it better.

I learn forward with interest, then, when Jackson opens the candy, scatting it out over the paper and arranging the two different kinds – peppermints and caramel chocolates – on different points.

Anxiety starts to well in me that he’ll ruin the candy, getting ink all over them, but Jackson glances up once, raising an eyebrow at me, sending a teasing little bump down our bond to tell me that my priorities are in the wrong place right now.

I fight my laugh, knowing that he’s right, nodding and leaning back onto the couch cushions with my arms folded, watching carefully – just like everyone else in the room, even though I don’t think Jackson has noticed.

“All right,” Jackson says, glancing at Luca as he points at the peppermints first. “These are the Floutian troops, and these,” he says, gesturing towards the chocolates, “are the Thrimpolites. This is where they’re set up at the start of the battle – on either side of the river. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, sure,” Luca says, leaning forward with interest now, observing the board.

Then, to my delighted surprise, Jackson begins to narrate the battle according to the lines of the schematic, demonstrating how the peppermint team moved against the chocolates, how the chocolates defended. Each time a team loses troops – also noted on the map in numbers – he takes a few candies away, setting them deftly to the side.

My mouth falls open again as Jackson actually demonstrates how the map contains the entire story of the battle – how the armies moved against each other, what choices their commanders made, how they came to a stalemate once the Floutians crossed the river, both sides ensuring their destruction if they push any further. And a glance over at Ben and Daphne reveals that they, too, have given up all pretense at work, all of us leaning forward with interest to study the map with candy scattered strategically across it.

And honestly, even as I’m fascinated, I’m…jealous.

Jealous as hell because – this is so cool! I scowl a little, though I do my best to keep it private because this is all information I want as well, and neither my previous or my current education gave me this.

But there’s no real time to be bitter as Jackson moves on with the lesson.

“So, this is where the schematic stops,” Jackson says, dropping his hands into his lap and studying the map with interest before looking over at Luca. “And you have to write an essay on what you would do next, if you were commanding the troops. Did…did that make sense to you?”

“Well, obviously it all makes sense now, when I see it playing out over time,” Luca says, excitement and frustration both in his voice as he leans forward and studies the table.

“Yeah, you’ve just got to learn how to do that in your head,” Jackson murmurs, leaning back on his hands and giving Luca the space to study the board. “Like Jesse said, it’s just time. But, I mean, we can work on it. I love this stuff – I’ll talk you through any battles you want until you can do it in your sleep.”

“Thanks,” Luca says absently, leaning forward more to study the candy.

“So, any ideas?” Jackson asks after a beat, sitting up and leaning forward too.

I glance over at Rafe, laughing inwardly at the smug smile on his face as he and Jesse likewise watch. But we all stay quiet as Luca offers some tentative suggestions, clearly experimenting with the ideas like he’s supposed to – trying a couple of different options for what the Floutian commander could try that wouldn’t result in the death of all of his troops.

At each new suggestion, Jackson calmly and simply moves the pieces for Luca, demonstrating how it would play out. As he does, I turn my head to the side, seeing why this particular battle was assigned. Because honestly, any way that Luca plays it…it feels like the Floutians are screwed.

“So, what,” Luca sighs, his words bitten out a bit. “Anything I do and my men are dead? Is there any way out of this?”

“I think that’s the conclusion the assignment wants you to reach,” Jackson says quietly. “At least, every time I’ve studied the battle, the discussion has ended up being not about who wins but how to minimize casualties as you attempt to withdraw so the army can try again.”

“Well, that’s shit,” Luca murmurs, narrowing his eyes at the map. “A battle schematic where there’s just no chance at winning? I…I hate that.”

“Yeah, but that’s war,” Jackson murmurs, nudging the candies back into place with his fingertip. “Sometimes you get to the point where it’s not about winning. Just…surviving to fight another day.”

My stomach sinks as I process his words because…I mean, the lesson that Luca is learning today is a very real one – he’s learning it because we all, one day, might have to put it into action in real life.

But…but not us, right? Not me, not my friends? My heart sinks as I look around at everyone, thinking about heavy casualties, thinking about losing them –

But a tug down my bond to Jackson draws my eyes back to him, to find his gaze already locked on my face. Slowly, gently, he shakes his head no, sending a wave of calm and peace down our bond, assuring me that he’s never going to let it happen.

My lips lift into a tenuous smile as I hold his eyes. He smiles back and hope blooms in me because, as foolish as it probably is to believe anyone when they make a promise about surviving a war…I believe Jacks. I believe in him.

He only breaks our gaze when Luca sits up straight.

“Well,” Luca says, his voice suddenly sparking with new interest. “What if you just…look it like that the odds are 50/50. That you’re either going to die and lose everyone…or, you’re going to win.” Quite quickly, excited, Luca begins to narrate a crazy plan for what the Floutians could do if they just threw everything they had at the problem – just went full force, knowing that the result was potential full destruction.

We all lean forward, watching him move the pieces around, fascinated because…well, the way he puts it…

Damn it, but it really seems like it could work.

When Luca finally pulls his hands away, demonstrating the way that the much-reduced Floutians could, potentially, surround the Thrimpolites and force their surrender, we’re all looking at the table in silence with raised eyebrows.

Jackson stays completely still, likewise studying the board, before turning a warm gaze on Luca. “You should write that up,” he says, laughing a little. “I mean, I’ve studied this battle a dozen times, and no one has ever brought anything up like that. It’s crazy, for sure – I don’t know any general that would approve it – but maybe? If a nation were at the end of its rope, looking for some kind of last-ditch crazy effort to stay alive? I mean…it could work.”

To my surprise and my endless pleasure, Luca holds Jackson’s gaze for a second before his face breaks into a dazzling smile. “Really, man?”

My wolf turns in frantic, hectic circles in my heart, chasing her tail eagerly, looking for something to do with all the energy and love that’s bursting through her right now. Surreptitiously, I dampen my bonds with both of my mates, wanting them to have this moment for themselves without me bursting through with a song and a dance about how happy it makes me to see them working together.

“Seriously, Luca,” Jackson says, reaching out a hand and clapping it warm on his shoulder. “You’re not bad at this – you have some really weird, good ideas. Unique ones. Don’t get down on yourself for not understanding the maps yet – that will come. Just…give yourself a little credit and have faith. And we’ll help you whenever you need it.”

Jackson casts a hand around at the rest of the room and Luca looks up in surprise to see us all watching, smiling at him. He laughs a little bit, bashful, and runs a hand through his hair, looking down at his map.

“All right,” Luca says on a satisfied sigh. “Cool. Well, thanks, Jackson. I owe you one.”

“Just teach me your right hook,” Jackson murmurs, quite casual, picking up his own book and going back to his homework. “We’ll call it even.”

Luca laughs, nodding, and pulls out his notebook, getting started on his report like nothing happened.

But I can’t stop smiling as I look at the two of them, sitting next to each other, because right now? It feels like…absolutely everything has changed.