Adam studies him carefully, reading the shift with the precision of someone who knows what to look for. Whatever he sees seems to satisfy him.
"You're ok then?" Adam said, more of a statement than a question and Greyson huffed a humourless laugh.
"Yeah, I'm ok. If anything, I'm not just fuelled by blind rage now. I feel as though I have something to focus on, not just revenge, but giving them peace as well."
Adam's shoulders sagged a little in relief as Greyson continued.
"He'll know," Greyson says quietly and laughed as a sly smirk spread across his face, "I'll make sure that he knows that he failed and that she lived. I want him to see the truth in that…that those he called weak and defective outlasted him no matter how hard he tried to destroy them."
Suddenly a roar of warning rippled from the air above them and they turned to see Bella throwing fire at something far below on the ground just behind the castle.
Movement began to ripple through the men and women that stood ready to advance and Adam clapped Greyson warmly on the back.
"We're all here for you," He said, squeezing his shoulder reassuringly, "Now and afterwards, whatever you need, we're here for you."
Greyson smiled and clasped Adam's shoulder back in a show of gratitude and then they moved together towards their positions without another word.
This wasn't just about killing a man and freeing his people now.
Now it was about destroying the lie that his father would have treasured for so long, and returning his mother to where she belonged, something that would destroy his father completely.
She had always been the beloved Queen and the light in their kingdom and when his father was gone, he would see that his mother was back on the throne where she belonged.
Adam and Greyson returned to where the lines of people were readying to move, the last few arrivals from the portal taking their places.
Adam began talking to the other unit commanders and assigning positions as Greyson stood quietly to the side, still digesting everything that he had been told.
He looked up at the sky as Lexi and Bella flew overhead again and laughed softly to himself. How was he even supposed to explain Lexi to his mother? He had no idea how she would take the fact that not only was she bonded to two mates, but she was also bonded to a soul dragon, seemingly commanded an army of winged dragon soldiers, held the knowledge of two bloodlines of ancient magick, was part Daemon and part witch AND on top of everything, she had practically single-handedly destroyed a Daemon Lord.
That was an introduction that was going to take some time to prepare for sure.
As he watched the last unit move into position, he made a decision. Without any hesitation Greyson turned away from the wall of bodies and walked towards where Adam was standing deep in conversation.
Adam stood behind the centre of bodies, away from the frontline for now as he talked with the senior officers, their heads bent over a handheld device that displayed a tactical blueprint of the castle that they were about to enter.
One officer was speaking into his comm, confirming and designating channel separations between units so that none of them were talking over each other and another was adjusting the map so that he could get a closer look at the maze of corridors inside.
Adam listened without interrupting until an impatient voice cut in over the shared channel.
"As much as I love flying on Bella, I'm gonna get motion sickness if we keep flying the same route. Are you lot done fucking around down there yet or what? Bella's antsy to get this wall obliterated and I wanna see the destruction unfold." Lexi said down the radio, her impatience unmistakable.
"Bear with us Lexi, we're just finalising the details," Adam answered.
"Bullshit," Lexi snapped, "What the fuck is there left to finalise?! Bella goes spooky volcano on the wall, the wall goes boom, you guys flood in and kick the shit out of anyone waiting inside, The big bad fucktards die and BOOM everyone's happy and we can all go home."
Greyson suppressed a snort as a muscle in Adam's face twitched violently and he wiped a hand over his face in a gesture of frustration.
"I appreciate your enthusiasm, Lexi, but unlike you, we don't have a fucking huge dragon to hide behind," Adam answered tightly.
"Excuse you? No one here is hiding furball, You wanted precision and I'm providing that, unless you have a dragon sized communication device?" She paused waiting for an answer and when none came, she snorted loudly, "Yeah, I thought not, so wind your fucking neck in."
"Just hold your position for now Lexi," Adam snapped , "I'll let you know when we're ready to move."
"Pfffft Fine." She hissed back, "Just don't take too long or I'm going to nosedive straight into the centre of the fucking castle and do it all myself. Why do you furballs always make things so fucking complicated?"
With that the line closed and the commanders shared a look that radiated confusion and in Greyson's opinion, this was the perfect time to intercede.
"Before you start on another conversation, I want you to know that I'm taking the vanguard."
Adam and all of the commanders stop what they're doing and turn to look at him as one.
"We hadn't assigned you for first contact though," Adam said with a small frown.
"I know, but I'm assigning myself to it now."
Greyson doesn't add anything else and simply waits for Adam to say something.
Adam glances down briefly at the blueprints and sighed before looking back at Greyson, and studying him carefully.
"You were just given information that affects you personally," Adam said carefully, "I need to know that it isn't affecting your decision making now, and that it won't affect how you respond once this starts moving."