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Grey snorted. “Riskier than using yourself as bait to draw out Cor while I set the pestilent house on fire and Baer tore apart those attempting to escape?”
Baer grinned. “I loved being a lion.”
Wiley’s laughter filled the kitchen. “Of course you did.”
“Much better than his peacock.”
Baer flipped off the Soul Weaver, but he was already turning his attention to Clay. “What do you think?”
Clay lowered his arms and stepped up to the center island. He planted his hands on the smooth surface and leaned forward, looking at Wiley for a second and then Baer. “The main question is, can you undo the spell on multiple animals? Even if you can’t command them to attack the pestilents, can you at least get them out from Ardette’s control?”
Baer didn’t need to look at Wiley for his answer. “Yes, we can.”
Clay turned his attention to Lucien next. The Fire Weaver straightened in his chair, meeting Clay’s laser-focused gaze with his head held high. It spoke of an impressive amount of confidence the man held in himself and his newly acquired powers. “Are you ready?”
“I’m ready,” Lucien agreed. “I can’t get fancy like you, but I can bring raw power. I can roast anything that comes near me.”
Grey met Clay’s gaze next with his own glare. “You’re not leaving me behind.”
“I’m considering it. Dane will be left here relatively defenseless, and Ardette has already proved that she can send an attack through our magic defenses.”
“You need Grey,” Dane countered. “He saved that woman when you faced Cor. And I think you’ll need someone to watch Wiley’s back.”
“I’ll do what I can, but most of my focus will be on Ardette’s spell,” Wiley admitted.
Clay grunted and finally gave a small nod. The room fell silent again for several seconds, and Baer guessed they were all lost in thought over the insanity of what Wiley had proposed.
At long last, Clay drew in a deep breath and slowly released it. “This plan…is insane, but insane has worked for us in the past.” He paused and licked his lips. When he looked up, his eyes panned to each person in the room, as if he were making sure they all felt the weight of his gaze. “If anyone has a better idea, speak now.”
“Bring it!” Lucien said first. “We’ll tear them apart.”
“We’ve got this,” Grey murmured with a nod.
Dane smirked at his lover. “You know I’d prefer to be there with you, but I understand why you want me here. I’ll be ready when you all get home.”
Clay reached out and snagged Dane’s hand, pulling his lover into the circle of his arms. Clay pressed his face into Dane’s neck, murmuring something they couldn’t make out against his skin before lifting his face to look at Wiley.
“Baer and I will break Ardette,” Wiley said.
Baer didn’t move under Clay’s stare. He was too busy looking at his brand-new soul mate. He’d just found Wiley. They’d had so little time together, and now his lover was going to be marching into battle with them with zero fight training and little magic ability. He couldn’t shift into something with sharp teeth and claws. He couldn’t fly away. Wiley would be standing right there in the middle of the blood, knives, bullets, fire, and shaking earth.
“Baer?” Clay said when he’d yet to speak.
“I can’t lose him,” Baer forced out in a low, rough voice.
“You’re not going to lose me. No fucking way.” Wiley marched right up to him and poked him hard in the center of his chest. “I just got you. I need to spend a whole lifetime with you. We’ve got places to go and animals to see. You’re not getting rid of me yet, buster. You owe me decades of adventure and sex.”
“Decades, huh?” Baer croaked and cleared his throat. Wiley’s love wrapped around him like a pair of massive arms, holding him tight and shoving aside those ugly fears. He couldn’t hold on to them in the face of Wiley’s strength. His man wanted forever, and no pestilent was going to stand in his way.
“Oh, yeah. Decades.”
“Maybe even centuries,” Dane chimed in.
“What?” Wiley squeaked. “I’d forgotten about that!”
Baer grabbed his soul mate and pulled him into his arms. He looked over at Clay and nodded. “Ardette and her army will be wiped out.”
“Okay,” Clay said heavily. Baer’s heart clenched for his friend. There was an almost visible weight pressing down on his broad shoulders. He carried the extra burden of all their lives, trying to keep them safe. With a small nod as if he’d come to some internal decision, Clay straightened. “We’ve got time. Grey and I will work on narrowing down where the pestilents are hiding now. Lucien and Dane will pull together our weapons and develop a backup plan if the plantation is overrun while we’re away. Baer and Wiley will work on Wiley’s new gift. You’ll need to be comfortable using it and learn as much as you can before we launch our attack. Questions?”
