"I'll take the cemetery," Angel volunteered. "I know the grounds better than anyone."
"I'll with her," Jamal said immediately.
Judy nodded. "Alice and Dae can take City Park. Lizzy and Killian, the French Quarter. Brogan and Esme can handle the Ninth Ward."
"And us?" I asked.
"You and Talin will be here," Judy said. "Once the binding points are weakened, Talin will thread-walk into the pocket dimension with you as her anchor."
"No," I said firmly. "I'm going with her."
Talin shook her head. "I don't think that'll work, Elias. You can't physically enter the thread realm."
I looked at her in surprise. "And you can?"
"I'm going to try," she told me. "Alex is there, so there must be a way, and I think this is it. But I need you here, keeping me tethered to this world."
I couldn't let her facing Marcus alone, without me there to protect her. She wouldn't survive.
As if she could read my thoughts, she came to stand beside me and took my hand. "It's the only way."
I wasn't quite sure I believed that, but it seemed I was outnumbered.
"When do we do this?" Killian asked.
"Tomorrow night," Judy said. "At midnight. That'll give us time to get everything ready, and the moon will be full, at maximum light and energy, which will help us hold the spells."
I stared down at Talin, who held my gaze, and I knew she was going to do this with or without me. I wouldn't be able to stop her. "Fine," I conceded. "Tomorrow night."
The meeting continued, Judy explaining the specific spells each witch would need to cast, the protections required, the timing essential for success. I listened with half an ear, my attention fixed on Talin as she went over her role in all of this.
When the meeting finally broke up, Kenya pulled Talin aside while Killian approached me.
"Walk with me," he said, nodding toward the door.
We stepped out onto the porch, but I stopped there. I wasn't going any further.
"She'll be fine," Killian said, leaning against the railing. "Talin's stronger than any of us realized."
"That's what I'm afraid of," I admitted. "She's so focused on saving Alex that she doesn't give a shit what happens to her..." I trailed off, not wanting to voice my fears.
"Ye have to let her do this, Elias. Ye have to trust her."
"Would you let Lizzy do it?" I countered.
One side of his mouth curved up. "If it were my Lizzy, I'd tie her sweet ass to the bed and gag her to keep her safe. I'm already thinking about doing it as it is."
"So then you see my dilemma."
"Aye. I do. But Kenya is dying, Elias. She's dying," he emphasized. "And we need ye to let Talin do this." He looked up at the sky and breathed in the night air. "Hell, maybe I should tie ye to the bed instead to keep you from interfering."
I couldn't help it. I barked out a laugh. He knew damn well nothing short of my own death would keep me away.
Killian turned back to me. "But she needs ye there with her. Ye want yer mate to live? Ye want Alex and Kenya to live? Then help Talin get Kenya's mate back. Do whatever ye have to do, or we could lose all four of ye."
Before I could respond, the door opened and Talin stepped out, Kenya behind her.
"Ready to go?" she asked, her voice carefully neutral.
