Page 131 of Lost

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Zoey

“It’s only three hours until sunrise.” Dragon spoke in a voice that carried across the great entrance chamber of the cave system where the Resistance members had gathered. “All of you going with us know our plan. Finish readying yourselves. Eat. And then sleep. Those of you remaining here must also be on alert and be ready to move and move quickly. If things do not go in our favor, Anastasia will send Tatsuwa here with a warning.” Dragon looked around until he spotted my grandma. “Sylvia Redbird, I would like to ask if you would take charge of those we must leave behind. Will you?”

Grandma bowed her head slightly. “It would be my great honor.”

“Thank you. Tatsuwa will be told to find you. If he comes bearing a dire message you must evacuate immediately. Lead the people to Polecat Creek. We have hidden rafts in the underbrush near the old wooden bridge. Drew!” Dragon called.

The short but powerfully built young vampyre stood. “Yes, Swordmaster!”

“I want you to be the Warrior who remains here. Sylvia will need help getting the young ones to the creek, and you know exactly where the rafts are hidden.”

“I do, and I will watch over those left in my charge—I swear it to Nyx.”

“Excellent. Sylvia, if it comes to that, you’ll float the rafts to where Polecat Creek drains into the Arkansas River just outside the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks. You’ll be met there by a barge owner who will hide all of you inside transport cartons until you get to Fort Gibson. From there the Arkansas Resistance will take you to their hidden caverns.”

“But we have faith that we will be victorious!” Anastasia said, lifting her fist in a victory salute while everyone cheered. “Rest now. Spend time with loved ones, as that is never time wasted. And may the blessing of Nyx be with us so that we shall all blessed be.”

“Blessed be!” the crowd responded, and then people broke off into couples and small groups.

I liked their energy. We were all worried, of course, but there was no frantic nervousness here. There was only a calm feeling of determination. Everyone understood that we all might die or be captured tomorrow, but we had the same focus—ending Neferet’s reign of Darkness and abuse, and that shared focus was also a shared strength and comfort.

Kevin tapped my shoulder and motioned for me to go with him to the mouth of the cave. “Hey, come here for a sec.”

We went to the cave opening where it was cooler and darker than it was inside.

“It’s always freezing out here,” I said.

“It’s the sprites,” Kev explained. “They keep this ridge cold and foggy, and if someone sketchy gets too close it starts to sleet. It’s awesome, really.”

“Old Magick.” I sighed. “It’s crazy cool, but also just plain crazy.”

“That’s true.” He turned to meet my gaze. “Thank you. I know you’re here because you were worried about me.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t want you to turn out like Neferet.”

He shuddered and cracked his knuckles. “I’d never really had anything to do with her until I came back from your world, and let me tell ya, Zo, that is one creepy vampyre.”

“Hey, before she channeled her powers into being a batshit cray immortal with snakelike children, she could read minds in my world.Thatwas a pain in the butt.”

“Seriously? She doesn’t seem to be able to in this world—thank the Goddess for that. How did you get around it?”

I grinned. “Well, she could never read my mind, but Damien made everyone memorize vocab words and definitions whenever she was around. It was super educational and super annoying.”

“Bet he had fun doing it, though.”

“Yep, he sure did. Damien is really happiest when he’s teaching. And that’s something I need to remember when I get home. So, note to self—be sure Damien has his own classroom and can teach whatever makes him happy.”

“You’re a really good High Priestess.”

His compliment gave me a rush of joy. “Thanks, Kev! Hey, you’re doing awesome here. Because of you the Resistance has all of this, and Aphrodite is heading down the right path.”

“I just hope she’s strong enough to walk it,” he said softly.

“She is in my world. You know that. She’ll be strong enough here too.”

He nodded. “You’re right. One of the things she hates is to be underestimated. I won’t make that mistake.”