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“Cord,” Tegan called. He turned back to look at her. She stood there, her hair mussed up a little, her cheeks flushed and her lips slightly swollen from his kisses. “Take me there?”
“You want me to take you to Silver Lake?” Cord asked, not understanding.
Tegan nodded as she bit her lip. “I want to be alone there,” she said as her cheeks flushed more when she saw his frown. “I want to be alone there...with you.” With legs that felt too shaky to hold her, she walked over to her bonded. “Will you spend the night with me?” she asked him.
His kiss was his answer.
The morning of the day it ended, the sun rose brightly. The snow had melted, and the sky was clear, unblemished from clouds.Tegan stood at her bedroom window, alone, overlooking the grounds of the Headquarters. The grounds were full of Akrhyn, ready, prepared, and quietly waiting for battle.
She saw Cord move among them, her father, Leonid, beside him along with Dark Prime Chernov. Cord hesitated before he turned his head, his eyes seeming to meet hers even from this distance. Tegan could not stop her swell of happiness, and their bond pulsed joyfully. She couldn’t see his face clearly, but she knew he was smiling as he turned back to the Sentinels, their bond strong.
“Knock knock,” Sloane called before he entered her room. “Morning, my beautiful cousin,” he greeted her as he flopped on her made bed. “You already have your bed tidied,” Sloane said with a shake of his head. “You’re so disciplined, Tegan. Even on the morning of battle, you make your bed.”
Tegan turned away from him before he could see the lie in her eyes. She had not slept here the night before or the night before that; she and Cord had been together in the house at Silver Lake. Alone and undisturbed, they had spent their nights wrapped in each other’s arms. Perhaps if they had been here, she would have slept, she mused with a secret smile.
“I can’t believe it’s today,” Sloane said quietly to the silence of the room, causing Tegan to turn to him in concern.
“We are ready,” she said as she left the window. “They will soon be here, and we will kill them.”
“So simple,” Sloane laughed as he swung his legs over the bed and stood. “I came only to say good morning, and to remind you that you are exceptional but not immortal. Stay beside Michael at all times.”
“I know how to fight,” Tegan said firmly. “But I am needed this day.” She looked back over to the window, to the blue sky. “I can feel it. I will be careful.”
Sloane engulfed her in a hug. “I love you,” he whispered into her hair. “You are strong, take care of yourself and Michael out there.”
Tegan returned his hug before she watched him leave her room, thinking about what was to come and the night before when a slain Sentinel had been dropped at the gates to the Headquarters, with a note pinned to his chest, saying “tomorrow.”
If it had been to cause fear in the heart of the Akrhyn, it had failed. It only caused anger and more determination to wipe the scourge from their lands.
Michael knocked on her door and poked his head through. “This seems weird to say, but I came to get you, are you ready?”
Tegan smiled as she checked her room one more time, ensuring she had every weapon possible strapped to her body. “Escorting me to war rather than a ball, this suits me better,” Tegan commented as she closed her door over.
“Well, the last three balls have been a battle of some kind, so the only difference is, this time, you aren’t wearing a dress.”
“Did you see Sloane?” she asked as they descended the stairs, passing a few Sentinels, the tension tight in the air.
“Yeah, he told me you were ready, then went to hunt down his brother.”
“Leonid, Lucas and Cord are already heading to the command tent,” Tegan told Michael. “I saw them pass through the gates.”
“We should be heading there too,” Michael said soberly as he fastened his jacket. “Have you got all your weapons?”
“I am Elite, brother, I always have my weapons.”
Michael hesitated at the door. “We will win,” he said quietly. “You are the Blade, and you will not fail.” Tegan looked up at him and opened her mouth to speak. They had never discussed which one of them was the Blade and which was the Stone. “Stop,” Michael said gently. “You are, we both know it. I will be at your side throughout,” he assured her.
They went to leave when their names being called stopped them both. Zahra was running down the stairs towards them. Quickly she embraced her brother before she turned and hugged Tegan too, taking Tegan by surprise. “I’m scared,” she told them. “I’m so scared for you all.” Her eyes shone with unshed tears.
“Zahra.” Michael pulled his little sister back into his embrace. “You’re supposed to be with the others, safe.”
“I know, but I refused to go; I wanted to see you.” Her eyes darted to Tegan. “Both of you.”
“It is not safe for you here,” Tegan told her gently. “Let them take you to safety.”
Zahra nodded as she wiped her eyes and then hugged her brother again. “I love you,” she whispered in his ear.
“I love you too.” Michael hugged her back. “Stay safe, I will come for you when it is over.”
