Page 85 of His Rejected Mate

“A small team is best,” I said. I wanted to talk Chelsey out of going, but the look on Crew’s face told me he wouldn’t be separated from her. I didn’t think the same tactic we used on Zoe and Mika would work here. “Easier to sneak in if our team isn’t too big.”

“Well, I think six is a nice round number,” Eli said.

Turning on my heel, I found her standing behind me. “Are you sure about this?” I asked. “There’s no guarantee we’ll make it back in one piece.”

She nodded toward Crew. “We’ve been through a lot together. Might as well fight side by side at the end, too.”

We needed to move. Before long, everyone and their brother would be volunteering to go. Time was of the essence, and as much as I’d have liked to say goodbye, or let Kira see her parents once more, all the goodbyes would drag out. Minutes would tick by, and each one was important. We’d learned that on Bloodstone.

I pushed August toward the chopper. “Start that thing up. No time like the present. Does it have enough fuel?”

August grinned at me with that cocky smile of his. “We’re rocking and rolling. Come on in.”

As the aircraft took off, I reached over and took Kira’s hand. I did not relish the thought of what we had to do. Seeking out Simon would be difficult enough, but we also had to find the showrunners, wring any info out of them, and finally find the moon goddess Heline herself.

“No big deal, just another Wednesday,” I muttered to myself.

“What was that?” Kira asked.

“Nothing.”

Chapter 21

Kira

The flight was quiet. Not only because the helicopter’s interior was enchanted to keep our eardrums from exploding with the noise of the engines and rotors, but because none of us spoke. The atmosphere had turned anxious as what we were going to attempt sank in. We were thrusting ourselves into real danger. The reports said the fighting was strongest around the exterior of Fangmore City, and as we approached, I saw that was true.

Through the viewports behind each seat, I could see the way the landscape had changed in the days since the war started. Suburban neighborhoods had been transformed into battlegrounds, forest areas had been burned, and fields had pitted, churned-up soil where fighting had taken place.

“Tower One, this is the Eleventh Pack transport helicopter tail number N398CH, requesting landing status at Fangmore Airport, over,” August said from the cockpit.

Seconds ticked by, and I waited to hear some sort of response to our radio calls. August winced in concentration as he listened for a return call through his radio.

“Any luck?” Wyatt called. It was the third time August had radioed for landing clearance, and we were only ten miles out from the city walls.

“Nothing yet,” August said.

“What happens if we don’t get clearance?” Chelsey asked, a tremor in her voice. “Will we get in trouble for landing without it?”

“That would beifwe land,” Wyatt said. “Without clearance, and with the war going one, that’s not guaranteed. The city is on lockdown. Worst-case scenario, they’d blow us the hell out of the sky with missiles or magic projectiles if we try to land. The reports say they haven’t raised a magical barrier as of yet, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have plenty of other countermeasures.”

“Oh,” Chelsey said, her eyes going wide, probably imagining our helicopter falling from the sky in a massive fireball.

“Tower One, is that you?” August asked, sounding excited.

We all stood and went to stand by the cockpit entrance.

“Yes,” August said. “No, I understand, I just—well, we have—no, no, that makes total sense, but could we get a waiver or something to…”August slammed a fist into the armrest of the captain’s seat. “Understood, Tower One.”

August ripped his headset off and slammed it onto the padded seat beside him.

“Not good news, I take it?” Crew said.

“Fuckers,” August hissed through gritted teeth. “They denied our landing request. Didn’t even bother telling me why they ignored me for the last hour. Fuckers,” he repeated with more venom.

“What option does that leave us?” Chelsey asked.

“A shitty one,” Wyatt said. “We land outside the city and sneak in.”

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