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“Everyone, gather in close. We need to meet up with the others. Let the war begin,” Rhys says with a heavy exhale, and we all move in before he raises his hands in the air.
My eyes widen as the world shifts around us and I quickly realize he’s not using gateways. He’s just… moving us.
Noise picks up around us, warped and distant at first, as the scenery changes and bodies come into view. There are more people here than I expected, but still not enough to compete with the entire realm’s army.
“Zane!” The shriek comes from a girl who races toward us, bundling Zane in her arms before I can see her face, and my blood runs cold as jealousy coats my skin. My jaw clenches and my nostrils flare as they dance around in a circle, hugging each other.
“As much as green looks good on you, Little Bird. It’s his sister,” Eldon mutters, nudging me with his elbow, and embarrassment quickly prickles the hairs down my arm, replacing the jealousy that slipped over me so easily.
“I knew that,” I grumble, clearing my throat, but I know I’m not fooling anyone.
As if sensing my inner turmoil, the girl releases Zane and her gaze immediately fixes on me. “Oh. My. Gosh. You must be Raven, sans the pink hair, of course.” She smiles wide, and as I take in her facial features, it’s beyond clear that they’re definitely related. “I’m Sammi. The Denver who got the better genes, so I apologize for the shit you have to put up with from this one,” she adds, her grin widening even more, and I can’t stop my own grin from taking over my lips.
“I’m thankful you’re a girl because if you had taken that department as well, I would?—”
“Ew! Ew! Ew! Too much. Too fucking much,” she squeals, covering her ears with her hands as Zane laughs before smothering my cheek with feather-light kisses. The air transforms around us, a solemn and eerie atmosphere reminding us of what we’re about to walk into. “Are you guys ready?”
“I was born ready, Sammi,” Zane retorts, puffing out his chest, and she rolls her eyes at him. “I mean it, Zane. I fight for a living. I need to know your head is on straight and you’re not going to do something stupid the second we get in there.”
“He definitely can’t promise that,” Brax mutters, earning a death glare from the man in question, but he doesn’t respond to him, instead focusing on his sister.
“I’ve got this, Sammi. I promise.”
“Perfect. I was worried I was going to have to make you drop and give me fifty push-ups.” She winks at him as he shoves her away, then saunters off to join the others. That’s when I actually pay attention to what she’s wearing. She's dressed a lot like a student from the Shadowgrim Institute. She’s geared up for war in tight attire, covered in sheathes with daggers attached to her in some way or another, and her hair is braided back off her face.
She looks ready for war and I look like I’m ready to…go to first class.
That needs to change, and fast.
“Any chance of getting our hands on some alternative gear to actually go to war in? I don’t think this skirt is quite as versatile as I’d like it to be.” I’m still looking down at myself as I ask the question, not realizing Rhys has rejoined us. It’s all well and good using my magic, but I don’t know where I’m at in relation to my closet so I can’t quite pinpoint what I need.
“Once we get inside, you can do what you need. We’re going to split up once we’re in there. The Monarchy members and fighters are going to circle around from the back of the Gauntlet. I believe he is going to have everyone gathered near the main entry point, and we’re hoping for the element of surprise. I’ll transport you guys to your house so you can take a second, and we’ll meet you here.” He holds a map out, and we all nod in acknowledgment. “Are the shadows, Drakes, and griffins waiting like we said?”
A smirk tilts up my lip. “Fuck yeah, they are.”
The stunning view from the cliff’s edge swiftly fills my vision after Rhys gives his orders, and I can’t deny that this feels like a final goodbye. This place lured me in, made me believe there was hope in a time when I thought there was none left in the world.
It’s weird to consider how things carry on existing whether you do or don’t.
Inhaling a deep breath, I take in the jagged edges, the crashing waves, and the birds in the distance one last time. No matter what happens from here, I’m never going to live in these walls again. Win or lose my things will be shipped out and I’m finding a better alternative.
Lips press against my temple, filling me with a calmness that feels out of place in the face of what awaits us around the corner. I lean into their side, peering up at Eldon a moment later.
“Let’s gear up. It’s about time we brought all of this to an end, don’t you think?”
“I couldn’t agree more,” I murmur, despite the thoughts rattling around in my mind. I want to explain how much he means to me, how much they all mean to me, how this isn’t what I wanted for any of us, how I’ve wondered what a normal, mundane life with them would look like, but none of it is relevant right now.
Maybe if we get through this…
No… when we get through this, I can say it all then.
“Why did Rhys send us to our house to change when we could have used our magic to do it?” Brax asks, and I frown, just as confused by it as he is.
“I think he wanted to give us a moment. Everything happened so fast back there, and even though we don’t have much time, it’s a moment just for us. To take a deep breath, feel gratitude for everything that has led us to this moment, both good and bad. Then we can charge out there, focused and aligned with what needs to be done,” Zane explains, the words resonating deep inside of me.
A serene feeling settles over us and I know the rest of my men are letting his words settle in them too.
After a moment, I clear my throat before tugging at my magic to change. I watch the material change on my body, but I still feel the icky blood clinging to my skin, even though it’s no longer there.
