"And now we've got a pile of weapons we can point at them," Astrid says, lifting a gleaming throwing axe with an appreciative whistle. "So at least we're not walking into this defenseless."
"Yeah, I'd like to return the favor to the one who shot me," Jace mutters darkly, rubbing his thigh where the bullet hit. His eyes flash amber, a warning glow of coyote temper.
"Let's not go shooting just yet," I say gently, choosing my words carefully. My thoughts drift to Johnny. He wasn't acting out of malice, just following Darius's orders. Protecting his people, the same way we are now.
Jace's gaze cuts to me, sharp and simmering. He doesn't reply, but the tension in his shoulders speaks loud enough.
"Sage is right," Asher says firmly, stepping in before the air can get heavier. "If we start a fight, it ends in blood."
"And if we don't, we get picked off one by one," Kayden snaps back. "Or do you expect them to politely turn around and head back to whatever forest fortress they crawled out of just because we put up a magical do-not-enter sign?"
"No. The barrier is only the first line," Asher responds. "We need more than defense. We need leverage. Something that shifts the field in our favor without forcing a full-scale war."
Winston leans forward, eyes thoughtful. "The man said he wants to marry Sage, didn't he? That's the key. If we can break that intent, maybe undermine it, we might be able to shake the foundation of whatever he's planning."
"He said Spring Equinox," Asher confirms, shooting me a glance.
The mention of it makes my stomach churn. I hate being the source of this chaos. But now isn't the time to spiral, so I steel myself.
"I learned that if he marries me, he gains power. Is that true?" I ask, turning to Maeve.
"Yes," she says plainly. "He would. But so would you. The bond works both ways. Spring Equinox heightens the power exchange and strengthens the bond."
My breath hitches. I didn't know that the power exchange went both ways. Darius said I didn't understand enough, and I hated him for that smugness. But maybe he wasn't entirely wrong. That stings more than I want to admit.
"Then why her?" Astrid asks, flicking her bottle cap across the table. "Doesn't he have a whole damn harem of nymphs to choose from?"
"It could be her nature," Maeve replies. "Sage wasn't born a nymph. That changes things unpredictably."
"Or maybe," Eira murmurs, her voice so soft it cuts through the room like a bell, "he loves her."
Silence. The kind that holds its breath.
I swallow hard. Asher's jaw tightens. Kayden's fists clench.
Eira meets their stares unflinchingly. "You were incapacitated, but I watched him. He's obsessed, yes, but it's more than that. More than power or entitlement. It looked like heartbreak. Like someone who thought they'd already won, and doesn't understand why he's lost."
Astrid hums. "Then at least we know he won't hurt her. That's leverage."
Kayden glares at her like he's ready to launch a dagger. Asher speaks instead, voice ice-edged. "Sage isn't leverage."
Astrid shrugs. "We're outnumbered. We've got one reluctant druid, four vampires who burn when he looks at you, two shifters who didn't shift when needed, me, and a handful of knives. So yeah, anything is leverage."
I lift a hand, stopping them both before it spirals. "Enough. I get it. I'm part of the equation whether I like it or not. But if we'regoing to stand a chance, we need more than swords and moral debates. We need intel."
I gesture to the mountain of books. "And that means diving into every damn one of these."
"If there's nothing else for now," Asher says, his voice steady with command, "I suggest we split up. Maeve, you take charge of the perimeter wards. Can you also help us make wildbane powder?"
Maeve hesitates. A flicker of inner debate crosses her face before she nods. "Yes. It's not lethal to nymphs, so I'll help gather what's needed and guide the preparation."
"Good," Asher replies with a short nod. "If any materials are missing, take Astrid, Tomas, and Donna with you to retrieve them. The rest of you, start combing through the books. We're looking for anything that can give us an edge against satyrs, dryads, fauns, and any other woodland creature Darius might throw our way."
Kayden groans like he's been sentenced to the seventh circle of hell. "Great. A war where our top-secret weapon is a book club."
"Knowledge is a weapon in itself, Kayden," Tomas says mildly, stacking a few thick volumes like he's assembling an arsenal.
Kayden smirks. "Sure. You hit me with a sack of facts, and I'll swing a mace. We'll see which wins."
