“And Brumsy can guard you, Seri,” Zane added. “Trifecta.”
“Good.” Kaori gave a nod of approval. “Then you’ll need counter-wards and sigil breaks prepared ahead of time. I’ll send you a list of glyphs to look out for. Dark magic lingers, so be careful. Oh, and the Council of Elders is providing two teams, one to deploy to each location. In case Arabesque brings anything Diabolical along with her, you’ll have nephilim on hand to banish it.”
“Wow. That’s generous.” I raised my eyebrows in surprise.
“The archangels’ proxy, Helene Chapman, was not amused to hear about the demon-core shadows Arabesque used at that day camp you raided.”
“If one of those teams is led by Kerry Harker, send him my way,” King Julian requested. “He and Angelo have worked together often enough that their teams can integrate seamlessly.”
“I’ll let Helene know,” she assured him.
“Queen Kaori, King Julian.” Cas’ tone said this conversation was over for now. “We’ll see one of you in two days.”
I ended the call, screens dimming back to black, but the air still buzzed like a coming storm. I looked around at my people. Cas, Zane, Seri, Brummy. Even Foster. Our little ‘ohana. The family we’d pieced together against all odds.
Two days. Forty-eight hours to prepare for what could be the bloodiest confrontation we’d ever faced. To end a war before it began.
“Make sure she gets in and out, wolf boy.” Zane’s voice was steadier now, the mania fading a bit in his eyes.
“That’s a guarantee.” Foster nodded once.
“Listen, you’re walking into a darknessIcan’t follow, and I’m walking into oneyoucan’t.” Seri’s gaze swept across me, then Cas, then Zane. “But we’ll all be walking toward the same dawn. A dawn that will endure. Just like it says on Evermere’s gates.”
Foster looked away, jaw tight, scrubbing a hand through Brumous’ fur. Zane locked his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling, a muscle jumping in his jaw. Cas’ arms crossed over his chest, his eyes hard and cold. As for me, I just nodded.
Because I believed her.
Believed her and believedinher.
The‘aumakuasang hard now, and I listened, just like I’d vowed to do after the Dark-corrupted shadows had nearly consumed my beloved. The whispers of my ancestors, flowing through me like the ocean itself, carried no warnings, only a quiet certainty.
A tiny smirk flickered at the corners of my lips.
Let Arabesque try to stop Serafina. Harrow bitch would learn quick enough that pawns didn’t move queens.
#
Two days later, I stood in Evermere’s armory with my brothers. My hands moved automatically, checking weapons I’d already checked three times, making sure every blade was sharp, every gun loaded, every defensive charm active.
The‘aumakuawhispered at the edges of my consciousness, their voices a current beneath my thoughts. Not warnings, but presence. They would stand with us today, whatever came.
My brothers moved around the room with the same contained energy, Cas organizing tactical gear, Zane bouncing on the balls of his feet as he double-checked his ammo. We were ready. As ready as anyone could be when facing down an army of magic-infused rogues and three unkillable monsters.
“Run it again,” Cas said, his voice tight. It wasn’t that he’d forgotten our plan—Cas never forgotanything—but speaking it aloud was his way of centering himself, of making sure we were all locked into the same rhythm.
“We assist whichever king is being attacked,” I recited, grabbing my only pair of magi-goggles just in case Arabesque tried one of her immersive illusions. “We take on the Gravewroughts while Seri and Foster, guarded by Brumous, shadow walk to the Bell homestead and take out the hearts.”
“Ideally, we coordinate and take the fuckers down together, but if we get separated, we stick to our assignments.” A humorless grincrossed Zane’s face. “I get Ashmouth, Cas the White Dread, and Ko Splitter.”
Splitter was just the kind of straightforward nightmare I preferred to handle. Something solid I could hit as much as I wanted. Raw power against raw power.
A beep came from Cas’ phone. He checked it, jaw tightening.
“King Julian’s drones at the Bell homestead have confirmed that the Hollowing Rite is complete.”
The energy in the room shifted, focusing to a razor’s edge. This wasn’t a drill anymore. Arabesque had empowered her army, and they were ready to move.
“Comms check,” Cas ordered.
