Stella drifted closer, her gaze flicking to my phone and then to my face. “News?”
“She’s probably already in the compound,” I said, my voice thick.
I shoved the phone back into my pocket and lifted my gaze to the compound.
No guards moved along the walls. No shadows swam through the skies. Nothing stirred except the faint silver sway of dead weeds along the outer fence.
That bothered me more than an army would have.
“She knows we’re coming,” I said.
Nova slowed near us. “Possibly.”
“Nova.”
“She knows something is coming,” she corrected.
The compound lights flickered.
One window on the upper floor glowed faintly, followed by another and yet another.
The narrow windows lit one by one with a cold, bluish flame that made the entire hill look like it had opened its eyes.
The witches behind me drew closer as someone whispered a spell.
Twobble’s fingers clamped around my waist again.
“Maeve,” he said quietly. “I would like it known that I was brave for at least several minutes.”
“You’re still being brave.”
“I know, but I wanted witnesses.”
I glanced behind me, taking in the brooms hovering in the moonlit sky, the determined faces, the fear everyone carried and refused to let lead.
Below, far beyond the ridge, I heard the first howl.
Caleb.
Another answered from the west.
A deep horn sounded from the ground, low and rough, unmistakably orc.
The ground teams were in position, and I couldn't fathom how they got there as fast as we did.
The sky held as the compound waited.
For one fragile second, hope and terror stood so close together inside me that I couldn’t tell which one was keeping me upright.
The pendant at my throat warmed, and my broom dipped slightly toward the ridge.
It was now or never.
Chapter Nineteen
The blood-curdling screech erupted from the gates as we descended on the compound. Stella and the rest of the vampires veered to the left, while Bella, Nova, and Ardetia moved quickly into the cliffs.
“Don't let me drop,” Twobble muttered into my back.
