Laughlan nodded, scratching the back of his head. “It also stands to reason that we can assume that they’ve made modifications to the interplanetary travel spell, if they were able to settle on one of the moons, despite the original destination. If they could do that, then surely they’ll be able to divert their course by a measly mile upon landing on Neraka.”
“I’ll use my aerial skills to intercept them as best as I can,” Vesta offered. “Our position gives us a good view of the entire section between Azure Heights and the Valley of Screams. We’ll be able to spot them early and determine their trajectory before we step in, anyway.”
“And I’ll help you however I can,” Laughlan replied.
“Good,” Hansa interjected, then shifted her focus to Peyton. “You and Wyrran will bring your rebels into position as well. I would advise sticking to the upper levels of the city. Once the allies lay siege on the base, the COs will have to retreat upward. You should be there to… welcome them,” she added, smirking.
Peyton and Wyrran exchanged brief glances, then nodded.
“There are many innocent creatures in Azure Heights,” Jax said, looking at each of us. “The Maras will use them as shields. Please, be advised that some of the innocents will include Exiled Maras, as well, so you’ll have to be careful in your assessments before going for the kill. Some will even pretend to be rebels like Peyton and his people, just to get close enough to hurt you, or to run away. Neither can be allowed.”
A minute went by as it all sank in. Jax then cleared his throat, demanding our attention once more.
“There’s something else we need to be aware of,” he added. “We’re not sure of all the factors pertaining to this meeting between Shaytan and the Lords, but, like Zane said, assume that Shaytan has come prepared for an attack. So, to those of you who will be in the city with us, remember to watch your six and keep your lenses on at all times. No exception. Laughlan and his group will have a good position in the field to warn us if they spot any suspicious activity headed toward Azure Heights.”
Laughlan exhaled. “I’ll have blue fire signals ready to go if I see anything that doesn’t belong in those fields. You know, like an army of daemons, for example,” he said, the corner of his mouth twitching with dry amusement.
“We must also be ready to consider the possibility that my father may try to take Lumi away, for himself,” Zane replied. “At this point in time, given how high tensions are running between him and his bloodsucking allies, I can definitely see him trying to pull an extraction stunt,” he added, then looked at Caspian. “We’ll have to be extra vigilant in and around the Palisade.”
He made a fair point, and that sent shivers down my spine. No one wanted to compete with the king of daemons in stealing back a swamp witch. Shaytan was cruel, devious, and ruthless. The last thing we wanted was to bump into him or any of Zane’s brothers in the Palisade corridors. This was the one part of Nerakian warfare that we didn’t want to compete in.
If the Maras were ready to cut off ties with Shaytan, it also made sense that they would reinforce protections around Lumi. Surely, we weren’t the only ones thinking the daemon king might want to snatch Lumi for himself. We certainly had our work cut out for us in there.
Hansa
With all our supplies checked and blades sharpened, we split into our predetermined groups and prepared to leave Meredrin behind. Alara came forward and motioned for a group of twenty armed Imen to join us.
“Please, Hansa, let my Imen help you on your mission,” she said, as her Imen settled into formation with Wyrran and Peyton’s troops. I could see the fear in their eyes, but it was weak compared to their determination and desire for freedom. “These are all the fighters I can spare for you. I will take the others, along with the elders and younglings, and leave Meredrin for the time being. Nevis was kind enough to grant us protection on Athelathan. We’ll go there until your fight is over.”
I had to admit, she was a wise leader. “I assume you’re taking your people away just in case we fail.”
She offered me a weak smile. “I have to take that possibility into consideration. If any of my Imen are captured, they could be mind-bent into revealing our location. I know the Druids didn’t have enough resources to provide everyone with protective lenses. While you and your team members may be immune now, our Imen are still vulnerable.”
“No, I completely understand,” I replied. “Thank you for lending us your strength, nonetheless. I’m sure they’ll provide crucial support.”
She squeezed my shoulder gently, then stepped back, watching us as we all headed toward the shore. I took one last glance over my shoulder, so that the image of Meredrin would stay with me for a little while longer as an example of peaceful coexistence between Maras and Imen. Proof that it was possible.
“We’re not expecting anyone,” Peyton muttered, frowning as he pointed at something ahead.
We all stilled at the sight of a small boat that quietly cut across the lake waters and headed toward us. My instincts were quick to kick in, but the fae in our group were even quicker to react. They dashed over to the water’s edge and used their elemental abilities to coax the waters into bringing the boat closer to the shore, while Ryker and Laughlan stood by their side, ready to intervene.
“Wait!” I croaked, recognizing one of the two occupants of the boat. “That’s Davo!”
Davo, our first guide through Draconis, was hilariously huge compared to the size of the boat, as was his companion, another daemon whom I’d never seen before. They both put their hands up in a defensive gesture as the fae brought the boat to the shore.
They both got out and bowed before us.
“We weren’t sure you’d still be here,” Davo said. “We’re here at Zane’s request. The pacifists are eager to help. This is Beryn, by the way.”
“Mose’s brother!” Fiona gasped.
Caspian smiled as he stepped forward and shook both their hands. Beryn pulled him into a tight bear hug, then chuckled as he measured him from head to toe.
“Good grief, you’ve grown!” Beryn exclaimed. “You’ve had a growth spurt since the last time I saw you!”
“I take it you know each other?” I asked, offering a polite smile.
Beryn mirrored my expression, nodding. “I’ve known Lord Kifo since he was a little Mara, always voicing his displeasure with the treatment of his Imen friends. He got himself in so much trouble on a daily basis,” he said, then narrowed his eyes as he noticed Caspian’s blood oath symbol behind his ear. “It was only a matter of time before they branded him.”
We introduced ourselves, one by one, before Davo and Beryn brought us up to speed.
“Wait, you said Zane called you here,” Fiona muttered, then looked at Zane. “Why didn’t you tell us anything?”
Zane smirked. “I figured you could all use a good surprise,” he replied. “Besides, I wasn’t too sure they’d be able to make it in time.”
“Your Grace, we’ve gone to great lengths to get here,” Davo said. “But we just couldn’t let you down. It is an honor to know you’ve sided with us in this fight.”
“Not like I had much of a choice,” Zane replied with a shrug. “Out of the few options available, anyway. This way, I get to be with the little vampire,” he added, giving Fiona a playful sideways glance that made her blush like a primrose. “Anyway, tell us, what’s new on your end?”
Davo and Beryn looked at each other for a second.
“Milord, there’s a pacifist riot about to unfold in Infernis,” Beryn said. “As soon as the king leaves for Azure Heights, our people will storm the palace. We’ve freed about a hundred pit wolves for this. In return for their support, we’ll help them return to their packs in the west.”
“That’s amazing!” Scarlett replied.
“What about the pacifists we released from Draconis?” Fiona asked.
“Three dozen survived the collapse,” Davo said. “They’re on their way to Azure Heights as we speak. They’ll
be close by. Once your allied forces storm the city, they’ll join in and assist however they can.”
I couldn’t help but smile. We were on edge already, limited in numbers but driven to succeed. The difference that three dozen pacifist daemons alone could make in our mission was significant, to say the least. Having that many daemons on our side was sure to turn the tables further in our favor once we infiltrated and attacked the city.
With Infernis coming down as well, we had an even better chance at inflicting irreparable damage to Shaytan’s kingdom. By the time GASP came over after the shield’s collapse, they were bound to find a nefarious alliance in complete disarray, utterly crippled and prone to fatal mistakes. Whatever tools and weapons we had at our disposal, we were ready to use them in order to restore Neraka’s freedom.
Nevis snapped his fingers, drawing our attention as he moved to the edge of the lake. “It’s time to go,” he said, as his Dhaxanian frost stretched out from beneath his bare feet.
Within seconds, a thick layer of ice created a path for us across the lakes, all the way to the northwestern side. From there, only two miles lay between us and the abandoned red garnet mine, where the secret tunnel to Azure Heights awaited.
We made our way across the water, invigorated as we shortened the distance between us and what I hoped would be our victory. Fate had not been kind to us, but it had rewarded us for our perseverance with incredible new allies and the knowledge that our people were out there, waiting to get in.
Caia
They kept us chained to a wall in Emilian’s mansion overnight, with no apparent intention to move us elsewhere. The upside to our predicament was that all the Exiled Maras we’d come in contact with thought we were mind-bent and submissive. They left us alone in the room on the first floor, which gave Blaze and me some time to discuss the possible outcomes. Nevis still had a punch coming his way from each of us, though we’d understood and accepted his reasoning—albeit begrudgingly.
We had it relatively easy, because we were nowhere near Vincent and Amalia when they got their heads cut off. I was worried about Harper, as I knew both Emilian and Rowan were aching for revenge. Word traveled fast, even in the Obara mansion, and the Correction Officers who came to check on us talked about what had happened, thinking we were too dazed to understand what they were saying.
All Blaze and I had to do was pretend. But Harper wasn’t that lucky.
My stomach churned at the thought of her caged somewhere in the city. Were they keeping her in the Palisade, or had they moved her to the prison? I had no way of knowing—not yet, anyway. The only thing I was certain of was the fact that our group was coming to get us. Sooner or later, we’d hear the invasion alarms blaring all over Azure Heights. Our allies were patiently waiting in the Valley of Screams, hidden from daemon hunters and hostile Maras passing by, and ready to lay siege on the city.
We just needed to hold on and gather as much intel as we could from our position, and, when the time came, unleash a little bit of that fire and fury that both the Exiled Maras and the daemons feared the most. We had the element of surprise and a lot of determination to get ourselves out of here. All they had was mindless greed and a grudge. Manageable.
“I’m still annoyed, you know,” Blaze muttered, sitting next to me, his charmed cuffs keeping him against the wall. The morning sun burst through the windows, casting its amber light all over the period furniture and floral wallpaper prints. “They could’ve given us a heads-up about this.”
“They most likely just wanted our shock to be genuine,” I replied.
“Why? We’re both capable of faking something like this!”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Blaze, let’s be honest. It worked. Whether we liked it or not, it worked. That’s all that matters. We’ve got the lenses on, anyway. It’s not like we were at risk of getting mind-bent. And frankly, I think it was better this way. I mean, the looks on our faces when we were made… That must’ve been quite the sight for the Lords.”
He sighed in return. “I’m still going to punch Nevis’s lights out when I see him,” he grumbled.
“Just hold on,” I replied, stifling another bout of laughter. Humor was our only company in this place, and I was determined to make liberal use of it. “There’s a plan here, for sure. We certainly provided the authenticity, and now we just need to keep our heads down, our eyes and ears open.”
“What do you think will happen next?” Blaze asked.
I shrugged. “You heard the COs last night. They’re getting ready for Shaytan’s arrival. There are only two ways in which that meeting could go. One, they’ll shake hands and get Darius back, or two, they’ll try to kill Shaytan and claim supremacy over Neraka.”
“Whatever they choose, they’d better do it fast. I cannot take another session of Rewa shoving her tongue down my throat. I’ll need to wash my mouth out with a gallon of soap after this.”
The thought of her coming back to taunt us again reminded me why Nevis hadn’t told us about this change of plans. It took every ounce of strength I had not to kick her face in whenever she stopped by to sneer at me and slobber on Blaze. Rewa was out of her mind and the poster child for serial killers at the same time—delusional and murderous.
“It’s cool. As long as we play along, we’ll be okay. Besides, I doubt she’ll be able to keep you, like she said. We both know Shaytan ‘really wants the dragon,’” I said, rolling my eyes as I remembered our last encounter with the daemon king.
Just then, a tiny flash of light caught my eye. One of the windows was open, the morning breeze flowing in. A tiny snowflake slipped in, its bluish surface twinkling gently. My heart skipped a beat as I watched it fly around the room before it reached us.
“Blaze, look,” I murmured, unable to take my eyes off it.
“Is that…”
His voice trailed off as he watched the little snowflake settle on my left ear. It felt cold, but that wasn’t the weird part. Within seconds, I heard whispers. It took me a while to figure out what they were saying, but once I understood, I started beaming at Blaze.
“What is it?” he asked, and I shushed him.
“A message. Hold on,” I muttered, then listened carefully.
I’d yet to wrap my head around how Nevis’s Dhaxanian frost worked, but there was definitely some element of foreign magic to it. It had nothing to do with witches like Corrine or Lumi. It was something entirely different.
The little snowflake didn’t melt as it rested on my skin. It acted as a recorder of sorts, playing back a whispered message on a continuous loop. I heard Nevis somewhere in the back of my head.
Sorry for this, Caia. I could’ve told you about the sudden change of plans, but Hansa and Jax approved it like this. So, if there’s anyone you would want to punch, I’d recommend looking at those two. I like my face the way it is, and I don’t heal as fast as the Mara.
Now, moving on. I assume you’re chained to a wall in one of Emilian’s rooms. Stay there and keep playing your parts. No matter what happens, do not let them know you can’t be mind-bent. We’re on our way now. The Lords will most likely use you and Blaze as leverage against Shaytan.
Your people from back home tried to get into Neraka but couldn’t penetrate the shield. They’re currently stationed on one of the moons, and the Maras are keen to launch a swamp witch magic attack on them. We’ve got a team going in to stop them. The rest of us are converging on the mountain. As soon as Hansa launches the Adlet flare, we’ll bring our troops in and attack the city. You and Blaze will be crucial to this development, as the Lords think they have you under their control. I need you to make sure they think that until you’re given the signal to engage. Chances are you’ll be in the same room with Hansa and Jax when that happens.
Harper is being held in the Palisade, in the same room as the swamp witch. What the Lords thought of as psychological torture, keeping her so close to her objective yet unable to get her, is, in fact, a great advantage to us. We’ve got that side c
overed, as well. They’re going to bury Vincent and Amalia today. Shaytan will attend, most likely with one or more of his sons, after which they’ll probably meet in the Obara mansion to address the terms of their alliance. Hang in there, little fae. If the fates align, this will all be over soon. Whether we all survive or not, well, that I cannot promise. But I’m sure we’ll go down swinging.
I gasped, then looked at Blaze, as the snowflake finally melted, having relayed its message.
“So. Got some news for you,” I said slowly.
I brought Blaze up to speed with everything that Nevis had told me. Out of everything I said, he got himself hung up on Nevis’s suggestion to redirect our anger toward Jax and Hansa.
“I’m still punching him,” he muttered, his brow furrowed.
For a brief moment, I stared into his midnight-blue eyes, mentally preparing for what would come next. There was going to be a fight, and we needed to find a way to rid ourselves of the cuffs. His gaze lit up.
“Hey, remember when we were in the meranium box, in Shaytan’s palace?” he asked, and I nodded in response. That was impossible to forget. “Well, they charmed that thing like crazy to stop us from using our natural fire abilities, but I could still blow fire.”
I thought about it for a second and realized he was right. There were slim chances that the daemons would have communicated with the Maras over this, since they’d held on to Darius and further fueled the tension between their camps.
Blaze blew out a wisp of fire, making me gasp.
“Hah… So, you can still use your natural fire, even with the cuffs on,” I concluded. “Finally, something that works in our favor.”
“We have to get rid of these cuffs,” he added, as if reading my mind. “That way, we’ll be ready when the cat gets out of the bag with Jax and the others.”
“We’re presumably mind-bent. I’m sure we can find a way to—”
I froze as the door to our right opened. Rewa came in, careful not to step into the sunlight. She slapped a button on the wall behind her, and all the shutters came down with a thud, sinking the room into darkness. I needed a couple of seconds to adjust my eyesight to the sudden change.