“Have you heard anything from them?” he asked.
“No,” she said. “But we don’t have time to wait. We must attack tonight before the Keepers have time to amass forces when they realize we have the cross. Without catching the Keepers off guard, we’ll never be able to pin the Harbinger down.”
“You’re also relying on Logan,” I said. It was the part of the plan that left a bad taste in my mouth. “And he isn’t reliable.”
Mason snarled. “He shouldn’t be part of this.”
“We don’t have a choice,” Anika said. “His blood oath enables him to summon the Harbinger. Without that ritual, the Scion will fail.”
“If Logan hadn’t turned up,” Mason said, “how were you going to get this ritual done?”
“We’d intended to capture a Keeper and force them to do it,” Anika said. “And we can still force Logan to act for us if he has indeed turned traitor.”
“And you really think the five of us will be enough?” I asked, glancing at my companions.
“You retrieved Pyralis,” Anika answered. “And the rest of us will be engaged on the main front while you enter the estate. We’ll shield you from attack.”
“Except from Bosque,” Shay muttered.
“Which raises one last issue,” Anika said.
“There’s another issue besides Shay’s demon uncle?” Mason asked. “Wonderful.”
“Once Bosque has been summoned, he’ll likely call the Fallen to his aid.”
“Those zombie things?” Shay said. “Well, at least they aren’t fast.”
“They aren’t zombies,” Connor said.
Anika nodded. “They may be slow moving, but they are the husks left of people driven insane by torment. And their attack is just as deadly as a physical assault.”
“Their attack?” My skin crawled, remembering their shuffling gait and Ethan’s cry of grief when he’d recognized his own brother among the Fallen.
“Their touch brings instant madness,” Anika said. “You must not let them touch you.”
“Can they be killed?” Ren asked.
“They’ll go down if you cut their heads off,” Connor said. “But if you bite them, you’ll regret it. And we’ll probably have to kill you.”
Ren growled at him. “You’ll have to what?”
“One of the reasons the Harrowing was so costly for us”-Anika’s face paled-“was the arrival of the Fallen. Our friends and family reduced to that horror, and when our Guardian allies tried to fight them-”
“The Guardians attacked the Fallen?” I folded my arms across my chest so I wouldn’t shudder.
“Yes. And their minds were overtaken by their worst nightmares,” Anika said quietly. “They turned on each other, on us. We didn’t understand what was happening until it was too late.”
“So the moral of the story is: wolfies leave the Fallen to us,” Connor said, patting his sword hilt.
“Gladly,” Mason said, shoving away the last bites of his sandwich.
More Searchers arrived in small groups, their mood somber as they gathered in Haldis Tactical. One by one Weavers began to open doors, and I knew this deployment was happening all over the Academy as the Searcher army moved into position outside Rowan Estate. Anika rose from her chair.
“We’ll fight with all we have to buy you time,” she said, and then turned to Shay. “All our hopes are with you.”
He gave her a thin smile. “Thanks.”
As we stood up, Tess came over and took my hand.
“We’ll be working from the Eydis Sanctuary,” she said. “That’s where they want us to bring the wounded.”
A lump rose in my throat and I nodded. “Be safe.”
“Thanks for lending me your brother, Calla,” she said. “The Elixirs are grateful too. He’s been a great help to us.”
“Take care of him,” I said.
“Of course.” She squeezed my hand.
Ansel tried to sneak behind Tess, but I grabbed his arm.
“Don’t say good-bye,” he mumbled, not looking at me. “I don’t want to hear it.”
“I’m not saying good-bye.” I dug my fingers into his arm and he stared at me in surprise. “This is a warning, Ansel. You stay with Tess. Any running off, any stupid heroics and I will hunt you down myself no matter what’s happening on the battlefield. You are still my baby brother and I am still your alpha. I’m not going to let you get hurt out there.”
He nodded, still wide-eyed. I wrapped my arms around him, knowing I’d be too far from him to track his movements during the attack. But I hoped he’d at least listen to me and that some of his instincts to obey his alpha might still be lingering.
I turned, sensing someone behind me.
“He’ll be fine,” Ren said, searching my eyes with his own. “Tess won’t let anything happen to him.”
“I know,” I said, forcing a smile.
“So the plan really pissed you off, huh,” Ren said as we walked toward Adne, who’d begun to weave the door our party would take to Vail.
“Did you expect me to be happy when I found out?”
“I didn’t bet on Shay telling you about it,” Ren said. “He over-shares.”
“I appreciate honesty,” I said. “It’s a winning trait.”
“I honestly will play dirty to win this fight,” he said. “Is that a winning trait?”
“Drop it.”
Shay and Connor were standing near Adne, watching the shimmering portal take shape.
I glanced at Shay. Ren waved at him and Shay made a rude gesture at Ren, but then gave me a sad smile that made my chest tighten. Did he really believe he wouldn’t survive this fight?
The tightness in my chest became so painful I had to close my eyes to push it away. My mind had to be in this fight, no matter what else might be tugging at my heart. I couldn’t afford to think about what this war would ultimately cost me.
Mason came up to us, grinning. “You guys ready to roll?”
“You look awfully happy.” I eyed him warily. “Considering.”
“I miss Nev.” He shrugged. “Sure, it’s a war and all, but at least he’ll be there. I’ll take what I can get.”
Ren slapped him on the back. “I love you, man.”
“Of course you do.” Mason smoothed his hair back. “I’m irresistible.”
Bryn tossed her curls. “I think this fight is going to be fun.”
“I hope you’re right,” I said.
“All right, hellhounds.” Connor was waving at us. “Get your butts through that door.”
“We are not hellhounds,” I growled. “We are wolves.”
“Really?” Connor gave me a crestfallen look. “You didn’t like my new nickname for your pack? I thought it was inspired or maybe awe inspiring. You know, like Hell’s Angels.”
“We’re not a motorcycle gang either, dude,” Ren said, then he shifted into wolf form and bounded through the portal.
“Are his jokes always this bad?” Bryn asked.
“Usually.” I smiled at Connor. “But don’t tell him that. I’d hate to hurt his feelings.”
Connor shook his head. “Alas, I will always be unsung.”
“Yep.” Shay smiled. “I’d say you’re right.”
“Thank God for that.” I flashed a grin at him, shifted, and leapt after Ren.
My paws crunched into snow that reached the middle of my legs. The moon hung high above us, offering considerable light despite the late hour. Adne’s portal opened onto a crest at the edge of the forest. The grounds of Rowan Estate stretched out below us. The garden with its curving paths and sculpted hedges lay cloaked in shadow. Caught in early winter’s grasp, the fountains were dry and the flower beds empty, devoid of the life that made gardens so inviting.
At intervals along the forest ridge and at points closer to the gardens other winking lights appeared. Shadows
