Page 77 of Veiled Yearning

“Yes. Of course. This is the simple part.” Mostly. Unless there’s some sort of trap we don’t know about. Although Frederick and Cait can cast invulnerability if they need to. So that should protect them from anything.

Still. I don’t realize my own anxiety until the foursome reappears, blinking back into sight in front of me.

Before Frederick says anything, I try to analyze his expression. Is he worried? Relieved? Is he going to say we’re far over-matched, and there are fifty Custodians to our twenty?

“It’s not too bad,” he reports, and the band around my chest loosens. “Cait counted fifteen Custodians, including Nicolas, inside and out.”

He nods at Cait, and she explains. “Four Custodians on guard outside. Two by the road, another two out back by the silo. Six on the main floor of the house. And then four Custodians and Nicolas in the basement.”

Larkin reveals a rare smile. “That’s good news. Thank you, Cait.” To Frederick and I, he asks, “What do you think? How would you like to split everyone up?”

I create a mental image of the property, imagining different combinations of skills and abilities. After a minute of thought, everything slots into place, like puzzle pieces fitting together. “Nylah, Lucas, and Knight on the front guards. Xavier, Sam, and Circe on the rear ones. And then Alex, Jules, Titus, Paul, Darien, and you, Larkin, approach the front of the house. David and Raine will cast their group invis to shield the main group so you’re not spotted.”

Frederick thinks for a second, then nods. “I agree. We want Alex and Jules using their offensive skills to knock the Custodians off balance right away.”

“Alright.” Larkin meets my gaze. “We’ll follow your plan, Gavril.” More loudly, he announces, “Nylah, Lucas, and Knight. You’ll take the two guards by the road. Xavier, Sam, and Circe; circle around and come in from the back to take out the guards by the silo.”

“And for the first attack on the house,” he continues, “I want Alex, Jules, and Titus going in the front. Blast them right away. Paul and Darien; I’ll be with you going in through the back. David and Raine, you’ll invis us there, and be our backup.”

“And us?” Roman looks at Larkin, his brows arched in question.

“Gavril will give the command for the second wave to move out,” Larkin answers. “It will be soon after the first. No more than a minute or so. I anticipate this first part will be fast.”

No more than a minute or so.

Such a short amount of time to determine which direction this battle goes.

“We’re moving out in one minute.” Larkin gestures for all those in the first wave to gather near the door with him.

Just before David and Raine cast the group into shadow, I look at them one last time.

And I take a deep breath.

Everyone will survive this. They have to.

24

So Much Stronger

CHIARA

Everyone is still alive.

At least they all were as of Knight’s last update, which was only fifteen or twenty seconds ago.

Once Knight’s group defeated the Custodians by the road, he began communicating telepathically with Frederick, letting him know exactly what was going on.

Everything is moving lightning fast.

Thanks to the hallucination Lucas cast—a tractor trailer veering out of control, bearing down on them—the guards stationed out front were distracted and went down quickly.

Only a few seconds after that, Knight got word from Xavier that the guards behind the farmhouse were defeated, and his small group emerged from the battle unscathed.

By then, we were leaving the barn, racing toward the farmhouse to meet up with our allies. As part of the smaller second wave—Frederick and Cait, Ethan and Ivy, Roman and Grace, Gavril and myself—our role is to storm the basement while everyone else finishes off the Custodians on the main floor.

In mere minutes, I’ll be face to face with Nicolas. The one thing I’ve dreaded above all else, and now I’m sprinting toward it instead of fleeing.

I’ve never been more scared in my life.

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