I swallowed thickly, wondering if we were insane to be considering this, but we were the strongest Fae of our generation and we had been working to hone our fighting skills for almost a year in anticipation of this exact kind of situation.
“Should we try to find the others?” Seth asked, looking towards the door.
“Fuck knows where the Vegas and Geraldine are,” Max said. “Last I heard, Gerry was getting them to individually bless every fucking Fae down here with their touch. Tory looked less than pleased about it, but Hamish insisted too and they headed off into the tunnels with them.”
“I could probably find them,” I suggested, knowing I could shoot back and forth throughout these tunnel networks without too much difficulty though they were pretty damn extensive now.
“We could cause a panic if the rebels realise we’re leaving,” Max pointed out. “I say we just go. We all know we’re going to do it regardless, so why risk causing the army to freak out when they need to be preparing for war?”
“Yeah. I’m with Max,” I agreed, my fear for my family driving me to act now.
“We don’t have any stardust,” Darius pointed out. “But I can fly us there. It will take an hour or more from here.”
“Then let’s go,” Seth said firmly. “We’ll be back here with our families, safe and sound before the rally is even over and then they’ll be ready to fight with us too. It can’t fail.”
We looked between each other, knowing there were definitely a lot of ways that this could go to hell, but we also knew that we had no choice. This was family. They needed us.
I nodded my agreement and we all broke apart to gather our weapons and change into clothes which were fit for a fight. I snatched my twin blades from my nightstand and called out to let the others know I would meet them outside when they were ready.
It took a few circuits of the tunnels before I found Gabriel and I damn near crashed into him as he stepped into my path, a knowing look on his face.
“You’re leaving?” he asked, his tone filled with concern.
“My mom and the other Councillors are in trouble. Lionel has them headed to Acrux Manor for something bad. Can you see anything that can help us?” I asked.
Gabriel frowned as he leaned into his gifts, hunting for the answers I needed before shaking his head in defeat and offering me an apologetic look.
“That place is hidden within the shadows,” he said. “But I can see many paths for your future beyond tonight so I don’t think you will die in this endeavour. Unless something changes of course.”
“Super reassuring,” I muttered.
“I try,” he replied dryly.
“Can you tell the others where we’ve gone?”
“The twins won’t be happy,” he warned.
“No, but this is family, they’ll understand.”
He nodded and I clapped him on the arm before shooting away from him, speeding through the tunnels, out of The Burrows and through the enormous forcefield which protected this place where I found Darius already shifted into his huge golden Dragon form with Seth and Max on his back with Darius’s clothes bundled in their arms.
“Gabriel couldn’t see anything to help us,” I explained as I leapt up onto him too.
“He never can when it matters,” Seth muttered and I sighed in agreement, taking hold of one of the huge spines on Darius’s back as I settled myself behind Seth, unable to help looking at the shorn side of his hair and the braids weaving across it.
Darius took off into the sky with a defiant roar and a burst of Dragon fire which promised a swift and brutal end to anyone who stood in our way and I just hoped we could make it there in time to see that promise fulfilled.
“T his way!” Geraldine cried, leading Tory and I through the tunnels where we ran our hands over the heads of the rebels as they bowed to us to ‘bless them.’
I knew I didn’t have any kind of real power to offer a blessing, but I also knew the power of belief. And if they thought this would help, then I guessed it did.
Tory begrudgingly joined in too and I kept casting concerned glances her way, thinking of Darius, my chest crushing every time I caught sight of the pain in her eyes. It was hidden beneath a hard wall, but I could read my sister like a book. And honestly, I wanted to be done here so I could just take her flying with Gabriel and go somewhere quiet where I could hold her in my arms. Or maybe she’d want to return to Darius as soon as we could leave the rally. All I knew was that she’d just married the man she loved right after finding out that their time together was running short, and now she was having to put her heart aside in favour of the war. I hoped Lionel burned for all the destruction he’d caused when this was done.