Page 70 of Fated for Dawn

Rafe squeezed my shoulder. “You’ve got this.”

I took a steadying breath and stepped forward. The crowd parted, creating a path for me. As I walked, I caught snippets of conversations.

“That’s her—”

“—took down an entire horde—”

“—saved the Academy—”

My cheeks burned. I wasn’t used to this kind of attention. I’d been practically invisible a few months ago…or a year ago.

A tall, willowy woman with iridescent hair stepped forward, her hypnotic beauty impossible to ignore. She bowed, radiating the unnatural grace of a siren.

Why the hell is she bowing?

“Evelyn Everhart,” she said, her voice reverent. “We’ve come to offer our allegiance.”

“Uh, thanks. But…we don’t have an army or anything.”

A burly werewolf growled, “You’ve got us now.”

“Evelyn!” Raven’s voice called out as she hurried over, her father trailing behind her with a reluctant but resigned expression. She beamed at me. “So, I told Dad I was joining the fight, and, well…you know me—too stubborn to take no for an answer.”

Her father sighed, shaking his head with a faint smile. “She wouldn’t budge. Not even for her old man. So, here I am—joining in if only to keep her out of trouble.” His tone was light,but the protective glint in his eyes said otherwise. “It’s good to see you again, Evelyn.”

I returned his smile, though I could sense the tension behind his words. “Good to see you too, Mr. Foster.”

He raised a hand to stop me. “Henry. Just Henry. And for the record, I’d rather Raven not be here at all, but, well…” He glanced at his daughter, his expression softening despite himself. “There’s no stopping her once she’s made up her mind.”

Raven grinned, unapologetic, her excitement practically vibrating off her. “So, what’s the plan?”

“Ah. Well. We haven’t discussed that yet.” I glanced over at Alister, hoping he’d step in.

Alister, ever the diplomat, stepped onto the steps of the Academy and addressed the crowd. “Thank you all for coming. Your support means more than you know. We face a great challenge, but together, we can overcome it. We will vanquish Goddess Eris and restore balance—with Hecate’s chosen champion.” He extended a hand toward me, beckoning me to join him.

I was going to kill that man…or at least make him regret this.

Reluctantly, I stepped up beside him.

“Would you like to say something, Evelyn?”

Yep. Definitely killing him.

My heart pounded as I scanned the crowd. Dozens of eager faces stared back at me, their eyes filled with hope, expectation—and something I wasn’t sure I deserved.

“Uh,” I stammered. “Hi.”

Great start, Evelyn.

I cleared my throat, trying to steady the quiver in my voice.

“Thank you all for coming,” I began, forcing myself to meet their gazes. “But let me be clear—we’re equals here. No one’s above anyone else.”

A murmur of agreement rippled through the group.

“Zade, Rafe, and Alister have extensive experience in battles. They’ll be leading the planning.” Alister raised an eyebrow but kept quiet as I continued, the words coming easier now. “We’re here to stop Goddess Eris and to get Lia back.”

Some cheers erupted from the crowd, though I noticed a few uneasy glances. Not everyone believed Lia was innocent, considering her mother’s role in all this.

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