Page 71 of Freed Wolfsbane

I didn’t know that was a worry about the bulletproof vests. Well, that’s a new fear unlocked, thanks, Bastian.

We’re all wearing vests and dressed in identical black cargo pants, black compression shirts, and black combat boots. Everyone else here is dressed the same. Even the shifters are wearing the bullet protection because of how heavily armed the Knights are. We fully expect the vests will get shredded from shifting at some point, but it’s a small price to pay to keep as many of us safe as we can be.

In my bulletproof vest, I have the pyramid-shaped crystal we found in the crypt and the potion Nan made us. I hope we won’t have to use it, but it’s better to have it just in case.

For the actual attack, we’re pairing a mage with multiple shifters. The mages can maintain defensive spells that deflect most of the bullets while the shifters can use their superior speed and strength, plus their claws and teeth to tear apart the Knights. By breaking up the various species, we should have our abilities evenly spread throughout the whole city.

I’m surprised how well everyone is getting along. No fights have broken out this morning, which is unusual for groups that hate each other’s guts. Mages think they’re superior to everyone else, and shifters think mages are a bunch of stuck-up posers. Yet I see mages and shifters chatting, laughing, and even sharing snacks with each other.

It would warm my heart to see the mages and shifters, both parts of my heritage, mingling in any other circumstances. As it is, it’s hard to feel anything but grim anticipation. My blood feels like icy sludge in my veins as I try not to picture everything that can and probably will go wrong.

We lapse into silence, all of us lost in our thoughts. At some point, Rhys breaks away from the mages he was talking with to stalk over to us. He stops in front of me and runs an assessing eye over my outfit. While all the guys look like total badasses in their all-black getup, I look goofy in my too-big vest that swallows me.

“You all ready to go, Briar?” Rhys asks once he’s satisfied that I’m wearing the proper gear.

I give him a wry grin. “As ready as I can be.”

By that, I mean not at all. I could prepare for this for years or even decades and still not feel ready, so this is probably as good as it will get.

His lips tip up in a reassuring half smile as he reads between the lines of what I said. “I know you haven’t done this before, so it’s understandable to be concerned. Honestly, you probably won’t see a lot of action. You won’t be on the front lines, and we have three teams assigned to you guys to get you where you need to go with the least interference from the Knights. It should all go pretty smoothly for you.”

“Should” being the operative word. If everything goes as we expect it to, that would be fantastic. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything go according to plan in my life, so I’m not getting my hopes up that it’ll be as easy as Rhys says it will.

I return his smile with a small one of my own. It falls when I think about how many people he’s assigning to us. “Are you sure we need three teams? I feel like one would be enough. I’m sure those teams can be better used elsewhere.”

“I’m sure. As soon as the Knights realize you’re there, they’re going to swarm you. Most of us will probably migrate to fight around you anyway, but the three teams from the start ensure that you aren’t picked off immediately. Honestly, if you didn’t have the power that you do, I’d be tempted to assign more. You will use your full power during the fight, right?” Rhys’s brows pull down in concern as he waits for my answer.

I nod. “Yeah.”

I really don’t want to reveal the fact that I’m the only hybrid, other than Ava, that we know of to a bunch of supernaturals I don’t know, but I doubt I’ll have much choice. I’ll use whatever power is needed to keep the people I care about safe, consequences be damned.

Hopefully the mages that work for Rhys are chill and won’t report me to the council, though. I’d like to be finished fighting for our lives for a while once I break the curse.

He shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels. “All right. Well, if you don’t need anything else, we’re ready to roll out.”

I shake my head. “I’m good.” I hesitate a moment before tacking on, “And thanks, Rhys.”

He already partially turned around, but he spins back to face me, his head tilted curiously. “For what?”

“For being willing to fight with us. For coming to find me. And for caring.” He’s been at the Wyldhart mansion most days for over a month, helping solve a problem that doesn’t directly affect him.

Rhys shrugs. “You’re an easy person to care about. Nothing to thank me for.”

I refrain from snorting, because I’m not an easy person to care for. I’m pretty sure caring about me is more trouble than it’s worth, but I’m not going to argue with him.

“If you ever need anything, we’ll help, no questions asked,” Malachi rumbles from behind me. He sticks his hand out for Rhys to shake.

Rhys takes Malachi’s offered hand and gives him a genuine grin. “I appreciate it. Hopefully I’ll never have to take you up on that offer. Though, knowing my little sister’s luck, I probably will have to.” He shakes his head at himself and stalks off.

Vale reaches over to clap the closest Wyldhart brother on the back, which just so happens to be Xander. “You heard the mage, boys and Bee. Let’s go make sure all the shifters are ready to go, and then we can get this show on the road.”

The guys tug me along with them as they check in on the various shifter groups. Everyone seems to be buzzing with excitement at the opportunity to fight the Knights. Maybe because I’ve spent way too much time with the Knights over the past months, I can’t seem to muster the same enthusiasm.

After we make sure everyone is ready, Rhys and fifteen other mages open portals to the beach Jad gave us coordinates for. I’m pretty sure it’s the same dock as last time. Shifters and mages start pouring through the portals.

We’re some of the last ones to go through, and I’m unsurprised to see familiar white-sand beaches and inky ocean waters that seem to stretch on forever. What does surprise me is the entire fleet of modern-looking fishing boats waiting for us. They all look in much better shape than the one we took to the hidden city a few days ago.

Jad is waiting for us on the dock, his sharp brown eyes glowering at anyone who dares get too close. He’s leaning slightly on his cane as he scans the crowd for something, his white hair blowing in the gentle breeze. When he spots us, his face lights up, and he starts hobbling in our direction.

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