Ascended (War of the Covens 3)

Trying to contain her excitement, her desperation, Caia lowered herself into a seat before them, her eyes wide and honest. “Have I not proven myself to you time and again? Do you not trust me to protect our people?”

Penelope nodded, her eyes shining bright.

One down.

“We can meet them in battle and win because all they have is hate. And believe me, our weapons are a lot stronger than hate.”

Alfred looked determined. “The Council has a very big decision to make. Perhaps you should retire to your room, Caia, and we will call for you when we have come to it.”

As soon as the bedroom door closed, Lucien drew Caia into his arms and lifted her into a searing kiss, wishing he could stay locked like that forever. She gasped when he finally let her go but hung on to him, wrapping her legs around his waist.

“What was that for?” she asked as she nuzzled his jaw and neck.

For a lot of things, he thought. But mostly for being the most extraordinary person he’d ever had the honor of knowing. He kissed her again. “For making me prouder than I have ever known.”

She smiled sweetly, blushing. “Yeah?”

Lucien nodded, chuckling at her modesty. “That was some speech.”

“Do you think they’ll say yes?”

Gods, he hoped so.

Instead of answering, he made love to her, knowing if they did say yes, he would follow Caia to that battleground. He would fight for her because he loved her; he would fight for his pack and the hope of a future in which their children could grow up untroubled by war. It was a cause he believed in. And one he was willing to die for.

30

Battle Fever

The answer was a resounding yes. Not just from the Council who had voted in Caia’s favor—except for Benedict and the elderly magik who had raised his own concerns—but from the Daylights themselves. First the Council spoke with those at the Center, and Caia was blown away by their eagerness to march into battle. When their plan to bring the war to an end was put forth, the walls shook and the floor thudded with the stamping and animalistic cries of the supernaturals. They were ready for it. This was what they’d been waiting for. Their enthusiasm eased some of the Council’s apprehension, and preparations for the spell commenced.

Not too many days after that, Caia was invited to take part in casting the spell that would request willing Daylights to fight for their cause as well as those Midnights, who would never see themselves working side by side with other supernatural races, to meet them in battle. It was a powerful moment for Caia as she joined hands with the Council and added her energy to the summons, connected to these nine people in the exhausting spell that required the combined strength of these incredibly gifted magiks.

The spell took a great amount of control and precision; their message was sent out mentally to all supernaturals and had to be called in pace with one another. A pendulum swung in the middle of the circle with a slow click to keep the time of each sentence in their minds to ensure they spoke out as one.

When at last they could be sure the message had been delivered, they broke apart, their limbs trembling with weariness.

The door to Alfred’s suite blew open, and Reuben marched inside with Lucien and Marion at his back. “We have visitors.” He grinned.

Caia shook her head, still dazed from the spell. “Visitors?” To steady herself, she grabbed hold of Lucien’s arm as soon as he reached her.

Marion smiled triumphantly. “Daylights who want to fight.”

Alfred scowled. “Why are they here now? We gave them the battle date, which isn’t for another two weeks.”

Reuben was grinning from cheek to cheek, rubbing his hands excitedly. “Some of them want to train with the best.”

Caia couldn’t help but smile back at him. The vampyre had been waiting an especially long time for this moment. Last night he had presented her with a gift.

“What is it?” She’d eyed the black box suspiciously.

Reuben shrugged. “A token of my gratitude.”

Tentatively, she took the box and opened it to reveal a tiny, ancient coin. “Reuben?”

“It belonged to my mother. It was one of the two coins that should’ve been placed upon her eyes when she died to pay for her passage into the Underworld. When Hades made her a vampyre, she took revenge upon her father who had thought so little of her to leave her unprotected in the afterlife. She became a monster because of him. She took these coins from him after she drained him, and she carried them with her always as a reminder of who she was. I think it offered her forgiveness when no one and nothing else could. When I was ten, she gave me this one and told me to always remember who I was and to never be ashamed of it.”