Zahra stepped away and looked to Tegan. “Bothof you come for me,” she said before she turned and fled down the corridor.
Michael watched her go before he turned to Tegan. “I think she likes you,” he said lightly, trying to ease the tension and worry.
“What’s not to like?” Tegan winked as she opened the doors, and they headed outside.
“I always knew Sloane would be a bad influence on you,” he laughed as they walked down to the main tent at the foot of the drive where the command area had been set up.
When they got there, both of them knew that any lightness they had felt on the way down was over. The tent hummed with activity. Marcus and Salem studied a map with Commander Bryce while Cord moved pieces of wood over it, strategizing. Tove stood slightly behind Marcus, talking to Garrick but not too far so that the male Lycan’s hand was still entwined with her own. Keeping her close to him.
Leonid and Dark Prime Castor Lucas had their heads bent together and seemed to be in a heated conversation.
The Three stood and watched them all, but mostly their attention was on Cord, the bearer of the Mark of Velvore.
“The Ravens,” the Sisters announced, causing the rest of the room to still as Tegan and Michael stood awkwardly at the entrance.
Salem straightened before he crossed the room to his children. “We’ve been waiting.”
“Zahra came to say good luck, to us both,” Michael replied easily.
Salem frowned. “She was supposed to be gone by now,” he said as he turned to look at Garrick.
“My wife will make sure she is safe,” Garrick assured him. “It is natural she wants to see her brother and sister before battle.”
Tegan shifted her feet slightly before her eyes met Cord’s, who was staring back at her. His slow smile made her flush, and she quickly averted her eyes.
“They are here,” the Three said as one as they turned to look out as if they could see through the tent.
Leonid came to stand beside his daughter. “You will be safe?” he asked.
“I will try,” Tegan said softly. Leonid smiled and then, to her surprise, embraced her. “I will see you at the end,” she said quietly as she returned his embrace.
Leonid was to be near Cord, but he also had several hundred Made to command. He would not be beside her in battle. His eyes flicked to Salem’s, an unspoken message being sent, before he turned and left the tent.
“The Castors are ready?” Cord asked Lucas and Garrick. “They will come with illusions, and we need to be ready to shatter them.”
“They know their orders,” Lucas said as he hesitated before leaving. “You cannot let it rule you, not today,” he cautioned Cord.
Tegan looked at Cord with worry. The last two days, he had shown no strain from the Mark. When they had been in bed together, she had studied the Mark closely as her fingers had traced every inch of his skin. Cord returned her look, the bond letting him know where her mind was, and his frown at Lucas’s words smoothed away as he watched his bonded in amusement, her cheeks pink.
“I’m in control,” Cord told Lucas, tearing his gaze off her. Tegan did not miss the look from the Three to her, she just chose to ignore it.
“Little tiger?” Cord asked as he held his hand out. Tegan crossed the room to his side, ignoring all as he dipped his head to kiss her lips lightly. “I cannot be beside you,” he said as he cupped the side of her face, “but I will bewithyou.”
“And I you,” Tegan whispered as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him back. “You are the Mark and the Mark is you,” she told him as she kissed him a final time. “Do not forget, Cord Lebedev, who you are.”
“It is time,” the Three spoke.
Briefly Tegan clasped Tove’s hand, and then they walked out of the tent to face and fight the army of Darkness.
* * *
Tegan staggered. Instinctively, she swung her sword and met the talons sweeping down towards her, blocking the blow as her dagger in her left hand jutted upwards into the Drakhyn’s throat. The ringing in her ears was confusing, and she shook her head again to clear it. It didn’t work, only making her vision blur and her feet stumble.
“Tegan!” Michael screamed in the distance in warning, and she spun, her sword ready but sloppy. Still she managed to defend herself.
The smoke and mist was disorienting, the smoke stinging her eyes.
Akrhyn fought with honour and weapons. Swords, daggers, knives, kali sticks and sometimes bows and arrows. They did not use the modernised machinery from the human world. Their enemy, the Drakhyn, relied on their fangs and their talons.