Night had settled over the region in deep shades of dark blue, with strips of clouds partially obscuring the moon. The air was crisp and cool, sending shivers down my spine. It was close to midnight, and we all waited on the steps of Stonewall for the other members of the alliance to arrive.

Phoenix, Jovi, and Aida carefully scanned the area, while I stayed behind, next to Draven. Jax, Hansa, Anjani, and the others waited as well, occasionally exchanging words and weary glances. With every hour that passed, we hoped more fervently that we’d see everyone arrive, safe and sound.

Antara was a dangerous place, riddled with Destroyers and green fireflies, as well as incubus scouts sent by Azazel to search for us. We’d managed to keep a low profile here on the east coast, but it was only a matter of time before they found us. Getting the alliance together and drawing a plan of action needed to happen as soon as possible, so we could get our armies organized for an assault on Luceria.

“I’ve been thinking,” Draven said slowly. We’d barely spoken over the past few hours, as he’d joined the training sessions, sparring with Jax and Hansa. “About this issue with Asherak’s curse and how to end it all.”

I looked at him as he gazed out into the distance. There was something in his gray eyes that I hadn’t seen before, a dim sadness flickering in his irises. My chest tightened at the sight of him still suffering over Vita’s visions.

“If we let the Daughter sacrifice herself, Azazel will be vanquished, but we will all die,” he continued. “But if I take on Asherak’s curse and kill him, you can take the pendant away from me and kill me. Its power only works on a Druid. All you have to do is go through with it.”

My stomach churned at the thought. Fury lit me up, my heart shifting into a rapid rhythm as I struggled to keep my breathing steady. I looked away, unable to handle the flurry of emotions coming from Draven—a mixture of pain, resignation, and heartbreaking sadness. He’d come to terms with his potential demise, instead of looking for a way out. It made me so angry.

“Not even touching that,” I managed to say. “Don’t even think about it, Draven.”

“Think about the world you’d be saving if you ended this with me. Your brother will live, your friends will live, all those who fight beside us today will see another day, in a free Eritopia. I’ve dedicated my whole life to this. I can’t let it be me who destroys it and—”

“I love you, Draven,” I said, no longer afraid to speak those words. “And the reason I fell in love with you is because you’re a fighter, and, despite what you may think of yourself, you always see the better path. I am not letting you die—let’s get that straight. We will find another way. You’re the only reason I’m still here and not six feet under a magnolia tree in your garden, Draven. You came through for me when I didn’t even deserve it. I was so petulant and stubborn, I didn’t even understand why you were doing all this. I’m a better person because of you, but I am even more stubborn now, and I am not letting you die.”

I placed a heavy emphasis on the last four words, hoping to sear them directly into his brain. I meant it all. I loved him. The thought came to me so easily, I couldn’t deny it or mistake it for a temporary infatuation. What I felt for him was deep and beautiful, splendid and painful at the same time. It was intense and consuming, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Most importantly, I’d stopped imagining a life without Draven in it—that had become the stuff of nightmares for me. My body ached at the thought of losing him. My soul trembled. It was a solid no from me.

When he said nothing in return, I glanced at him. He’d been staring at me, eyes wide and flickering black, a muscle twitching in his jaw. I’d never said those three words out loud. And I never thought I would say them for the first time in such dreadful circumstances, but I couldn’t keep it in anymore. Not with him thinking about offing himself for the greater good.

I felt his heady, golden energy expand from his very core, as his gaze softened for a split second. His eyes burned into my soul, and my heart stopped. He parted his lips, but no words came out.

“Someone’s coming!” I heard Phoenix say.

It brought our moment to a grinding halt, as he blinked several times and I finally breathed in.

“This conversation is far from over,” I muttered and went to stand by my brother’s side.

Draven didn’t respond, nor did he move from his position. I put everything away for the time being, focusing solely on the meadow and forests blanketing the mainland before Stonewall. I heard several thuds in the distance, but it was too dark to see anything.

“Over there, northwest,” Phoenix added.

I used my True Sight to get a better look, as everyone else around us held a collective breath. I saw them, emerging from a tall patch of giant purple trees. Three Dearghs, massive and slow in their movements as they crossed the wide field to reach us. I recognized Inon, Zur and a third Deargh, whom I’d not met before.

“The Dearghs are here,” I said.

Aura and Almandine came rushing from the other side of the citadel. They’d been assigned to keep an eye on the waters. I could hear the waves crashing against the eastern wall.

“The Tritones!” Aura beamed at us. “They’ve made it!”

“Wonderful,” Zeriel quipped. “I’ll go fetch my generals, then!”

He went back with the young succubi, leaving us to watch the mainland again.

“Movement in the southwestern woods,” Aida said. “I can hear them. Females. Hissing.”

“Lamias,” Eva said, the corner of her mouth turning.

Indeed, I focused my True Sight on that part of the forest and saw Tamara emerging from beneath the heavy, dark green tree crowns, accompanied by two others. They looked around with caution as they came toward us.

“I can’t believe it,” I heard Anjani gasp, looking somewhere to the west. “They’ve made it, Hansa!”

Hansa came closer to her side, to look in the same direction, and grinned. I shifted my attention to the western forest border and watched the succubi from the Red Tribe come out, their crossbows loaded and ready as they cautiously ran through the tall grass. Several short creatures I’d never seen before had come with them, wobbling as they struggled to keep up with the succubi. They had small bodies, with long, arched legs and arms, their hands a few inches off the ground. Their heads were quite large, with pointy ears and tufts of hair scarcely combed over the sides. Curled horns emerged from behind their ears, growing in a curve toward the front. Their skin was pale and wrinkly, and their teeth were crooked, with sharp tips that made it look like they were constantly sneering. Their beady eyes were black, and their noses were long and angular.

And it wasn’t just the remaining Red Tribe coming—there were more succubi, with different paint colors adorning their shoulders and faces.

“Look at that, Anjani,” Hansa said. “Not only did they gather sisters from other tribes, but they even brought some imps into the fold. I’m impressed!”

“There’s Grezzi,” Jovi said, pointing to a spot slightly farther north.

I watched with a swelling heart as Grezzi emerged, accompanied by a few other incubi. One by one, our allies had made it safely to Stonewall and were crossing the meadow to reach us. The alliance was ready to have its first and most important meeting.

“The meeting hall has been prepared.” Thorn came to my side.

“So far so good, right?” Rebel chimed in with a half-smile and a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah,” I replied, impressed by the view before me, all these creatures coming together to help us destroy the deadliest threat to have come out of Eritopia since Asherak. “So far, so good…”

I swallowed back a few tears, overwhelmed by the milestone we’d managed to reach, despite the adversity and shifting circumstances. It was time to take all this to the next level.