We got back to Meredrin after our first incursion into Azure Heights. I felt horrible for leaving Caia and Blaze behind, and I partially resented Hansa, Jax, Harper, and Nevis for not telling us about their plan to serve them up to the Mara Lords. On the other hand, I understood why they’d gone about things this way. It didn’t feel right, but I got it.

I barely slept that night, despite being wrapped up in Heron’s arms and huddled beneath soft layers of bedcovers and furs. He was the only creature who kept me somewhat calm, adequately settled somewhere between angry and determined, with the right amount of each to focus on stage two of the mission.

I worried about Velnias, too. Sure, the guy was a huge daemon with plenty of warfare experience and the purveyor of many a nightmare in Draconis prisons, but I still spared him some thought, hoping he was okay and either on his way back to Meredrin or waiting for us back in Azure Heights. Him staying behind had not been part of the plan—we’d simply been overwhelmed by the number of Correction Officers ready to intervene.

We’d thought the Maras weren’t expecting us to go back into the city, but they had sure gone to the trouble of being extra vigilant in case we did.

In the morning, we all met downstairs in the dining room to recap the mission so far and prepare for the next steps. This was a team effort. We all had our parts to play, and each was important and downright crucial to our overall success. If we wanted to deal a substantial blow to Azure Heights and recover Lumi, each of us had to pitch in. Fortunately, none of us had a problem with that.

Judging by the looks on everyone’s faces, they’d all slept as little as Heron and I had. Technically speaking, we really only needed to rest every twelve hours or so. However, given the intensity of our tasks and the constant stress of watching our backs to avoid capture, none of us could be blamed for wanting that extra hour of sleep.

To my surprise, Dion had brought Alles downstairs. The young Iman looked a lot better than he had the day before. He seemed alert and fully conscious of his surroundings, a clear sign that the Maras’ activated mind-bending had finally worn off. He’d been normal until he was awakened and set to turn on us, much like a sleeper cell. Now, however, he was quiet and ashamed as he sat in a corner, mostly out of sight, almost hiding behind Dion as the rest of us gathered around the table. I felt bad for him.

Scarlett and Patrik stayed closer to the door, while Hundurr and Rover sat outside, listening in. The pit wolves were too large to fit through the actual doorframe. Hansa and Jax stretched several maps out on the table, while Nevis, Neha, and Colton analyzed them. Pheng-Pheng and Arrah stayed close, somewhat bonded after their experience in the Palisade. The rest of the Druid delegation, along with Vesta, Peyton, and Wyrran, stood facing the door, on the other side of the rectangular dinner table.

“So far, so good,” Hansa said, pulling her rich, curly black hair into a loose bun. “We’ve got Harper in the city, though we don’t yet know where she’s kept, exactly. My immediate guess is the Palisade. Based on what intel you’ve gathered, that basement was designed for high-value prisoners, warded all over.”

Fiona nodded slowly. Zane was standing right behind her, unable to take his eyes off her. The daemon prince was head over heels, and, based on Fiona’s permanent blush, she was totally on board with that. Given our circumstances, I wasn’t exactly surprised. We’d all bonded and gotten closer to one another—not just romantically, but also as friends. For example, after everything that Zane had abandoned to help us, I was more than ready to burn this entire planet down, if that’s what it took to keep him safe.

“The walls are reinforced with meranium,” Fiona replied. “There are swamp witch charms and hidden traps everywhere. I doubt they’d bother to get her out of there.”

“Which kind of works for us,” Jax muttered, crossing his arms as he looked at the city map. “We know Lumi is in the Palisade, too. I’m not sure they’ve got a safer place in which to keep her. I don’t think they’ll move her from there, even though they know, by now, that we’re aware of her location. After all, from your group, only Harper got captured.”

“They’ll probably strengthen security in and around the building, at most,” Peyton said, then briefly glanced at Caspian, who was dark and gloomy in the opposite corner. “Lord Kifo would tell you more about the Palisade himself, but his blood oath won’t permit it. The basement holds approximately fifty rooms, sprawling on two underground levels, deeper into the mountain. Chances are there will be more prisoners in the other rooms, though I’m not sure who they are or what the Lords’ plans for them are. It’s independent from the prison, so I’ve never really understood its purpose.”

“Either way, the situation as it stands is working to our advantage. We’ve got Harper close to Lumi. We’ve got charms and explosive charges planted all over the city, thanks to Patrik’s team,” Hansa replied, then gave Patrik, Scarlett, Heron, and me an appreciative nod. “And we’ve got Caia and Blaze with the Mara Lords, listening and gathering intel, while keeping them busy until we implement stage two.”

“In short, for the time being, we hold the advantage,” Nevis interjected. “Our soldiers are positioned all over the gorge, hidden and ready to strike,” he added. “All we need is a signal.”

“We agreed on an Adlet flare for every squadron to leave the Valley of Screams and converge on the mountain,” Hansa said, and Colton nodded in agreement. “We still have two of those.”

“True, but we shouldn’t strike before Shaytan gets there,” Neha replied. “We did our job of nurturing discord between the Lords and the king of daemons. We need them in the same place if we’re to deliver an effective blow.”

Jax scratched the back of his head, frowning as he stared at a map of Azure Heights. “We’ll need eyes on the city, then. It may not happen today, though. I don’t know how long it’ll take for the Lords to get Shaytan into Azure Heights. They may need a day or two to prepare for his arrival. You know, laying traps and everything. I doubt they’d meet him without some kind of contingency in place.”

“Wait, you’re saying Harper, Caia, and Blaze will be stuck in Azure Heights until Shaytan gets his huge ass into the city?” I snapped, still irritated from yesterday.

Hansa sighed. “We may not have any other choice. We can’t squander the few resources we have on just half of our problem. Shaytan and the Lords need to be there when we strike. Otherwise we risk the daemon king coming up from behind, and, trust me, the last thing you want is a horde of daemons up your ass.”

It was my turn to sigh. She had a point. We had a better chance of crippling the enemy if all the leaders were in the same place.

“Obviously, Shaytan will have armed guards with him, as well as invisible backup,” Jax added. “But it’s better if they’re caught unprepared, while quarreling among themselves. Our allies will provide the brute force, while we infiltrate and attack from the inside. We’ve got Caia and Blaze as elements of surprise, already. And we’ll have a separate team to handle Lumi and Harper’s extraction.”

Caspian stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the map. “I’ll lead that team,” he said, then looked at Fiona, Zane, Heron, and me. “But I’ll need backup, and I trust you four will be able to provide it. That is, of course, if Hansa and Jax approve it.”

“We do. It seems reasonable,” Hansa replied. “But you’ll need to find out where they’re keeping Harper in the Palisade. You may have to split into two subgroups to cover ground effectively.”

Just then, Hundurr and Rover growled. Scarlett rushed out of the room to see what they were agitated about. We heard her shush them. She came back, joined by an Exiled Mara we didn’t recognize. She’d already drawn her sword, keeping it close to his throat as they stopped in the doorway.

“That may not be necessary,” the newcomer said.

He wasn’t armed, but he wore a Correction Officer patch on his arm. My first instinct was to draw my weapon, worried we were going to be ambushed.

Peyton rushed to the door and positioned himself in front of the Exiled Mara, his arms out in a defensive gesture. Upon a brief examination of the room, I noticed everyone’s instincts had led to the same reaction, as they were all gripping their sword handles, ready to take them out and cut down the enemy.

“Don’t hurt him, please!” Peyton said. “I know him. He’s a friend.”

“What is he doing here?” Hansa replied, her brow furrowed.

The Mara offered a confident smirk in return. “I’m Aymon,” he said, “and I’m here to help you.”

“Help us how?” I asked, my shoulders relaxing.

“Aymon is a spy,” Peyton replied. “He works with us. He’s on the Palisade detail.”

In light of that new development, I couldn’t help but smile. Maybe Jax was right. Maybe this was definitely our chance to bring the alliance of Exiled Maras and daemons to an end, once and for all.

With one of their own on our side, victory felt closer than ever before. Hope was a fickle and treacherous thing, but I had to give it a try. We’d been through enough already.

Maybe Aymon was the final nudge we needed to tip the scales in our favor. Permanently.