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“With Sammi,” Eldon explains, pointing off to the left, and I see the siblings fighting side by side. This shit is intense, and I’m just standing here when there’s more to be done.

Nodding, I turn to my right, where more danger lurks from the enemy, Burton at the back, manically laughing with blood splattered across his face. But right now, he seems intent on watching the battle unfold instead of partaking like everyone else.

“What have I missed?” A light voice startles me, and the sight of Professor Figgins at my side catches me even more off-guard. I haven’t seen her since the day we broke down the compound wards together.

“Where have you been?” I ask, an accusatory glare on my face that I can’t seem to conceal.

Her cheeks turn pink as she looks down at the ground for a moment before she clears her throat and meets my stare. “Honestly, I felt the magic shift in the air and ran.”

“Doesn’t seem like you got all that far,” I state, quirking a brow as I acknowledge the fact that she’s still somehow standing before me.

Scratching at her neck, I notice that she’s in similar attire as us instead of the usual cloak and professor-esque clothes she would normally wear.

“When I got to where I was going, I decided I was in search of my number one ally before I swiftly turned around and found you all here.”

“Ally?” I ask, aware the chaos around us is getting closer. With a smirk, she points in the distance, confirming exactly why that is.

A huge monster prowls toward us with four legs, fur, and a snarly set of teeth. It’s like a cat, only one hundred times bigger.

Holy. Fuck.

“Your familiar?”

“Uh-huh. Although, I must say, I was expecting to see yours,” she pushes back, and I grin.

“He’s been waiting for my call, and I agree, maybe now is the time,” I murmur, taking a step back as I lift my hands up in the air, summoning him and the shadows, along with the Drakes, once again.

I feel the energy shift in the air as they draw near, and I barge my way through the crowd so I can have the perfect view of Burton when he sees them approach. His lip lifts in a sneer when he sees Ari leading the griffins, all together, before he fully bares his teeth at the sight of the Drakes.

That’s right, motherfucker, they’re still pledging themselves to me because I’m not dead.

But it’s when the sky darkens, all of existence solemn as shadows consume every inch of the land that surrounds us, that Burton’s stare finds mine. His hands clench at his sides as he struggles to contain the rage burning through his veins.

Come and get me, old man.

Slipping back into the throng of fighting soldiers, I block one attack from someone’s short daggers and step into a blast of flames before sinking my sword to the hilt in some random soldier intent on bringing me down.

My limbs ache, my head is foggy, and my eyes are tired, but there’s no time to rest. Not until everything is dealt with.

“Hey, Raven.” I tilt my face to the left to see Sammi jogging toward me. Her face is practically covered in blood, her clothes drenched in it too, but she pays it no mind as she nods toward where Burton stands. “I think we’re wasting time and energy taking down these men and women. They’re nothing in the grand scheme of things, innocent lives, if anything. What we really need to be doing is taking down the man controlling them.” Her stare locks on Burton, who is now flanked by Grave’s grandfather and Professor Fitch.

Fuckers.

She’s right. She’s more than right. That’s exactly where we need to be focusing all of our energy.

A hand lands on my shoulder and I glance back to see Zane staring down at me. More bodies inch closer, and I know it’s not with dangerous intent, it’s with love. I make eye contact with all of them.

Zane.

Eldon.

Creed.

Brax.

“Together?” Eldon calls before pressing a kiss to my crown, and I smile, content despite the circumstances.

“Together,” I repeat, the word soothing me and encouraging me in one breath.