22. Evelyn

22

Evelyn

S unday rolled around, bringing clear skies and a perfect day for training. I’d invited a few friends to join the session: Adrien, who was quickly becoming a master shielder, and Raven, whose spellcasting abilities would be invaluable. They had insisted on being included, and despite my desire to protect them, there was no convincing them otherwise.

To my surprise, Ryker had invited Viper. The cocky shifter sauntered over, his usual air of confidence intact, though something about him seemed slightly more approachable.

Viper smirked as he rolled his shoulders. “So, what’s the plan, crazy witch? Gonna hex me mid-spar?”

I scoffed, stretching my arms. “Nah. Thought I’d give you a fighting chance.”

Viper chuckled. “How generous of you.”

“Don’t get used to it,” I said. “You know, I think you might actually be starting to like me.”

Viper scoffed. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

“That wasn’t a no.”

For a second, he looked like he wanted to argue—but instead, he just grumbled and walked away, shaking his head.

After introductions were made, everyone began settling into the training drills Rafe had us doing, the energy buzzing with exertion.

Adrien couldn’t stop doing double-takes at his brother; his brows knitted in confusion. Finally, he blurted out, “Okay, seriously, what’s up with you?” His gaze locked on Lucien. “You’re grinning like a fool. It’s…weird.”

I suppressed a laugh as Lucien’s smile only grew wider.

Chad leaned in with a sly grin. “Oh, he’s in love. That’s what’s got him all soft and smiley.”

Adrien groaned. “Yeah, no kidding. But why is he smiling now ?” His sharp gaze turned to me, then back to Lucien. “Wait. Don’t tell me you finally told her.”

“I did,” Lucien replied, grabbing my hand with affection.

I couldn’t hide the smile that spread across my cheeks. “Yep,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant but failing miserably. “Lucien and I are fated mates. He was just…a little late to the party.”

Adrien shook his head, though his grin stayed in place. “I’m glad you pulled your head out of your ass, brother.”

Chad snickered.

Before anyone could say more, Zade stepped in, his voice cutting through the chatter. “Alright, lovebirds,” he drawled, his eyes narrowing with mock impatience. “Less chitchatting, more training. Unless you’d rather exchange love letters than practice.”

Chad groaned dramatically, “Oh, come on, Zade. Don’t ruin the moment.”

Zade lifted an eyebrow ever so slightly. “Moments won’t save your lives.”

The courtyard fell silent, the weight of his words pressing down on us. We all knew he was right. The past weeks had been a whirlwind of preparation, and every second counted. Yet, the waiting had made us restless, and small moments of levity were the only things keeping us sane.

“Zade’s right,” I said, breaking the tension. “We need to be ready.”

“What if we trained as a group, like last time?” Rafe suggested.

“Oh, that sounds like fun!” Raven chimed in.

Chad whooped, his eyes lighting up. “Yes! That was so awesome last time.”

“Alright,” Rafe began, stepping forward to take charge. “We’ll follow a similar strategy but incorporate more obstacles. First, let’s focus on basic formations and team coordination.” His gaze swept over the group, firm but encouraging. “We’re going to fight a goddess with powers beyond anything we’ve faced before. Mastering spells will be crucial, but not all of us are witches. For those who can’t wield spells, we’ll rely on Lucien’s potions, Adrien’s shields, and any other advantages we can create.” He gestured to the clearing. “But before we dive into that, we need to learn how to move as a unit. Timing and coordination could mean the difference between life and death. Any objection?”

Everybody shook their heads.

“Okay, then.” Rafe met his brother’s gaze. A small, knowing smile. “Zade, why don’t you take command of defensive strategy? We’ll need someone with your experience to assess our weaknesses and teach us how to shore them up.”

Zade crossed his arms, his jaw tightening with that familiar hint of exasperation as if he couldn’t believe he had to lower himself to this. Then his gaze swept over each one of us as though silently cataloging every weakness.

“Fine. But don’t expect me to coddle anyone.” He turned his attention to me, his eyes sharp. “And Evelyn, careful with that lightning of yours. I’d rather not get electrocuted by accident.”

I rolled my eyes, a grin spreading across my face. “Relax, Zade. I’ll save the lightning for the enemy. But if anyone deserves a little zap, well…”

A ghost of a smile flashed across his face before he returned to his usual guarded expression. “Just don’t make me regret participating in this.”

Rafe instructed us, “Evelyn and Raven, you’ll be at the center. Ryker and Viper, you’ll flank them on either side. Your speed and strength will be crucial in close-quarters combat. As for Chad, you’ll be our scout. Your hellhound form gives you enhanced senses and speed. Use them to alert us to any incoming threats.”

Chad gave a mock salute. “Got it. Scouting duty—my favorite.”

Rafe’s eyes swept over the group as he continued, “Like last time, I’ll provide aerial support. Lucien, your potions and spells will be our tactical advantage. Stay behind Evelyn, like before. Adrien, you should also stay back to conjure a shield if needed.”He paused, thinking for a moment before addressing Alister.“Alister, you’ll coordinate our movements from a protected position. Your centuries of combat experience are invaluable.”

Alister stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with determination. “I may be human now, but I’m far from helpless.”

“Alright then,” Rafe cut in, clapping his hands to command our focus and break the tension. “Let’s run through some drills.” With a wave of his hand, shimmering figures materialized around us—faceless, ethereal warriors armed with an array of weapons, ready to put us to the test.

My heart pounded with anticipation, and the fire built within me as I gripped my sword. Although this was only a drill, it felt like so much more—a chance to prove ourselves and prepare for the battle looming on the horizon.

“Let’s show Eris what we’re made of!” I called out.

“Ready?” Rafe called.

“Born ready!” Chad whooped, already shifting into his massive hellhound form.

I took a deep breath, feeling the fire crackling within me. “Let’s do this.”

Adrenaline surged through my veins, and I tightened my grip on my sword. The air buzzed with tension as we prepared for battle.

“Remember,” Rafe called out, his voice cutting through the chaos, “communicate and watch each other’s backs!”

I nodded, taking up my position in the center beside Raven. Ryker and Viper flanked us, their muscles bulging and ready to spring into action. Chad circled the perimeter in his massive hellhound form, nose to the ground, sniffing for threats.

The first wave of shimmering figures charged at us. I swung my sword in a wide arc, cleaving through two of them as Raven conjured a spell and hurled it at the oncoming threat. She wasn’t fast enough, but Viper was there instantly, taking it out with a swift, calculated kick.

“Thanks, Viper!” Raven shouted as he slipped back into formation, moving in perfect sync with Ryker as they dismantled foes with terrifying precision.

“Incoming from the left!” Rafe’s voice rang out from above.

I spun just in time to see a group of warriors materializing. Before I could react, a shimmering shield sprang up, deflecting their attacks.

“I’ve got you covered,” Adrien called out, his focus unwavering as he maintained the shield.

“Nice save!” I shouted back.

Suddenly, Lucien’s voice rang out. “Duck!”

We all dropped instinctively as glass vials arced over our heads, shattering on impact and releasing clouds of thick, swirling smoke. When the haze cleared, the attacking figures vanished, leaving only the scorched ground behind.

“Damn,” Chad whistled, momentarily shifting back to human form. “Remind me never to piss you off, Professor.”

Lucien’s lips twitched into an amused smirk. “Noted.”

The battle raged on, with warriors pressing in from all sides. Rafe soared overhead, raining down celestial energy and calling out enemy positions. Zade flickered in and out of the shadows, his presence unnervingly ghost-like, appearing when we needed him most to turn the tide. His shadow-shifting still made me shiver, but I was glad he was on our side.

Alister, despite being human, proved his worth. His centuries of combat experience shone as he directed our movements, spotting enemy patterns I would have missed.

“Evelyn, on your six!” he shouted.

I spun around, blade flashing, and took down the figure creeping up behind me. “Thanks,” I panted, flashing him a grateful smile.

He nodded, already scanning for the next threat. “Ryker, shift now! We need air support!”

With a roar that shook the ground, Ryker transformed into his massive dragon form, obsidian scales glinting under the fading sunlight. Alister vaulted onto his back with surprising agility, and they soared into the sky.

The battle reached a fever pitch, with ethereal warriors pressing in from all sides. Just when I thought we might be overwhelmed, Alister’s voice rang out from above, “Now, Evelyn! Use your lightning!”

Without hesitation, I raised my sword high and channeled every ounce of power I had. The air thickened with the scent of ozone, crackling with anticipation. Lightning exploded from my blade in a blinding web, vaporizing the warriors in a flash and leaving the world momentarily silent.

When the light faded, I stood in the courtyard’s center, panting with my friends. We were battered and exhausted but undefeated.

“Holy shit,” Raven breathed, wiping sweat from her brow. “That was intense.”

Chad nodded, shifting back to human form, grinning ear to ear. “But we did it. We held our own.”

Zade approached, his usual disdainful expression softened ever so slightly. “Not bad,” he said, which was high praise from him. “But don’t get cocky. The real thing will be much worse.”

“Way to kill the mood, Zade,” Chad muttered, but his grin never wavered.

Ryker, the dragon, disappeared behind a tree to change before reemerging in human form and wearing a pair of joggers.

“Zade’s right,” Rafe agreed. “You all did well, but we need more practice if we’re going to stand a chance.”

Alister stepped forward. “With more training, we just might survive this.”

I nodded. “We will survive this.”

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