Chapter Thirty-Two
Lia
We’ve made it to our destination.
Another campsite. Another forest.
If I survive this war, I’m never stepping foot in a forest again.
Everyone moves slowly, fatigue etched into every step as we unload gear and supplies from the truck. We head deeper into the woods, tongues of fire lick at the darkness.
Bonfires cast long shadows across clusters of tents, dozens of them scattered across the clearing. Smoke coils into the sky, carrying the scent of burning pine and grilled meat.
Carter leads the way, nodding at the few people still awake. Most are already zipped inside their tents, but a handful linger near the fires, their faces glowing orange under the dancing flames.
“Where is Elijah?” I ask, glancing around the campsite.
Kylo jerks his chin toward a man leaning against a sleek, hot-red Camaro parked off the main trail. “That’s Elijah.”
He stands tall and composed, arms crossed over his chest like he has nothing to prove.
His short curls are perfectly trimmed, as if chaos hasn’t touched him. A tan jacket fits cleanly over a black shirt, paired with black jeans and boots. Amber-kissed eyes stand out against his dark skin, fixing on mine for a brief moment before sliding away like I was never there at all.
“What’s with the ‘69 Camaro?” Zayne asks.
“The Aether Hunters wouldn’t expect a flashy sports car,” Elijah says. His South African accent curls around the words, rich with a hint of sunbaked gravel.
“Welcome, my friends,” Elijah announces, his gaze sweeping over the group before landing on me. His eyes linger, calculating and curious, before he nods.
He grips Zayne’s hand and pulls him into a quick hug, clapping his back. “Good to see you, brother.”
Carter and Elijah lock into a hug, holding on until the tension drains from their shoulders. Then Carter pulls the woman beside him into an embrace.
Long orange-red braids cascade down her back, catching the light. Curious light-brown eyes meet mine as she smiles. Freckles dust her caramel cheeks like constellations.
She’s stunning.
“That’s Seraphina,” Kylo says. “Elijah’s wife.”
She’s as tall as Elijah, her presence every bit as arresting.
Elijah gives Kylo a half hug. The stiffness in Kylo’s shoulders tells me he doesn’t do hugs.
“Your assumption is correct.”
Seraphina steps forward and wraps me in a hug.
“Hello,” she says with a melodic voice, her South African accent softening each syllable.
Kylo draws me closer. “Elijah—this is Lia. Lia, meet Elijah.”
Elijah gives a small nod, the corners of his mouth lifting. “Good to meet you. Welcome to our camp.”
Elijah and Seraphina walk hand in hand toward a large tent set up beside the Camaro.
The rest of us get to work setting up. Kylo handles it effortlessly; he uses his telekinesis to direct supplies while the rest of us secure stakes into the ground.
We end up with two tents—Zayne and Carter in one, Kylo and me in the other.
A small lantern casts a golden glow across the area, like a firefly in the dark.
We’re supposed to sleep, but after the long drive, the restlessness, and the dread of what tomorrow might bring, rest feels impossible.
“I can command you to sleep,” he murmurs, pressing his chest to my back.
His body heat wraps around me as he slips an arm around my waist.
“By using mind manipulation?” I tease.
He hums under his breath, low and drowsy. “Or you could relax and close your eyes.”
His hand traces slow, soothing circles across my stomach.
A faint snore fills the tent a moment later.
He didn’t last long.
I sink into him, letting the comfort of his presence lull me to sleep.
“There you are.” Kylo’s voice is low and amused, pulling me awake.
I groan, exhaustion still lodged deep in my muscles. “It’s too soon. Let me sleep.” I tug the blanket over my face.
He laughs, peeling it away. “How’d you sleep?”
“Like I imagine normal people sleep.” I yawn and stretch. “No nightmares. No Draven.”
“You needed the rest.” He removes his shirt. “Let’s get dressed, eat, and pack up. Elijah and Carter are calling a briefing for everyone.”
“How do you know?”
“Telepathy. We’ve been talking all morning.”
“Right. That’s… useful.”
We pack up our tent quickly. The stars are still faintly visible, strewn across the sky like confetti. As promised, we’re up before sunrise, the moon fading as dawn approaches.
It reminds me of stargazing with Leo when we were kids—lying in the sand, hands behind our heads, making up stories about constellations and what the stars might mean.
“Hungry?” Zayne asks, tossing a few protein bars our way. Kylo catches two, his fingers brushing mine as he passes one over. I peel the wrapper and take a bite, knowing this might be the only opportunity I’ll have to eat today.
“If the mission goes as planned, we’ll be back here tonight with food,” Kylo says.
“And the mission is?”
“Carter and Elijah will brief us.” He takes my hand and leads me toward Elijah’s car, where the others are gathering.
All of Elijah’s warriors are dressed in matching tactical gear—black and deep charcoal fabric reinforced with matte armor plates.
Each uniform is marked by a gleaming gold emblem at the center of the chest. The emblem reflects the firelight as they walk, shaped like a coiled serpent wrapped around a flame.
“What does their crest stand for?” I ask Kylo.
“A symbol of power, discipline, and unity.”
“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. Didn’t think you’d show,” Carter calls out to Kylo.
Kylo flips him off.
“Here’s the plan,” Elijah announces, his voice commanding and clear as it rolls across the camp. “There are two ways we can infiltrate their compound without being detected. We’ll need to split into two groups. Group A will sneak in through this underground tunnel.”
As he speaks, Seraphina and Carter hold up the blueprints for everyone to see. Elijah gestures to a section on the page, but instead of looking at the parchment, my eyes are drawn to him. Kylo catches me staring and rolls his eyes, one brow lifting in mock disapproval.
Oops.
“There’s an access shaft at the end of the tunnel that leads directly into their training room,” Elijah continues. “However, according to Akira, that room is rarely empty. That means Group B will need to cause a distraction outside to draw the Aether Hunters away.”
Won’t they get attacked?
“Yes. They will,” Elijah says.
Wait… did he just—
“Yes,” Kylo mutters beside me, answering my unfinished thought.
Thankfully, both Elijah and Kylo turn their attention back to the plans as the briefing continues.
“Group B will create a distraction and initiate the attack,” Elijah says. “That group will break into two smaller units. One will keep the fight going outside, the other will slip in and assist Group A from the inside. Clear?”
Everyone around the fire nods in grim silence.
“We’re divided into teams based on skill.” Elijah pulls out two papers. “These are the names of my soldiers, and the teams I’ve assigned them to.”
“I’ve split mine as well,” Carter adds.
My heart stalls.
“Lia and Kylo will go with Group A,” Carter announces. “Zayne and I will stay behind and fight with Group B.”
Kylo looks at him. “When was that decided?”
“You and Lia work well together,” Carter replies. “That’s why you’re paired. We made decisions based on everyone’s strengths.”
“Neither one of us is a healer,” Kylo counters. “Why aren’t you coming with us?”
“We’ll meet up later,” Carter says.
Kylo bristles. Heat radiates off him, but he doesn’t argue.
“Is everyone ready?” Elijah asks. “Akira sent a message to make them think we’re attacking tonight. If we strike now, we’ll take them by surprise.”
“We’re ready,” Kylo declares.
The crowd erupts in scattered responses—
“Yes!”
“No more Aether Hunters!”
“Hell yes!”
“Let’s go!”
Elijah turns to Kylo. “I need a word.”
As the others start preparing, I stay where I am, unsure of what to do.
Carter approaches. “I can’t share the details, but there’s a reason you and Kylo have to go in alone.
I’ll be right behind you once we breach the compound.
Elijah and a few of his soldiers will follow through the tunnels, but they’ll need to stay back and hold off the Aether Hunters while you and Kylo search for Leo. ”
“What if I run into Draven or Joaquin? I can’t face them alone.”
“You won’t be alone. You and Kylo can handle this.”
“How are we supposed to know where to go once we’re inside?”
I have no idea what I’m walking into.
“You can sense Leo, can’t you?” he asks.
I could. I haven’t tried since Draven wormed his way in.
“Yes.”
“Follow your senses. Use your empathy. It’s an asset, not a weakness. It also sounds like you can sense energy, which is a siphon trait.”
“I thought I could sense people because of my empathy,” I say, though it comes out like a question.
The energy signatures I pick up—how I know when people are around me without looking—their emotions, their thoughts… I don’t know what’s what anymore.
Elijah strolls toward us. “I think I understand what you’re going through, Lia,” he says smoothly.
“Eavesdropping?” Carter asks with a dry grin.
He doesn’t look the least bit guilty. “What do you know about your siphoning ability?”
“Sometimes I sense energy,” I say.
“She also activates certain powers by touch,” Carter explains.
“My sister was a siphon before she was kidnapped and murdered,” Elijah says. “Siphons don’t need to touch someone to use their power.”
His grief pulses off him in waves. It mirrors mine. I hate how long I lived in the dark, blind to the pain unraveling around me while I slept under the same roof as the men responsible.
“Why do I only see visions when I touch Leo?” I ask, trying to focus on his words, not the ache radiating from his heart. I raise my mental walls, breathing slowly—inhale through my nose, exhale through my mouth.
“You must have triggered his visions by accident. Control removes the need for contact.”