With the compound and the township otherwise engaged and distracted, Jasmine, Qadir, and the Ghost Throats would zero in on the forgotten canal, traversing through the tunnels and passages to open the compound and sneak inside. From there, the Ghost Throats would break through to the gates and open them for the Vrolocks and the Queen to swarm onto the compound and create havoc, leaving Jasmine and Qadir to narrow down the hunt for Tylindale.

  When he reached the end of his explanation, a few questions were thrown back at Jasmine and Qadir, though the general consensus seemed to be one of unity and positivity. An energy swept across the room as the reality of the situation pressed down, and the countdown to the attack began. One by one, each faction agreed to the plan of action, and at the end of it all, only one question remained.

  A hand stuck up in the air, the little girl so out of place among the grown men and women gathered in the Nest.

  “Yes?” Jasmine asked the Queen.

  “When do we strike?” she asked, the creatures beneath her clothing skittering feverishly.

  Jasmine exchanged a glance with Qadir, knowing that once she muttered the words, there would be no going back. “Nightfall.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Jasmine pulled up alongside the old manor at midday. She pulled the handbrake and lingered a moment, staring at the old building which had once belonged to another generation.

  Nearby, the dog park and fields were blanketed in snow. Eddy shifted in the passenger seat, turning to Jasmine. “You okay?”

  Jasmine nodded and forced a smile, broken from her reverie. Her brain was fried, and she still had so much to do. “Yeah. Come on. Let’s get you guys somewhere safe.”

  The journey had been a quiet one, with little said from Rhonda and Tommy, who disappeared into their phones and listened to music most of the way. They walked together up the front pathway, looking like a misfit family. Jasmine knocked on the door and waited.

  “This won’t be for long,” Jasmine offered to Rhonda and Tommy.

  They both remained quiet, out of their comfort zones. Charlotte Adelai opened the door to greet them. “I’ve been expecting you. Come in.”

  Jasmine couldn’t help but smile, the contrast to her previous interactions with Miss Adelai having been uncoordinated and taking the poor woman by surprise. Now, the situation was different. Jasmine had phoned ahead, knowing she would need somewhere safe to send Eddy and the children when she and her team began their attack. She wasn’t sure her father would come for the children this time around, but given his track record, she believed this would be the best option for everyone involved. With Tommy and Rhonda out of the way and under the protection of Charlotte’s protective wards and spells, they might stand a chance should things take a turn.

  Charlotte led them to the lounge and took a seat in her chair. Eddy and the children sat while Jasmine remained standing.

  “Thank you so much for this,” Jasmine stated. “I can’t tell you how much it means to us.”

  Charlotte leaned forward, holding two fingers to the lid of a teapot as she poured its contents into four china cups. “Of course. I’m happy to help for a good cause, especially one such as this.” She glanced at Eddy. “You’ll find the guest bedrooms have all been made for your comfort. The children will have the single rooms, which I have equipped with towels and sheets and all that you’ll need for the duration of your stay.” She finished pouring the drinks and slid the tray toward them. “If there’s anything that you need to help make your visit more comfortable, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

  Eddy thanked Charlotte. Tommy offered a weak smile. Rhonda’s face was troubled.

  “And you’re sure they’ll be okay here?” Jasmine asked.

  “I believe so,” Charlotte replied matter-of-factly. “As long as they remain on the premises and don’t wander off, they should be fine.” She met Jasmine’s gaze. “And your campaign?”

  Jasmine composed herself. “It’s all in hand.”

  “Very well,” Charlotte replied. “Then all is well here. My magic can do wonders when required.”

  “Okay, then.” Jasmine patted her pockets, unsure how best to leave the group behind. The weight of what stood before her was a physical presence that left an ache in her shoulders, and as she looked over the three sitting on the chintz couch, she wondered if this would be the last time she’d see them. While she was hopeful about the night ahead, there was no telling what could happen, and Jasmine hadn’t written off the possibility that death might rear its ugly head and finally reveal itself to her tonight. Who knew what Tylindale was truly capable of?

  She leaned down and hugged Tommy. Tommy squeezed her tight, then looked down at his lap.

  Eddy stood and met Jasmine, the pair embracing each other tightly.

  “You be careful,” Eddy warned compassionately.

  “When am I not?” Jasmine returned, chuckling as silent tears rolled down her face. When they pulled away, Eddy’s eyes were red and teary.

  Jasmine looked at Rhonda, who wouldn’t meet her eye. She bit her lip, then placed a hand on Rhonda’s shoulder, leaning over the back of the couch. “You look after your brother, okay? Make sure Eddy stays out of trouble, too.”

  Jasmine couldn’t see Rhonda’s face, but she refused to move.

  With a final pat, Jasmine offered a weak smile to Charlotte. She mouthed, “thank you,” and strode to the door, feeling as though she was fighting against the pull of a magnet as she left her friends behind. She knew she had to be strong to face what came ahead, but the idea that she might never see them again pained her cold, dead heart.

  Still, at least they’re safe here. No matter what happens.

  Jasmine used what strength she had left in her to open the front door. Each step down the path to her SUV felt weighed down with lead. She opened her car door and looked back at the property in time to see Rhonda spring from the door, rushing toward her, hair flying behind her with tears running down her face.

  “Rhonda? I…” was all Jasmine could manage before the breath was knocked out of her and Rhonda’s arms wrapped tightly around her waist.

  Jasmine squeezed the girl tightly, fingers threading through her hair. She took a deep sniff of her scent, her eyes blearing once more as Rhonda shook in her arms. By the time Rhonda relinquished her hold, Tommy and Eddy were watching from the front door.

  “Don’t you dare die,” Rhonda warned Jasmine, wiping at her face with the back of her arm.

  “I don’t plan on it,” Jasmine returned with a warm smile. “In return, you promise to listen to Miss Adelai, please.”

  “I promise,” Rhonda replied weakly.

  Jasmine chuckled, “You’ve already broken that promise.”

  Rhonda looked at her in confusion.

  Jasmine nodded to the property gate. “You’re already outside of the bounds of the house.”

  Rhonda laughed softly. Jasmine placed a hand on her shoulders. “Be safe. Please. If you do your part, I can do mine without worrying about you guys and getting distracted. Can you do that for me?”

  Rhonda nodded and sniffled. “I can.”

  “Promise?” Jasmine asked.

  “I promise,” Rhonda returned. She squeezed Jasmine once more, then walked reluctantly back to the gate. She waited there as Jasmine climbed into her SUV and wound down the windows to wave at them all. “You guys take care.”

  Without another word, Jasmine pulled the car out into the street and headed back home under the watchful eye of Charlotte Adelai, who stared with a look of concern from her living room window.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  “At the end of all things, I’m glad I’m with you guys,” Jasmine stated, wading through the ankle-deep, muddy water. The smell wasn’t pleasant, but it was bearable.

  Surrounding Jasmine were Qadir, Delilah, Kendrick, and the Ghost Throats. Delilah and Kendrick remained in man-skin, the rest of the pack following silently in wolf pelt. The old canal was wide, maybe twenty feet across, its sides rising to a verge that led to the upper ground. Jasmine wasn’t sure at what point the old river had begun to dry up, but judging by the skeletons of canal boats they passed intermittently along their way, it had to have been some decades.

  “This isn’t the end,” Delilah chirped. “Stop talking like that. Anyone would think that you’ve got a death warrant on your head.”

  “She’s already dead,” Kendrick quipped.

  Jasmine chuckled. It was a strange feeling, finding humor as they followed the curves of the old canal, knowing where they were heading. They had parked some miles away, dumping their vehicles in the middle of a grove of trees, able to pass into Maine without detection from her father thanks to the multiple distractions which had begun under her instruction. She had waited for the first signs of chaos from Arthur and Dimitri, receiving reports in her earpiece that the first leg of the operation had begun. As soon as that was confirmed, the Queen and the Vrolocks began their assault on the gates.

  Jasmine and the Ghost Throats followed shortly after, taking the long route to the patch of trees where the ends of the canal worked toward meeting the ocean. For the first few miles, they had remained on the upper ground, but as they closed in on the fortress, they moved into position. Who knew what eyes had been set up to scan and watch for them along the way?

  “I’m not dead,” Jasmine returned. “I’m undead. There’s a clear distinction. Right, Qadir?”

  Qadir was quiet, refusing to join in the chatter. He strode by her side, gaze fixed directly ahead, only occasionally blinking. While Delilah had made a show about wading in the thick, filthy water, Qadir had stepped straight in without question, the sludge absorbing up his clothing as he strode on.

  “Don’t interrupt Qadir when he’s lost in his thoughts,” Delilah offered. “You don’t want to break whatever spell he’s concocting.”

  Jasmine smiled, studying Qadir closely. He twitched, his neck twisting a little to one side, and she wondered if Qadir was nervous or scared. Fear could do crazy things to people. Jasmine found humor a great weapon against fear, but she understood that Qadir was different.

  Trees lined the canal on either side, blocking them from view. Every now and then, Kendrick would take a few steps up the verge and peek over the top, reporting on the progress made. Thanks to the rolling hills, they were yet to see the fortress from afar, which Jasmine only counted as a good sign. Occasionally, she would receive updates and reports through her earpiece from the others, and it would propel her forward and increase their speed as the battle ensued in the distance.

  After another few miles, Jasmine found herself walking alongside Delilah. Kendrick walked a short distance ahead, with Qadir taking the lead. Qadir reached back and scratched his shoulder blade, seeming uncomfortable with something in his clothing.

  “I hate this,” Jasmine stated softly so only Delilah could hear.

  “I can imagine,” Delilah returned. “Marching on your father…That can’t be a nice feeling.”

  “Not that,” Jasmine returned. “Given all that my father has done, all that he’s destroyed, and all that he plans to destroy, I have no qualms with taking him down.” She unconsciously reached into her pocket and ran a thumb over the wooden wolf carving.

  “Then what is it?” Delilah asked.

  “It’s…” Jasmine struggled to vocalize her feelings. “It’s this. It’s us taking the quiet route while everyone else fights for us. It feels…”

  “What?” Delilah asked.

  “Icky,” Jasmine returned.

  Delilah scoffed. “Icky?”

  “Icky,” Jasmine repeated. “I’m the fighter. I’m the bulk. I’m usually out there in the thick of it, helping people, you know? It feels disingenuous to be crawling through a muddy river while other people are out there sacrificing themselves for me.”

  “For themselves,” Delilah corrected.

  Jasmine met her gaze.

  Delilah sighed. “This is war, Jasmine. Everyone out there may have been brought together by you, but they’re not fighting for you. They’re fighting for themselves, for their livelihoods, for the only world they’ve ever known.”

  “Still…” Jasmine replied. “I should be with them.”

  “You’ll get your chance,” Delilah returned, humor draining from her face. “War is about strategy, Jasmine. It’s about playing the right pieces at the right time. This path ahead is our sneak attack, and then we unleash our greatest weapon on the heart of their operation. If you were out there with the others, you could get injured, you could draw their attention, you could damage this entire sting. Your father…we don’t know what weapons he has, but if he created you…”

  “He knows how to uncreate me,” Jasmine finished, not enjoying Delilah’s confirmation of her worst fear. If her father could build what she had become, he could tear it all down again.

  “Exactly.” Delilah glanced back at her wolves, offering an encouraging smile. She turned back to Jasmine. “You’re doing all that you can. War isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes it’s about playing the long game, even if that means others fighting the battle to create distractions. You’re not doing anything wrong. They volunteered. They see your cause. They’re willing to put their lives on the line for the sake of the greater good. A better future.”

  “Right…” Jasmine replied.

  Delilah hooked an arm around Jasmine’s shoulder for comfort. “It’s one of the things I love about you. One of the things that sets you and your father a farmer’s mile apart.”

  Jasmine looked at Delilah expectantly.

  “You care about others,” Delilah replied. “For someone without a working heart, yours is pretty damn big.”

  They strode on through the countryside, the water growing muddier and thicker with each passing step. The battle in the distance continued, and they quickened their pace as much as they could. Their legs grew tired from the fatigue of the sucking mud. Soon enough, they came to an area where the canal disappeared into a large, unlit tunnel.

  They stopped at the mouth, and each person gathered stared into the darkness. Jasmine drew alongside Qadir, his eye twitching before a shadow passed over his face. Jasmine eyed him curiously.

  “We can’t be far,” Qadir stated, not looking away from the yawning darkness. “Two kilometers in the underground?”

  “That’s what Tyler’s blueprints said,” Jasmine replied.

  Kendrick stepped between them. “Then let’s not waste time while people die—”

  Kendrick stopped in his tracks. The ground before them rumbled, and the mud swelled and bubbled and spat. Jasmine, Qadir, and Kendrick stepped back, staring in horror at the ground. Delilah and the wolves bristled and looked around, wondering what was making the awful gurgling screech as the tunnel echoed, magnified, and filled with the din of bending metal.

  The mud continued to swell, rising into a solid lumpy mass until it filled the entire tunnel mouth. Jasmine’s jaw dropped, then something swiped toward her, sending her flailing into the mossy verge, a trail of mud left across her top.

  Before Qadir and Kendrick could react, more limbs swiped, sending them back and clearing them from the tunnel’s mouth.

  “What the fuck is that?” Delilah called, trying to take in the full image of the monstrosity that, even now, was advancing on the throng of wolves.

  Jasmine struggled to process the creature. Covered head to toe in mud, it looked like the mud had come alive, coalescing into the form of some monstrous being. Too many limbs to count flailed at the pack, Jasmine noticing the sucker cups on each limb to form tentacles. In the center of the mass, a large beak clicked, with several eyes decorating the top of what might have been a head.

  “A creation of my father’s?” Jasmine asked, pushing herself to her feet as several wolves were thrown back.

  “Unquestionably,” Qadir replied through gritted teeth. “Which means he knows we’re here.”

  Jasmine’s blood ran cold, but there was no time to question what that meant for their operation. She drew her claws and bared her teeth at the creature as several limbs sprang toward her. She hacked at them, her bone claws shredding the far reaches of the creature’s limbs and eliciting a painful howl from its beak. The more it flailed, the more the mud flung away, and Jasmine noticed with terror that its body was painted with dark, hard shells that reminded her of barnacles.

  What the hell is that thing?

  The creature pressed on. Delilah had already shifted to hell-hide and was hacking away at more of the tentacles, trying to create some room for her pack. Kendrick howled as his body swelled and grew, and soon he was in the throng, too. Jasmine tried to track all that was happening, though it was difficult, so instead, she dove in and went straight for the beast.

  Their world became a haze of whipping tentacles. The creature was fast and determined, and all Jasmine could see was a flurry of furry canines attacking and working together to bring the creature down. Now that the element of surprise was gone, they strategized. Jasmine hacked at each limb, and Delilah and Kendrick aided her struggle. The threat slowly diminished.

  From nearby, Jasmine saw Qadir’s hands glowing blue as he cast spells and incantations at the beast, slowing it down and confusing its primitive brain. Welts and bruises and cuts rose on Jasmine’s skin, only to soon be healed by her biology. Every now and then, a suction cup would pull painfully at a piece of unveiled flesh. Wolves barked and yipped and howled and growled alongside the monstrous creation.

  “There!” Kendrick roared before chomping into a thick tentacle and biting right through.

  He pointed with one saber-like claw at a hollow in the creature’s side where it had no barnacles to protect its innards.

  Jasmine swiped and fought toward the patch, the creature sensing her intent and working furiously to prevent her next move. The wolves banded around her, batting away the tentacles and allowing Jasmine to work through the forest of bleeding stumps.