20:11 Sat, Oct 18
Hunted Hybrid – Aegis War Saga 1
Chapter 177
I swallowed hard and forced myself to meet their eyes. “We can’t save them all. Not yet. But this? Duskwell? We hit it first.”
(35)
Daxon stepped forward, his shoulders tense. “I’ll head the strike team returning to the Keep. We need to secure the grounds, gather intel, prep our people for war. That’s where I’m most useful right now.”
“Agreed,” Draven said, his arms crossed and his voice sharp. “Stormclaw’s still the best place to gather and train Earth side. Aelira and I will command the Keep while you’re in the Fae lands, Elowen.”
I blinked. “Wait, you’re staying behind without us?”
Draven nodded once. “You’ve built the strategy. We’ll hold the line. You need to think bigger now. Lead from the top.”
“Daxon,” I turned to him, “you sure about splitting up again?”
He gave me that cocky grin I’d fallen in love with years ago. “I’ll be back before you can miss me. Promise.”
Bram gave a low chuckle. “We’re all gonna miss your grumpy ass.”
“I’m not grumpy,” Daxon deadpanned. “I’m serious.”
“You’re both,” Taya snorted.
Vaelrix’s deep voice cut through the tension. “My realm will remain open to you. There’s a portal near the castle, one only keyed to your people. Anyone who wishes to train here can. Wolves, mages, humans, fae. Doesn’t matter. If they fight for Elowen, they’re family.”
Lachlan crossed his arms, eyeing the group. “How long d’ye think it’ll take for scouts tae get from here tae Duskwell?”
“Depends on the route,” Draven said. “That facility’s cloaked. We’re lucky Soria found it at all.”
“I still can’t believe she messaged you,” I said, turning to Aelira. “After everything?”
“She’s still my daughter,” Aelira whispered. “She may not be mine by blood anymore…but she’s mine.”
There was a beat of silence. Then Ashrian spoke, “What’s our timeline to hit Duskwell?”
“Two days,” Draven answered. “We need time to map out their patrols, identify weak points, and clear evac plans for the children.”
“Two days feels like a damn lifetime,” Jace muttered.
“It’s better than barging in blind,” Rylen replied, always the voice of reason.
Taya looked at me then, her eyes rimmed red but burning with fire. “What about the ones that want to stay in the Fae realm? After all this…should we build a second base here?”
“I think we should,” I said. “Vaelrix and I talked about it. It’s safer. We can train, plan, prepare. The Aegis can’t touch us here. Not without dying in the attempt.”
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20:12 Sat, Oct 18
Chapter 177
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Vaelrix gave a slow nod. “And if they try… I’ll personally reduce their bones to ash.”
Lyssira huffed inside my head. “I like him.”
“You’re horny for him,” I muttered silently.
“He’s hot! And he talks like a war god. Let me have this.”
I bit back a smirk.
“I’ll go back to Earth with the others,” Taya said. “But I want to return here when the next training starts.”
“Same,” Rylen added. “I want to see if dragons really eat traitors like they say.”
“They do,” Vaelrix said without missing a beat. “Slowly.”
Everyone paused, unsure if he was joking.
“That’s not a metaphor?” Jace asked warily.
“No.”
ମୁଛ 35)
“Oh.”
We all cracked up, the tension finally giving way. I turned toward Draven and Daxon. “Make sure everyone knows, the portal is sacred. No one unauthorized passes through.”
Daxon gave me a mock salute. “I’ll put Bram in front of it. No one’s getting past his grizzly ass.”
“I’ll maul them with love,” Bram said cheerfully, cracking his knuckles.
We spent the next hour assigning squads, organizing rotations, coordinating the next wave of refugees, and syncing communication
between Earth and the Fae realm.
And even after everything that happened… I felt hopeful.
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20:12 Sat, Oct 18
Hunted Hybrid – Aegis War Saga 1
