Chapter 72 – Round Table

Violet.

A collective gasp rippled through the group as the weight of my words sank in. Javid's expression hardened, his jaw clenching.

"Are you sure, Vi?" he pressed, his eyes boring into mine.

I gave a firm nod, the image from my vision seared into my mind. "Positive. I will never forget a face like that." I shuddered at the image in my head, my stomach churning with a mix of fear and more than a little disgust. If Javid had the right of it, David—and by extension all of us—were targeted due to a little pushy-shovey on a playground years ago.

What sorta sense did that make?

A tense silence stretched between us, broken only by the sound of Mildred's sharp intake of breath.

"Then we have our confirmation," she said gravely. "Bart Rivers is the culprit and from the type of magic he used to lay Violet low, he is clearly more formidable than we initially thought. At least we have a name we can go by that has some history. We need to use it to our advantage."

So easily said, but in no way so easily accomplished. We were up against a force more dangerous than any of us could have imagined – a warlock so powerful, he could disguise himself as an unassuming teenage boy. The thought made my skin crawl.

As I glanced around the table, I saw the same realization dawning on everyone's faces. This was no longer just about defending our community – it was a fight for our very survival against an enemy who would stop at nothing to achieve his twisted goals.

Javid's hand found mine under the table, giving it a reassuring squeeze. As our eyes met, the confidence in his expression gave me a warm fuzzy feeling, like everything would be okay. My lung expanded and I let out a whoosh of anxiety.

Mildred cleared her throat, drawing our attention back to her. "We can't face this threat alone," she said, her voice firm but tinged with worry. "We need to reach out to other supernatural groups and covens for support."

The idea of involving more people made my heart race. "Is that safe?" I asked softy, still uneasy in the spotlight. "What if we're putting more people in danger?"

Before anyone could answer the door swung open and a towering figure stepped in, shaking his dark head to dispel the raindrops that clung to it from the relentless downpour outside.

David strode towards the table with an air of confidence and authority, every inch the new Alpha. It was as if his father's incapacitation had pushed him into his transformation, allowing him to grow into the person he was always destined to become.

He stopped directly behind my chair, his large, powerful hands coming to rest on my shoulders with a firm yet gentle grip.

A shiver ran through me, not from fear, but from a sudden awareness of the power he carried.

"It's outta our hands, Vi. We need every soldier we can get."

I nodded, knowing he was right but still feeling uneasy. The thought of more people getting hurt because of us made my stomach twist.

"I have some contacts in neighboring towns and beyond," Mildred continued. "Other shapeshifters and a banshee or two. We'll need to form alliances, gather allies to fight against Tabor… I mean Bart and his forces."

The mention of other supernatural beings made my head spin. It was still hard to believe this world existed, let alone that I was now a part of it.

"How do we know we can trust them to come to our aid when the time comes?" Javid asked, his grip on my hand tightening slightly.

Even I knew that among the supernatural there was a lot of in-fighting for dominance, especially in covens. No wonder Bart had risen to such a high ranking of power. It was all about survival of the fittest.

Mildred's lips pressed into a thin line. "We don't. But we have to try. The alternative is facing Tabor alone, and that's not an option."

A heavy silence fell over the room for a second before Jasmine broke it. "So, what's our next move?"

David stood all tall and confident. His blue eyes gazing at each of us in turn. He seemed to study or strength and weaknesses in the milliseconds it took for him to do so. "Yo fam, we gotta prepare for this major battle coming up. We strategize, train hard, and get ready for whatever that little pipsqueak is gonna throw at us. We hit 'em on the morning before the Winter Solstice eve. They're planning something big for that day. I'm hoping they'll be knee-deep in prep when we attack."

A surge of determination rushed through me, pushing back the fear. "Where do we start?" I asked, surprised at how strong my voice sounded.

"First up, we gotta assess our strengths and weaknesses," David said. "Vi, your magic's gonna be crucial. We need to work on honing your abilities, get 'em focused."

Yeah… there was that. For the past month, I had thrown myself into training, focusing on controlling my magic with a fierce intensity. Samara's sacrifice had lit a fire within me, driving me to push myself harder than ever before.

Sometimes my power still got away from me, slipping out of my grasp like a wild horse bucking its rider. But more and more, I was learning to harness it, to bend it to my will. I spent hours every day practicing, focusing my mind and channeling my energy until my head throbbed and my limbs trembled with exhaustion.

Sitting in the chair, watching fear, worry, and fire flash on everyone's faces, I clung to the memory of my father's words from the vision. They echoed in my mind, a reminder of what was at stake. I had to be ready when the time came. Failure was not an option.

"Javid and I will train the others on strength and defense," David continued.

Javid looked thoughtful for a moment. "We should practice our coordination. Make sure everyone's in sync."

Mildred chimed in, "I'll reach out to my contacts tonight."

Javid's hand left mine, and I felt a sudden chill. As everyone stood to get started, his eyes found mine. "You aren't worried, are you?"

"A little," I admitted, the extent of destruction in the gated community still fresh in my mind.

"We'll get you trained up so you are ready. Don't worry okay," he said tucking a lock behind my ear, his smile so dazzling I couldn't help but lift my lips in return.

Still, my heart raced with a twinge of uncertainty. This was bigger than anything I could have imagined. Was I truly ready for it?