Chapter 269 The plan 1

Chapter 269: Chapter 269 The plan 1

Talia’s POV

The gray light outside the cave was fading. Dusk was coming, and with it, the darkness of the Ashen Lands.

I sat against the wall, with my legs pulled up to my chest. My magic was barely a flicker, and my body was heavy with exhaustion. But I could not rest. Not when my mother was so close.

Kaelen stood at the cave entrance, watching the gray sky darken. His jaw was tight, and I could see the tension in his shoulders.

Piper came close and sat beside me, with her voice soft. "Talia, are you okay?"

I looked at her. "I am scared, Piper. But I am ready."

Jax walked over to Kaelen, with his voice low. "We need a plan, Alpha. We cannot just walk up to the front gate."

Kaelen turned. "I know, Jax."

Silas stepped forward. "We need to find another way in too, Alpha."

Cain moved closer. His voice was low and steady. "The front gate will be guarded as well, so we need a distraction."

I looked at Kaelen. "What kind of distraction?"

Kaelen’s gray eyes met mine. "Something to draw their attention away from the main entrance."

Jax grinned. "I can do that."

Piper looked at him. "You, Jax?"

Jax placed his hand over his heart. "I am very good at causing chaos, Piper."

Piper shook her head. "That is not reassuring."

Silas spoke, and his voice was calm. "Jax and I can create a diversion at the front gate. We will make enough noise to draw the guards away."

Cain nodded. "I will go with them."

Piper raised her hand. “Me too.”

I looked at Piper, and I felt my heart tighten. She was volunteering to walk into danger, and she was doing it for me, for my mother, and for all of us.

"Piper," I said, with my voice soft. "Are you sure about this?"

She looked at me, and I saw the determination in her eyes. "I am sure, Talia. I have come this far with you, and I am not stopping now."

I reached for her hand. "Piper, if something happens to you..."

She squeezed my hand. "Nothing is going to happen to me, Talia. I promise."

Jax stepped closer. "I will keep her safe, Luna. You have my word."

I looked at Jax, and I saw the sincerity in his eyes that he meant his words. And I knew that he would protect her with his life.

"Thank you, Jax," I said.

He grinned. "That is what I am here for, Luna. To keep everyone safe and look good doing it."

Piper rolled her eyes. "You are impossible, Jax."

Jax placed his hand over his heart. "I am charming, Piper. There is a difference."

Kaelen looked at them. "That leaves Talia, and me."

I looked at him. "We need to find another entrance."

Kaelen nodded. "There has to be a way in that does not involve the silver."

Piper looked at me. "Talia, your pendant. Can it help?"

I touched the pendant. It was cold and heavy against my fingers. "I do not know, Piper. The magic is weak here."

Kaelen took my hand. "We will find a way, Talia."

Silas spoke again, with his voice careful. "The distraction will be dangerous, Alpha. If we are caught..."

Jax cut him off. "We will not be caught, Silas."

Piper looked at him. "Jax, you cannot promise that."

Jax reached for her hand. "I can promise I will do everything I can to come back, Piper."

I saw the emotion in Piper’s eyes. "Jax..."

He squeezed her hand. "I will be fine, Piper. I always am."

Kaelen’s voice was firm. "The distraction is the only way. If we all try to enter through the front, we will be overwhelmed, and might end up been caught."

Silas nodded. "Alpha is right. We need to divide their attention."

Cain spoke. "I will find a way to draw the guards away from the gate."

Kaelen looked at him. "Be careful, Cain."

Cain nodded. "Always, Alpha."

I looked at Kaelen. "And if we cannot find another entrance?"

He met my eyes. "Then we make one."

The words hung in the air, heavy and final. I had said them without thinking, but I meant them. If there was no way in, we would create one. We had come too far to turn back now.

Kaelen looked at me, and I saw the pride in his gray eyes. "That is my Luna."

I felt my cheeks warm. "I am just saying what needs to be said."

He squeezed my hand. "And that is exactly what a Luna should do."

Silas nodded. "Luna is right. We find a way or we make one. There is no other choice."