<h4>Chapter 318: Chapter 318</h4>


    ~Samantha~


    We gathered in Dominic’s office at five in the morning. None of us had slept.


    L spread a map across the desk. Marked locations with a pencil.


    "The meeting point is here. Old mill on the eastern border. ck Moon chose it because there’s no cover nearby. Open ground. Hard to set up an ambush."


    "But not impossible." Killian studied the map. "There’s a ravine about fifty yards west. Deep enough to hide in. Close enough to reach quickly."


    "That’s where you’ll wait." L tapped the spot. "I’ll approach from the south with the relic. Keep ck Moon’s attention on me. When he brings out my sister, you move."


    "And if he doesn’t bring her?" Dominic asked. "If it’s another trick?"


    "Then I stall. Keep him talking until you can figure out where she’s being held." L met his eyes. "But I think he’ll bring her. He wants this relic badly. He’ll make the exchange."


    "Or he’ll take the relic and kill you both." Dominic crossed his arms. "Have you considered that?"


    "Every second of every day for eight years. Yes." L’s jaw was tight. "But it’s a risk I have to take."


    "We all have to take it." I looked at the map. "What’s the backup n if things go wrong?"


    "Run. Fight. Survive. Pick whichever seems most appropriate at the time." L’s attempt at humor fell t. "I don’t have a perfect n. This is the best I can do."


    "The best you can do might get us all killed." Dominic turned to me. "Last chance to back out. We can go back to the original n. Find the other Silver w survivors. Get their relics. Destroy the array without walking into ck Moon’s hands."


    "That takes time we don’t have. The blood moon is in a few days." I straightened up. "We do this now. We save L’s sister. We get the relic. We move onto the next."


    "You’re sure?"


    "No. But I’m doing it anyway."


    Dominic seemed like he wanted to kick against it more. Instead he just sighed. "Fine. We leave in thirty minutes. Everyone gear up. Bring weapons. Bring healing supplies. Bring anything that might keep you alive."


    We split up to prepare.


    I went to my room. Changed into clothes I could fight in. Strapped knives to my belt. Made sure I had bandages and antiseptic.


    A knock on my door stopped me mid-preparation.


    "Come in."


    Killian entered. He looked worse than yesterday. The ck veins had spread to his face. His eyes had more purple than brown now.


    "You should stay behind." I said it gently. "The curse is getting worse. Fighting will elerate it."


    "Everything elerates it at this point. Might as well die doing something useful." He closed the door behind him. "That’s not why I’m here though."


    "Then why are you here?"


    "To tell you that if something happens today, if I don’t make it back, I need you to know something." He moved closer. "These past few weeks with you have been the best I’ve had in years. Maybe ever. And I don’t regret any of it. Not the fighting. Not the curse. Not theplications with Dominic. None of it."


    "I know where I stand. I know you’re mated to Dominic. But I needed you to know that loving you, even from a distance, even knowing it’s impossible has been worth everything."


    "I don’t know what to say."


    "You don’t have to say anything. I just needed to say it. In case I don’t get another chance." He moved toward the door. Stopped with his hand on the handle. "For what it’s worth, Dominic is lucky. He doesn’t deserve you, but he’s lucky to have you."


    He left before I could respond.


    I stood there in my room holding a knife and feeling like someone had stabbed me with it.


    This was getting too heated and messy.


    But there was no time to process it. No time to think. Just time to move.


    I finished preparing. Headed downstairs. Found everyone already gathered in the entrance hall.


    Dominic. Killian. L. Reynold with six warriors as backup.


    "Ready?" Dominic asked.


    "As I’ll ever be."


    We headed out. The sun was just starting to rise. Beautiful morning for a potential massacre.


    We made it to the ravine Killian had marked on the map in under an hour. Spread out along the bottom. Stayed low. Kept quiet.


    L climbed out alone. Walked across the open ground toward the old mill.


    The mill was barely standing. Perfect ce for an ambush. Or a trap. Hard to tell the difference.


    L stopped in the clearing in front of the mill. Pulled out the pendant. Let it catch the morning light.


    "I’m here!" Her shout carried across the open space. "I have the relic! Where’s my sister?!"


    Silence. Just wind through dead grass.


    Then movement. The mill door opened.


    A figure stepped out. Tall. Wearing ck robes. Face hidden under a hood.


    ck Moon. Had to be.


    "You came." His words echoed weird. Like two people speaking at once. "I wasn’t sure you would."


    "I said I’de if you brought my sister. Where is she?"


    "Patience." ck Moon gestured behind him. "Show her."


    Another figure emerged from the mill. Smaller. Thinner. A girl maybe eighteen years old with silver hair and a face that looked like L’s.


    But wrong. Her eyes were vacant. Her moves were like a puppet being controlled.


    "Maya." L took a step forward. "Maya, it’s me. It’s L."


    The girl didn’t respond. Just stared with empty eyes.


    "What did you do to her?!" L’s hands clenched into fists. "What’s wrong with her?!"


    "Nothing permanent. Just a little insurance to make sure you cooperate." ck Moon moved beside the girl. Put his hand on her shoulder. "Give me the relic and I’ll release thepulsion. She’ll be herself again."


    "How do I know you’re not lying?"


    "You don’t. But you’re going to give me the relic anyway because you love her. Because you’ve spent eight years looking for her. Because letting me have one magical item is worth getting your sister back." ck Moon tilted his head. "Am I wrong?"


    L’s hand tightened around the pendant. "Release her first. Then I’ll give you the relic."