Reaching Retribution(46)

I lean against one of the tables. I can’t believe this is happening. The prophecy is unraveling right before our eyes. Everything we’ve ever been told growing up is coming true. I’ve met and fallen in love with the girl that’s supposed to end all this mess. I’m more involved in this battle than I ever thought I would be. We’re all more involved in this prophecy than we ever believed we would be.

Knowing what I am thinking about, Natalie walks over to me and squeezes my hand. I look down at her and do my best to smile. “I have a good feeling about this, Colton. We’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing,” she tells me.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Have a little faith. We won’t accomplish anything if we don’t have faith. Ryanne believes in this cause and I do too. They wouldn’t want us to sit here and worry about them. We have to have faith if we are ever going to see them again.”

Hearing the truth in her words, I squeeze her hand and look around the room, watching everyone move around. Bragden and Conner are pushing the last of the tables against the wall. Logan and Lily are unstacking all the chairs, quietly talking to each other, while everyone else continues working on putting the chairs out.

I walk over to Tom as people start entering the room. I see some familiar faces in the crowd: the Prowlers, Mr. Thalland, a few distant relatives that I’ve only ever seen during family get-togethers. I recognize many faces from our first fight with Dravin, but there are more that I don’t know. Tom wasn’t kidding when he said that everyone was bringing someone else. Over a hundred people enter the ballroom. There aren’t enough chairs for everyone; many mages are left standing in the back.

This could actually work. This could be the miracle we need. Dravin won’t expect our numbers to be so high, and he definitely won’t be prepared for us to counter an attack so soon. He thinks that he still has time, so he won’t know what’s hit him until it’s too late.

“Did you know there was going to be this many people?” I ask Tom without taking my eyes from the still growing crowd in front of me. From my peripherals, I see Tom cross his arms across his chest and shake his head.

“I didn’t, but this could work. We’re already a step closer to rescuing them, Colton. We have the numbers. Now all we need is the plan.”

I watch as a couple of teenage boys push through the doors and quickly scan the room. “Lucas!” Incendia shouts from across the room runs toward the doorway.

Lucas’s smile widens when he sees Incendia rushing toward him and catches her as she runs into him. My eyes instantly find Bragden and even I can’t help but smile when I see the scowl forming on his face. I understand that feeling.

Logan is standing near Bragden still talking to Lily. She laughs at something he says, and he smiles just seeing her reaction but his gaze shifts to the door. His smile grows at what he sees. Lily looks away from him and towards the door as well. Logan’s parents, my aunt and uncle, walk into the room and instantly look for their son. Telling Lily something, Logan starts pushing through the crowd and hugs his parents when he manages to get past everyone. Looking in Lily’s direction, I catch her watching Logan. Logan says something to his parents and both of them glance in her direction, smiling when they see her. Feeling uncomfortable with the sudden stares, Lily turns away and moves toward Emma.

Natalie, who’s hand I’m still holding, and Conner, who is standing behind me, both gasp as their parents walk into the room. Releasing my hand, Natalie runs toward her dad and jumps into his arms. Conner, on a much calmer scale, walks up to his mom and hugs her.

Turning toward the room, Tom shouts, “Can I have everyone’s attention?” All eyes in the room turn and look in our direction. Natalie walks back up and stands beside me. The rest of our group stands slightly behind. “You all know why you are here today. We need your help. Ryanne is back in the hands of the Gadramicks and we need to rescue her. Her protector, Liam, followed her there. ”

“How did she get captured again?” a girl asks from the back of the room. The tone of her voice says all I need to hear.

“Ryanne wasn’t captured again. She went with them to protect all of us,” I tell her. She smirks and looks down at the ground. “What is your name?” I ask her.

“Violet.”

I recognize her from somewhere. “Were you at the last fight with Dravin?” She nods at me. That’s where I’ve seen her. “You were the girl that Ryanne saved from Thomas.” When the color starts draining from her cheeks, I know the answer. Violet stares down at the ground again, but nods. “Then, you should understand what Ryanne’s like. She’ll do anything to protect others. If any of you were at that battle, Ryanne saved you all. Doesn’t she deserve that same courtesy too?