Chapter 18

Reed stood in the center of his office, a map of Whispering Pines spread out before him. Around the table, his deputies and the town's volunteer force gathered, their faces grim with exhaustion. The air crackled with tension, the anticipation of the coming battle a palpable force.

"All right, listen up," Reed said, his voice carrying the authority of his position. "A large wave of cultists are mobilizing. They'll be on our doorstep before the night is through."

He tapped the map, indicating key points. "I want teams stationed here, here, and here. We need to create a perimeter, a buffer zone between them and the Theren house."

His amber eyes scanned the room, meeting each person's gaze. "Remember your training. Trust in each other. We're fighting for our home, for the people we love. We will not let them fall."

A chorus of nods and murmured assents filled the room. Reed felt a swell of pride, of gratitude for these brave souls willing to stand against the darkness.

As the meeting dispersed, Reed pulled out his phone, his finger hovering over Ellie's name. He needed to check on her, to hear her voice before the chaos descended.

"Reed?" Her voice was soft, tinged with fatigue and something else, something that made Reed's heart clench.

"El, how are you holding up?"

"I'm holding," she confirmed, and he could picture her, standing in the center of her living room, power swirling around her. "The wards are strong, for now. But, Reed, I can feel them, a big group of cultists. Their darkness is like a wound in the world."

Reed's grip tightened on the phone, his jaw clenching. "They won't get to you, El. I swear it."

"I know," she whispered, and in those two words, Reed heard a lifetime of trust, of love. "Be safe, Reed."

"You too," he murmured. "I'll see you on the other side."

As the call ended, Reed squared his shoulders, feeling the weight of his responsibility settling over him like a mantle. It was time.

He stepped out into the night, the moon hanging heavy and ominous in the sky. In the distance, he could see Ellie's house, a shimmering dome of energy encasing it, pulsing with the rhythm of her magic.

But beyond that, at the edge of town, a darker presence loomed. Reed signaled to his team, a silent command to move out. They melted into the darkness, taking up positions along the tree line, waiting for the enemy to make their move.

They didn't have to wait long.