A Shield of Glass (A Shade of Vampire #49)(47)

“Our key objective right now is to take advantage of the opening Azazel has left us, given his obsession with the Oracles,” Draven continued. “Up until recently, we also had the Daughters’ support, but, given their capricious nature, we cannot rely on them for the time being. They’ve taken their sister from my mansion and removed the protective shield that kept us hidden from Azazel. Fortunately, we were able to find crucial assistance here in Stonewall, thanks to Thorn, Rebel, and their Bajangs.”

The Bajang twins gave him a thankful nod, then resumed their own analysis of the allies gathered around the table. Everyone was watching everyone at that point, with a mixture of curiosity and wariness that never made it into words. These creatures had never been in the same room like this before, and for centuries had kept their distance from one another—nevertheless, they were united by a common goal, and I was just relieved to see they’d all made it.

“Stonewall also holds a massive collection of Druid archives, which my father was wise enough to preserve and transfer here when Azazel laid waste to Persea and tore the Grand Temple down. We were able to dig valuable information and spells from these registries, and have gathered enough knowledge to deliver a resounding blow to Azazel—the kind that will bring him to his knees if we all play our parts in this,” Draven continued. “So, this is what will happen next…”

His voice trailed off for a moment as he looked down at the map and moved a ship figurine from Stonewall to the western shore of Marton.

“The Green Tribe has several expectant mothers who require a safe home for the time being,” he said. “They’re nearly finished reconditioning one of the derelict ships in the harbor below, and will sail to Marton in the morning. Serena and I will join them, as we need to reach a hidden settlement on Onyx River, where we know of six Druids still alive, kept safe from Azazel. My Aunt Jasmine worked with the Grand Temple Druids to rescue them and bring them to Calliope. We will reach out to them and bring them into the fold, as they’re not aware of any alliance rising against Azazel.”

“How do you know there are Druids there?” Grezzi asked, raising an eyebrow.

“The Oracles did their part.” Draven gave him a dry smile, prompting Aida and Phoenix to glance at each other. “We need them for a direct assault on Azazel. Your people, your armies are required to deliver a full siege against Luceria, but we need as much Druid power as we can get to destroy Azazel. Up until recently, I thought I was the only one left. Turns out I was wrong, and that’s a very good thing, because it takes Druid magic to counteract Azazel’s spells and put up a good fight.”

“Good,” Tamara replied. “What do you want our armies to do, then?”

“The allies will bring their soldiers as close to Luceria as possible, and wait for our signal,” Draven said, pointing at several figurines arranged in a tight arc around Azazel’s castle. “I’ll leave it to you to decide who goes where, as you all know the terrain and your people’s capabilities. You will have to keep a low profile—there will be green fireflies everywhere as Azazel’s eyes. To this, we have found a solution.”

He brought out the swamp witches’ book, placing it on the table. The incubi, the Lamias, the succubi, and the imps who hadn’t seen it before stared at it with raised eyebrows.

“We have been digging through the swamp witches’ spell books, with a little help from the Daughter,” Draven added. “She left several notes in here that helped us translate a stunning spell. I’m not sure you’re all aware, but swamp witch magic can be invoked by anyone, as it functions on chemical formulas and the power of words. You will all receive instructions on how to prepare and use the spell against green fireflies, should you be forced to deal with them. We have most of the ingredients, and we’re going to send two of our Red Tribe succubi to gather specific crystal powders still needed.”

“That’s not necessary,” said one of the Imp leaders, a short and stocky creature reminding me of Middle Ages illustrations of small, devilish fiends eager to consume souls. This one, however, wore a smart dark green tunic and an off-white shirt, and seemed more interested in doing business. I couldn’t help but wonder how much of the human lore had been derived from occasional bumps between our universes. “We have all the powders you need at the Marketplace. I’ll send a message bird first thing in the morning and have whatever you need delivered here.”

“Thank you, Master Imp Joon. It is much appreciated,” Draven replied with a curt nod. “Now, on to the Oracles. Azazel will soon be left without the single most functioning Oracle in his possession, as Bijarki will take Vita away. Abrille is weak and can barely see anything these days, since she transferred most of her powers to Vita, Aida, and Phoenix while they were still in their mothers’ wombs. The other two Oracles he’s keeping are apparently comatose and will most likely die soon. While that is, in itself, sad, it bodes well for the alliance. The less Azazel knows about what we’re doing and the possible future, the better. Not only will it fuel his anger and make him prone to mistakes, but he will also be unable to anticipate many, if not all, of our moves.”

He paused then and looked at me, warmth emanating from him as he waited for me to continue the briefing. We’d talked about it the day before, as Draven had expressed a willingness for me to actively participate in the conversation, as a representative for our Oracles and tight-knit group. I saw it as an honor and had agreed.