Even with Callie’s healing, Phillip was in no condition to go very far. Although his arm was doing better now that the poison was fully out, his face and leg caused him a lot of pain. And despite Callie’s effort of trying to heal his leg the burns were too much for her healing. It was quickly decided that because of his injuries Phillip would stay behind and protect the homestead to the best of his ability. Carlie didn’t want to go anywhere without him so it was determined that their family was staying. Then they had to move onto the tricky part of what everyone else was going to do.

  Kane knew they had to take the fight to the mages. If the events of the last couple days were any indication the attacks would only keep getting worse. With Josie being a druid, he agreed with Jonah that it would be better to keep her moving until they could figure out how to stop this war. What Kane didn’t like was that he would have to take his family into the heart of the danger.

  There was a lot of debate back and forth between Stern and Kane about the aspect of support. Stern’s argument was that Kane couldn’t do it by himself. Kane’s argument was he didn’t want to put Dani in harm's way and he couldn’t ask Stern to leave her behind.

  “Where do you think we are going to go?” Stern finally asked after a couple rounds of going back and forth.

  “I don’t know, that is part of the problem,” Kane sighed, “Here’s the reality, we need to go get a closer look at this Rift. I don’t know who we will encounter or what we will encounter.”

  “Yeah, and you are taking your kids into that,” Stern argued.

  “Because we need to keep Josie moving until we know who is hunting her, and I’m not leaving Eliza behind,” Callie interjected.

  “Why don’t you do this, Stern goes with to help scout, and act as back-up. Kane and Callie aim to go within five miles of the Rift to check it out. Stern will stay at a back-up location. After Kane is done looking, go back to Stern and come back here and we will figure out our next move from there?” Phillip asked, trying to find a compromise.

  “Seriously, you want me to sit back from a potential fight?” Stern asked with sarcasm.

  “No, keep the fight from getting to Kane,” Phillip told his friend what he wanted to hear.

  “Well, I could do that,” Stern shrugged as he leaned back with heavy thought on his face.

  “I would feel better knowing you have my back,” Kane coddled because he couldn’t help himself.

  “Shut up,” Stern glared at Kane.

  “So, in the morning, we head to the Rift with Stern following. We check it out, and then we come back here? Did I get that right?” Callie asked, leaning forward now that the boys had stopped arguing.

  The three boys looked at each other and then nodded.

  “Great, now how are we going to get there? Colorado Springs or Pueblo?” Callie asked.

  Kane and Stern put their heads down a little, looking like they were deep in thought. Phillip looked back and forth between them.

  “I know it is farther, but wouldn’t it be good to see what is going on in Pueblo and why the Frowlers and Hunters sent so many creatures that direction?” Carlie asked, speaking up for the first time during the argument.

  Kane perked up a little. It was a valid argument. They really didn’t have a clue why there were so many creatures heading that direction. Something was going on either in Pueblo or further south. And it would be good to know if they had to watch their southern flank as much as their northern flank.

  “Pueblo, we need to see what is going on that direction,” Kane finally said, realizing he was still in his head.

  “I can drive down with you, I won’t be much of a fighter, but I can at least provide vehicle support,” Phillip offered, wanting to be in the fight somehow.

  Kane smiled, “That would be good, then you can get back to the homestead if we see danger heading that direction.”

  “Or we all come back if we think the homestead is about to get hit again,” Callie offered.

  “That too,” Phillip said, pointing at Callie.

  “So that settles it, we go the Pueblo route then up to the Turkey Creek area. Stern gets set up in that area, and Callie and I go on to see how close we can get to the Rift. We see what we can, collect what information we can, and then go in reverse home,” Kane said.

  “Kids stay with Stern while we go to the Rift?” Callie asked to clarify.

  Kane thought for a moment, “I think we get to Turkey Creek and we decide from there.”

  Kane didn’t know how Callie would respond to leaving the twins with Stern, especially not knowing what they would encounter as they got closer to The Rift. He figured it would be better to tackle that when they got to that point. A look between Stern and Kane, let Kane know Stern knew Kane was going to leave Callie with him at Turkey Creek, too. Either Callie would be the lookout and Stern and Kane would go up to the Rift, or Stern, Callie, and the kids would stay behind and Kane would go up alone.

  Although Kane loved his wife, he knew Stern would be more adapted to scouting and collecting information around the Rift than Callie. Kane also felt better leaving his kids with Stern to protect them then with Callie. Stern knew war, unfortunately, and Kane knew he wouldn’t freeze where Callie probably would.

  But that was tomorrow’s problem.

  “Hey, did you see that we got a level up?” Phillip broke the silence.

  “Wait, what?” Stern asked, looking like he had been torn from thought.

  Kane quickly opened his menu, and he saw it. He had gone up a level.

  “I didn’t,” Callie said, “Still level 6.”

  Kane thought for a second, “We must have gotten a level up for fighting the ignistura.”

  “Do we need to talk about anything else?” Carlie asked, “I could use some sleep. We all could.”

  “I think we know what we are doing, let’s go to bed,” Kane said, not closing out his menu.

  The group got up from the table. Phillip and Carlie went hand in hand down the stairs. Stern walked over to the living room window, shook his head, and then laid down on the couch in the living room. Callie started to head to her bedroom, but then realized Jonah wasn’t at the table. She looked around as Kane grabbed her hand trying to lead her to the bedroom.

  “Where did Jonah go?” Callie asked not moving. Kane looked around, having completely forgotten about the creature. Something about Jonah made me forget about him.

  “I’ll go downstairs and see if he is down there,” Kane said, letting go of Callie’s hand.

  “No, go check your level, I want to check on the girls,” Callie said gently, stopping him and then heading for the stairs.

  Kane turned and headed into the bedroom. He sat down on his chair and started looking through his menu. Callie headed down the stairs. She thought about turning on the light but seeing that the girls bedroom door was open, she kept it off and walked to their door.

  The twins were fast asleep in their beds, Eliza half off , half on her bed. Josie was curled up tightly wrapped in a blanket. On the ground they had put a full-size air mattress. Cosette had her head away from the door and had an arm and a leg hanging off the edge. Dani had her head towards the door and was laying like a starfish with one of her legs nearly in Cosette’s back. Callie couldn’t help but smile.

  “Everything okay?” Carlie said behind her, her door cracked open enough to stick her head through.

  “Yeah, just wanted to check on them,” Callie said, turning to her friend, “Have you seen Jonah?”

  “He is laying on the couch, he said he wanted to be close to protect the girls,” Carlie whispered.

  “Okay, thanks,” Callie said, “Good night.”

  “Night,” Carlie said and then shut the door.

  Callie started walking back towards the stairs. She paused and looked towards the couch. In the near darkness she could see the oversized frame of Jonah laying on the couch.

  “Something close, Jonah need be able protect girls,” Jonah said from the couch.

  “What is close?” Callie asked not moving.

  “Don’t know, but not good,” Jonah said.

  “Will we be okay?” Callie asked, feeling the anxiety rise inside her.

  “We stay in, yes,” Jonah said as Callie heard him shift positions.

  “Are the animals going to be okay?” Callie asked, starting to worry about the newborn twins outside.

  “I don’t know,” Jonah said after a moment, “But can’t do anything.”

  Callie not fully understanding but understanding enough to know she shouldn’t go outside to check nodded to herself in the darkness.

  “Jonah will wake if danger,” Jonah said, sounding closer than before.

  Callie jumped a little at the closeness of the humanura, “Thanks,” she said trying to calm herself.

  “Sleep good, you need sleep,” Jonah said gently, putting his hand on Callie. Callie felt the warmth of his hand and somehow it felt reassuring.

  “Good night Jonah,” Callie said, starting to walk to the stairs, but she paused again, “Thank you Jonah.”

  Callie, not hearing a response, headed back up the stairs and headed for her bedroom. Kane had glazed over eyes and was sitting in his chair when she walked into their room. Callie hesitated just inside the door not wanting to disturb him. She leaned back to lean against the door frame. Seeing Kane in that position reminded her of all the books he had read in that chair. And how many times she had found him asleep with the book having fallen on his chest or stomach in the process.

  As she stood back up and started heading to the bathroom, Kane’s eyes went back into focus.

  “Hey, everything okay?” Kane asked, reaching out his arm as Callie started passing him to go to the bathroom.

  “Yeah, Jonah is sleeping on the couch downstairs tonight. Something is close that is making him uneasy but he wasn’t sure what,” Callie told him.

  “Girls okay?” Kane asked.

  “Yup,” Callie smiled down at him, “Anything cool with this new level?”

  “I get to summon a beast of my choosing,” Kane said with that goofy smile he got when he was excited.

  “Wow,” Callie responded, “Any beast?”

  “I guess, I haven’t tried it yet,” Kane said, smiling at his wife.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  “Ass, no shit you haven’t tried it yet,” Callie scolded him, “Thanks for not, I don’t need anymore beasts in my house.”

  Kane laughed a little, “And something called HOARDE ADVANTAGE, I guess, after multiple creatures attack me, I have some advantage against them.”

  Kane gave a small shrug with the last comment. He would need to see how they worked once he was in battle, so there wasn’t much he could do with them now. Kane got up and followed his wife into the bathroom.

  The two of them got ready for bed together. Kane waited for Callie to finish, and then he couldn’t help himself. He grabbed his wife around the waist and hoisted her over his shoulder, and took her to their bed. Callie let out a squeal and lightly pounded on his back as they headed for the bed. Kane lightly dropped her on the bed and then went to shut their door.

  “Get it,” Stern laughed from the couch. Kane just smiled in the direction of his friend as he shut the door. He turned, smiled at his wife, and decided he was going to enjoy some ‘personal’ time with his wife. Callie looked upset at first, but then had a slight smile on her face as he headed for the bed.

  The sun was fully up when Kane finally opened his eyes the next morning. He and Callie were in the same positions they had fallen asleep in the night before. Clearly, they needed time together and needed sleep. Kane smiled, not wanting to give up the comfort of the bed or of Callie. As Kane lay there a few more minutes, not wanting to move, he felt Callie start to stir.

  “Morning,” Kane whispered when he saw her eyelids start to twitch.

  Callie grunted, then stretched and said, “Good morning. What time is it?”

  “No clue,” Kane smiled at his wife.

  “Is anyone else awake?”

  “No clue.”

  They lay there together for a little bit longer, then they heard gentle murmuring through the closed door.

  “I guess we should get up,” Callie said, looking at the door.

  “We don’t have to,” Kane said. Then they heard Josie and Eliza start arguing, quickly followed by Phillip telling them to stop.

  “Time to get up,” Callie sighed and got up with another stretch, and then headed to the bathroom.

  Kane sighed, stretched himself, and then followed her into the bathroom to get ready. Kane was ready before Callie, so he headed out to see what the commotion was about. Kane couldn’t help but laugh at what he saw when he walked out into the living room. The twins had decided pancakes were a good breakfast choice, and thanks to Callie having started to teach them how to make them on their own, they had felt confident enough to make them without adult supervision. The problem occurred when their confidence didn’t match their skill level.

  Phillip was grumbling and cleaning up a mess on the kitchen floor while trying to keep Zeus from snagging a sample of whatever it was. Kane looked over to the couch where Stern had been the night before. Despite the noise coming from the kitchen, Kane could hear the slight snoring of Stern.

  “Kane, you need to teach your kids to follow a recipe!” Phillip exclaimed, finally looking up and seeing Kane standing there.

  “Hey, I’m not the one who was teaching them. Blame Callie,” Kane laughed.

  Callie, hearing her name, came out with a questioning look on her face. The questions immediately turned to laughter.

  “Girls, I thought I told you to ask before you make something!” Callie exclaimed through her laughter.

  “We did, we asked Jonah!” Josie cried, putting more flour into a bowl and pointing towards the stairs.

  Kane and Callie looked at each other and then continued their laughter.

  “What did Jonah think you were making?” Callie asked after a few moments of laughter.

  “Breakfast,” Josie said with such certainty.

  “What have you put in so far?” Callie asked, finally walking over to help her daughters.

  Eliza started listing off ingredients. When she was done, Callie said, “So you forgot the sugar, and that looks way too thick; you need to add milk.”

  Josie lightly slapped her forehead as Eliza nodded on her way to the pantry to grab sugar. Callie worked with the girls to correct their mistakes. Within a couple of minutes, they had the pancake batter correctly mixed and were pulling out the electric skillet to start making the pancakes.

  The first six pancakes were done before Stern sat up from the couch, finally waking up. Cosette and Dani, and Giana came up the stairs as Stern headed down to change and get ready in his camper. Carlie came up the stairs just after Stern’s head disappeared behind the half-wall. Phillip was finally done cleaning up the mess and moved to sit at the kitchen table with his bad leg up on a chair.

  Carlie started grabbing plates and silverware and putting them on the table for everyone as the three youngest girls sat down and started grabbing the finished pancakes. Callie took over making pancakes after the second batch. Callie was thankful the twins thought far enough ahead to make at least a double batch of pancakes. She finished making the last of the pancakes as Stern returned up the stairs and sat down at the table with the rest of the group. Callie put the last of the pancakes on the table and sat down to eat.

  The group ate in happy silence. It was unspoken, but there was a resounding feeling in the air that this could be the last meal they would share for a while. So silently they all agreed to enjoy it. Callie was the first to get up, taking her plate to the counter and starting to clean up the kitchen. Eliza and Josie were both intensely watching their dad. When Kane got up, it was like the room exploded with movement. Dishes were going up to the counter, and cooking items were being washed and put away. The boys started pulling out equipment and supplies and putting them on the freshly cleaned off kitchen table.

  Jonah, who had wordlessly joined the table at some point during breakfast, had moved to the living room and was watching all of the commotion. Josie walked over and took Jonah’s hand, and stood next to him watching. Eliza helped her mom load the dishwasher. Cosette and Dani were quietly playing in the living room next to Jonah and Josie. Carlie was trying to keep Giana from adding or taking away from the kitchen table, which wasn’t working very well.

  As the group seemed to be finishing their tasks, Josie turned to look at Jonah and asked, “Jonah, will we be coming home?”

  All the adults stopped hearing the question. Callie and Kane looked at each other and then at Jonah. Jonah was staring with sad eyes at Kane and Callie, not looking down at Josie.

  ”Jonah, will we?” Josie asked again.

  Callie took a few steps towards Jonah when he turned to Josie and got on his knees, putting his eyes at her level. He put both hands on her shoulders, took another look at Kane, then said, “Little Druid, I will do everything I can to bring you home.”

  ”What about my family?” Josie asked.

  ”Them too.”

  Josie looked over at her mom and dad, and a single tear dropped along her cheek. She then looked at her sister and put a half smile on her face. Josie then shrugged and turned around to sit on the floor next to Cosette and Dani, who were just staring at their friend.

  ”Jonah?” Callie asked, not sure what to say.

  ”You need more balls,” Jonah said as he stood up.

  There was silence in the room, and then all at once, Stern, Kane, and Phillip burst out laughing.

  ”Excuse me?” Callie said with an offended voice.

  ”Balls,” Jonah said again, adding a hand motion of holding a rifle, “Comes out of loud stick, loud telum. Hunters use to kill.”

  ”Oh my god, he is talking about bullets!” Phillip burst out through a wave of laughter.

  ”Rifle! It’s called a rifle, Jonah,” Kane added, still laughing.

  ”What the fuck!” Stern laughed, nearly doubled over.

  ”Bullet?” Jonah’s face was scrunched in either embarrassment or confusion, “Bullet, need more, lots of Hunters and Frowlers.”

  ”Nope, balls, they are loud balls!” Phillip was still laughing.

  ”Loud balls! Loud balls!” Giana suddenly started repeating in different tones of voice, mimicking her dad.

  ”Phillip!” Carlie screamed, grabbing Giana as her daughter started to repeat the words to the tune of the ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’.

  Giana’s song made the entire group roar with a new level of laughter. Even Jonah started laughing, or what seemed like a version of laughing. It was a mix of a low chuckle with a random squeak thrown in.

  Callie was the first to break the laughter cycle with, “So I’m going to go check the animals.”

  Without waiting for a response, Callie put her shoes on and walked out the front door. The laughter was good and cathartic, but Josie’s question wasn’t escaping her. She may not see her animals again. She had saved and worked to build a life on their homestead, and she may never see it again.

  Callie first went up to the goats. She watched the babies jump around without a care in the world. The mommas were contentedly chewing cud while watching their babies. Turbo came over and sniffed her gently, then walked out the gate to go chew on some yuccas. Greg followed, lightly head-butting her hip on his way past.

  ”You’re not supposed to look so sad,” Charzar said, flapping his wings next to her.

  ”I’m okay. Take care of the hens while we are gone,” Callie said, trying to put a smile on her face.

  ”I will, but those chicks are crazy,” Charzar said before walking back to the coop.

  Callie watched him go, smiling to herself. Then she looked over to the cows and cowks. She sighed gently to herself, then went to the broken fence line. Callie saw Charlotte with her twins. Jonny Boy wasn’t far off. The cowk bulls were scattered around the female cowks, watching in different directions between chewing on the grass. The scene was so peaceful in its unease, Callie wanted to linger, but knew she couldn’t.

  Callie slowly walked back to the house, trying to enjoy the last moments she had before taking off on a trip that could last a couple of hours or longer. She wasn’t ignorant of the amount of supplies Kane and the rest of the boys were putting out on the kitchen table to take. They were preparing for a war, she knew it. And not a single day of war either.

  When Callie walked back into the house, the boys were suiting up in the body armor they had taken from the dead soldiers. All three had some form of rifle at their sides and pistols on their hips. Kane briefly looked up and acknowledged Callie before going back to loading up a magazine. Carlie walked over to her friend.

  ”You okay?” Carlie asked Callie quietly.

  ”Yeah, just wanted to make sure everyone was okay outside,” Callie said, not fully lying but also not completely telling the truth.

  ”My Lady, will you permit me to go with you?” Alex asked, hopping over from the living room and grabbing Callie’s leg.

  Callie looked down at the creature, thinking for a long breath, “Yes,” she finally said. In her mind, they needed all the help they could get.

  Kane paused with his loading and gave a concerned look at Callie. Callie shook her head at Kane, and he went back to what he was doing. Once Kane was done loading up his current magazine, he put it in a pocket in the front of his armored vest. He patted a pile next to him.

  ”These are yours, come and put them on,” Kane told Callie.

  Callie looked at the pile on the table and then looked around the room for her kids. Josie was sitting on the couch, and Eliza was sitting on the ground with her friends, playing with something. Zeus’s head popped up, looking at Callie from next to Eliza. Callie patted Alex on the head and started walking towards Kane.

  As Callie got close to the pile, she could tell the armor that Kane had selected for her was one of the thinner vests. It probably didn’t have as much armor as the one Kane and the other two boys were wearing, but it was probably lighter for her. There were a couple of pistol magazines in the pile as well. They already looked loaded, so at least she didn’t have to do that. Kane had also put a semi-packed backpack with some medical stuff in it on her pile, but at an initial glance, Callie wanted to add some things to it.

  The group finished getting ready with a steady but solemn attitude. Carlie decided to stay back to watch Giana, Cosette, and Dani. Dani kept looking over at her dad as he was getting ready, only half paying attention to whatever game Cosette and Eliza had made up. Josie just sat on the couch staring out the window to the north. Callie couldn’t tell what she was looking at or what she was thinking. Kane checked on Callie’s attire a couple of times, taking items out of the pockets of her vest and adding other items. Some of the items went into her backpack, while some did not and got left on the table.

  Once everyone was ‘suited up’ and Callie’s attire and gear arrangement met Kane’s standard, the three boys grabbed the last bit of gear they didn’t have strapped to themselves and headed for the door. Callie looked over at Carlie, who was staring with sadness on her face at Callie. Callie walked over to her friend, and as Carlie stood up from the chair she had been sitting in, Callie hugged her friend.

  ”Be safe, okay?” Carlie whispered into her friend's ear.

  All Callie could do in response was nod into her friend's shoulder, “Eliza, Josie, time to go,” Callie finally said through choked tears.

  ”Little Druid, Little Wizard,” Jonah said, but then paused, finally adding, “Time for adventure.”

  Josie stood up, not looking away from the window, and grabbed Jonah’s hand. Eliza hugged Cosette and then Dani before standing up and grabbing her mom’s hand. Callie looked around the room.

  ”See you girls soon,” Callie finally said after taking a deep breath so she wouldn’t sound like she was about to cry. Something in the air told her it would be a while before she saw her home and her friends again. She couldn’t put her finger on why she felt that way, but she did.

  Callie, while still holding Eliza’s hand, walked out of the house, followed by Zeus and then Jonah, and Josie. Callie saw Zeus run past, debating whether to call him back or not. She looked over her shoulder and saw that Olive was standing just inside the door as it shut behind Jonah. Callie looked back just in time to see Zeus jump in the backseat of the truck. Kane looked at the dog and then at Callie. Callie didn’t know what to say as Kane looked at her, walking towards him, holding Eliza’s hand.

  ”Eliza, Josie, get in, please,” Kane said, not commenting on Zeus.

  “My Lady!” Alex yelled from behind them as they heard the door open and shut.

  Callie couldn’t help but smile; she had almost forgotten about him. She looked at Kane as Eliza let go of her hand to get into the truck. Kane just shook his head as Josie let go of Jonah’s hand and ran to get in beside her sister.

  ”Ride?!” Zeus exclaimed, jumping into the seat between the girls.

  ”Zeus, get off!” Eliza and Josie yelled, pushing Zeus off the seat. Zeus whimpered at first, more from hurt feelings than anything else. He circled a couple of times but then settled himself on the floorboard at Eliza’s feet.

  Alex jumped into the truck awkwardly and settled himself between Eliza and Josie on the bench seat. Josie and Eliza exchanged looks before Josie grabbed one of Alex’s hands. Eliza looked at her mom and dad and then did the same. Kane shut the door as Jonah settled himself into the bed of the truck next to the supplies Kane had thrown in just in case.

  Kane looked at his two friends. Phillip had gone back to the house, probably to talk to Carlie, and was heading back to the vehicle they had acquired from the Hunters. Phillip nodded to Kane. Kane shifted his gaze to Stern, who nodded as well, next to the open door of his truck. Kane nodded and then looked at Callie.

  Kane started to rethink their plan, seeing the scared look on Callie’s face, but then yelled to the group, “Load up!”

  Kane hated to see the fear in his wife’s face, but he also knew doubting a decision before a mission could get someone killed. He selfishly wanted his wife with him. He wanted his kids with him. So loading up and getting on the road was the only course of action.

  Kane took a look back at his house and at the animals that were all watching them. No time to second-guess, time for action. He took a deep breath, opened his car door, and quickly got in. Kane started the truck and, without taking a second look at the animals or the home he had created, drove forward towards the road.