Gates of Rapture (Guardians of Ascension #6)(71)
Author: Caris Roane

Endelle nodded. “You’re thinking the triad will have to help.”

“Facing Greaves on multiple fronts when the time comes will absolutely require that the triad protect the colonies. And it makes the most sense. Grace is like Alison. Neither is built for straight-on battle. Tell me you know that.”

“Yeah, I do.” She sounded resigned.

Endelle released a deep breath. She rubbed her chest. “Wish I had my weapons harness back on. As hot as that damn thing was it gave me more comfort than I realized.”

He glanced at the oversized red pendant. “What’s that made of?”

She looked down and flipped the pendant up and down with her index finger. “Dead ladybugs. Don’t worry. Kaitlyn, who’s been working with me, is into all that organic shit. She actually went to a ladybug farm and collected some dead ones. Fucking waste of time if you ask me, but, hey, it’s her time. Besides, this pendant rocks.”

* * *

Grace stood in the desert beside Thorne, looking at the warriors the triad had been moving from place to place, just to practice the mass-folding skill. Everyone was taking a break. Marguerite had headed to the rehab center to check in on her Seer teams, to make sure they kept blocking every aspect of the spectacle event from Stannett. Fiona sat in a camp chair talking quietly on her phone to one of the blood slaves she’d been counseling for a few months now. The warriors were rehydrating.

For the past several hours, Grace and the triad had been working with her newly acquired mass-folding ability, and she was still astonished. Seriffe had ordered a thousand of his warriors to be at the triad’s disposal for the afternoon, and Endelle had created her own version of the dense mossy mist to sustain the secrecy of their practice here in Apache Junction Two.

In addition, Endelle had set up a second location in North Africa Two, also cloaked beneath a mossy dome of mist. It was to these two separate locations that half a million warriors each would be sent. Right now, Gideon was at the second location, with Brynna reporting in constantly over the success of each practice fold. Everything had gone perfectly, which of course made Grace nervous.

“I wish we could try a larger force, just once.”

Thorne nodded. “I know what you mean. But I can feel the power, Grace. It’s there.”

“I know, but…”

He slipped his arm around her waist. “I’m with you. Let me see what I can do.” He stepped away from her and made a phone call. When he returned to her, he smiled. “Will another five thousand do? Seriffe has them on maneuvers at the desert below Endelle’s palace.”

Grace’s heart skipped a beat. “Yes. Five thousand would be great. Do we dare try the fold from that position?”

“I don’t think a single fold of a large contingent will arouse too many suspicions. Greaves will probably think Endelle was trying out her skills.”

“But I don’t want to bring them here. I think we should send them to North Africa Two.”

“Good idea.”

With the plan set, Thorne made his phone calls in order to ensure that the five thousand were in a solid formation, everyone standing in squads of four and ready for a fold. He then folded straight to the McDowells so that he could mentally share with Grace the location and structure of the five thousand warriors.

Grace sent a quick message to Marguerite via their shared obsidian pathway, then let Fiona know what was going on.

A few minutes later, after Marguerite had returned, Thorne returned to download the location and image to Grace. Once she could see exactly what they would be doing, she placed her hand on Marguerite’s shoulder and Fiona’s.

Thorne moved several feet away. This was the biggest change that had occurred. After working together through the afternoon, the massive obsidian power had settled down and Thorne no longer needed to touch any of the women in order to dissipate the excess power.

This time, as the circle closed and the power began to build, Grace let it flow. She focused on her folding ability and could sense when Fiona was ready to receive her. She slid easily within Fiona, taking possession, and with a single mental effort the massive fold began. Even though the triad was at Apache Junction Two, and the five thousand warriors were in the McDowells, Grace could sense the fold as it happened.

The shared obsidian power grew stronger and stronger, flowing upward toward the dome of mist. Grace could actually see within her mind’s eye as the fold took place, all five thousand warriors being moved to North Africa.

Thorne’s voice spilled over all that power. “Seriffe reported that the fold was successful at the McDowells. Gideon just reported in as well, and the warriors have arrived in perfect formation.”

Grace cheered. Fiona and Marguerite joined in.

“Shall we do the reverse?” Thorne asked.

“Yes,” Grace said.

Both Marguerite and Fiona responded in the affirmative as well, and without a single break in the flow of power, Grace reversed the fold.

Afterward, though Thorne gave his confirmation report from Seriffe, Gideon, and Brynna, Grace already knew the mass fold had been successful. She could feel it.

When she disengaged from Fiona and reentered her body fully, she drew back from both Fiona and Marguerite. “Did you both have a sense of what we’d done? When it happened?”

Marguerite nodded. “Yes. For the last few folds, I could feel it when it happened.”

“This is new,” Thorne said.

Fiona added, “It came on gradually, but Grace is right. I could feel the fold. I could feel the landing in North Africa, then the return fold to the McDowells.”

Thorne smiled. “Shit, that’s the best news of the day.” His head bobbed and he glanced at his watch, then at Marguerite.

She moved quickly in his direction and slid her arm around his waist. “Tell me we’re done for the day. I’m ready to put my feet up. Really ready.”

He kissed the top of her head. “We’re done and it’s now seven thirty. I did promise a couple of warriors I’d get their brehs home.”

He started herding them in the direction of the landing platforms. Even though the team had been doing this work outside, Seriffe had a strict policy in place about folding. If you were anywhere at Militia Warrior HQ, inside or out, you had to use the landing platforms.

On the way, Leto was suddenly in her mind. Coming back to the villa anytime soon? It’s seven thirty-one.

Even though she knew his sudden presence in her mind was the result of the breh-hedden—and because of it, much stronger than telepathy—she was startled. Hey, how about a warning. You weren’t there, then suddenly you were practically shouting inside my head.