GAR

Gar, Aaryn, and Tarkyn all looked at Elreth in surprise, though Gar's heart was lighter all of the sudden.

Tarkyn spluttered and started to protest, but Elreth stared him down. "Will you get enough numbers there to have a presence, a visible presence, before they get off the plains?"

"Yes, but they won't be rested—"

"That's not the point. I learned this—we all learned this, Tarkyn—at the Hallowed Grounds. Remember? This was the entire point the Protectors made: Combat is good, and it's what your ranks do when it's needed. But we want to avoid it at all costs." Tarkyn tried to interrupt but she held up a hand. "I also think you're right, that it will be needed. But have you forgotten the veneration already? When the challenge was called, we turned our attention to the assault and forgot about.. quieter means of winning the greater war. Just as we did, the humans—who are expecting to use their might to overwhelm us—will be expecting that kind of assault. They'll be prepared for it. And when it occurs—or they believe it's about to—their attention will be fully on the threat at their front. If we can get the Protectors there and positioned behind and beside them, they'll have a chance to infiltrate and take out the leaders. Without the head, the rest of the body is in chaos. Agreed?"

Tarkyn frowned, "Yes. But—"

"No buts. We're sending the Protectors. As many of them as we can safely do. You will be there to lead. Create a false line with the few fists you'll get there, then make a great deal of fuss about the others when they arrive. Make them look active and present. Keep the humans focused on protecting themselves from your warriors while the Protectors do their work."

Gar nodded, grinning at his sister. She'd got it. She'd really understood it all. But then to his dismay, she turned to Rika.

"Rika, be realistic. What are the chances you can get in there and interfere with their tech? Do the Protectors need to be primarily focused on capturing leaders without being spotted? Or do we need warriors who can be waiting among them to attack the key leaders once the tech is down?"

"They have guns," Rika reminded her. "We can't affect their guns. Whoever goes in will have to be focused on disarming anyone they come in contact with. But if I can get into their ranks with any kind of freedom.. I only need to get my hands on one of the central devices to enter the kill switch and disarm their technology. It's designed to stop the technology from falling into enemy hands. So if they're attacked, the weapons can't be used against them. But guns are.. independent. They won't be affected. So if I can get in there, I can stop the humans from being able to locate the Anima before they approach, and disarm the tech weapons—tasers and the tranquilizers. But not the guns."

"And you're taking Reece with you? Why?"historical

"Yes, I need to convince them that you held more humans than just me—it will add credibility that I was captured. Plus it gives us twice as many chances to get our hands on the necessary devices. Because he's familiar with technology, I can give him the instructions. The kill switch is fairly simple, but it takes several steps. I'll need a couple of minutes with the device. Reece and I can help each other until one of us is successful."

Elreth glanced at Reece skeptically. The male bristled. "Are these instructions you could give to a Protector?"

"I could if they'd used technology. But some intuitive knowledge is useful. But also.. please don't take this the wrong way, but the humans aren't going to believe any of you are actually human. They're familiar with the Anima. I understand that you all got away with it in the human world, but that's because humans don't expect to see anything except.. humans.

"Reece looks and acts like a human. Here in Anima they'll be expecting to find Anima and surprised to find a human. Whoever comes with me needs to.. act differently than you all act."

Elreth tipped her head. "I speak as you do. I know I'm taller, but—"

"No, it's not that. Look." Rica tipped her head for Reece to come to stand next to her, which the male did reluctantly. Gar's hackles rose that an unknown male stood so close to his mate, but he knew this was necessary and clenched his jaw until his teeth wanted to crack.

Reece stood next to her, his head slightly down, shoulders forward and hands in his pockets, glaring at all of them out from under his brows. He wore those heavy trousers that looked so uncomfortable, and a thick sweater of some kind with cuffs and a tightened band at the waist and a thick hood at its back.

Rika stood next to him—dressed in her human clothes that she'd arrived in, Gar realized.

Gar blinked, and Elreth did too.

When they stood there like that, Rika was right. They stood out. And not just because of the clothes.

p "He looks human, you see?" Rika said, and Gar sensed that she was trying not to say something that might upset Reece.

Elreth nodded and looked at Tarkyn, who also understood.

Their body language was different. Gar knew this. There were times that Rika moved in ways that made her look weaker than she was. But there were times when she leaped to defense when she didn't need to, also.

He'd observed this in humans. Their senses were duller, and they often misread a threat where none existed.

Then again, he'd been caught while in the human world, not anticipating threat because humans signaled their aggression differently—reliant as they were on weapons, they moved differently in preparation.

As Rika waited for Elreth and Tarkyn to understand and accept her plan, Gar battled, swinging between pride—because she understood the need and was making sure it was fulfilled. But fear, too, because every step forward she took, every resource the Creator provided, led her one step closer to being taken out of his arms and..

Creator's Light, it didn't even bear thinking about.

Gar sucked in a deep breath and prayed, one more time, that they'd find a way to do this together. That she didn't have to face this alone, without him. That she didn't have to walk among the enemy without his protection.

He literally trembled at the idea.