Chapter 27: Chapter TWENTY SEVEN

A few minutes later, their hosts invited them into the dining room. The young human's mind was disturbed by a thick fog of mixed emotions. Everything was confused in her head, information and decisions were mixed up in all directions. On the one hand, she was relieved that they had finally decided to act instead of hiding in the city, but on the other hand, the prospect of being propelled onto a battlefield was obviously terrifying. And it wasn't like she had time to get used to the idea. No, the departure was in less than forty-eight hours. Now that time was running out, it seemed like she had a hundred things on her to-do list before potentially risking death.

"It'll be fine," Adam cried, seeing their silent, anguished faces. "You won't be alone. Ellana's goal is surely not to sacrifice you stupidly."

"Lucky us," Ethan replied, helping himself to the savory pie, a dish that looked a lot like pizza on Earth. "It's hard to believe that when the other tells us that she intends to throw us in the sight of the madman who massacred the convoy."

"I don't think her plan includes you confronting him on your own. You have no combat experience, and Solomon is a Vila with decades of warfare and training embedded in his body and brain. You don't stand a chance."

"Great, that's very encouraging," Mia quipped as she started to eat.

The appetite was not really there, but the two young soul mates had each decided to gather as much strength as possible before the fateful moment. They couldn't back down now. Following the same logic, Mia spent her afternoon practicing drawing, aiming, and firing her revolver as quickly as possible under Irina's guidance.

"Magical creatures are very fast," she had explained to Mia, "you have to be able to react automatically, on total instinct. And, above all, you must not hesitate to shoot. Honestly, no matter how much you train to gain speed, you'll panic the first time you have to use it in a real situation. For now, you have the element of surprise as they are unfamiliar with our weapons, so use them until you are comfortable. Just remember not to hesitate to shoot. They won't hesitate to rip your head off."

Irina was right to give her as much advice as possible, but she had added additional anguish on the back of the young human. Knowing how to shoot was one thing, but was she really capable of killing someone?

Not sure that all the people brought to kill other people have asked themselves the question first or felt capable of it... When it's your life or that of your attacker, I suppose that the answer is clear...

When the sun was far enough up in the sky that it was time to prepare for the meeting, Irina put away the shooting gear and gathered the whole small household in the living room. Since Ethan and Mia had to go on stage, she wanted to prepare a more suitable outfit for them, something that would give them a little more presence. Something that would prove that they stood before the people as combatants and not as civilians.

The couple had thus been entitled to the old Sentinel uniforms of their elders. Irina had discreetly sent them to a seamstress urgently to adjust them to their size. The one intended for the young human had to be enlarged by one size, something that was possible with the help of magic when one knew how to use it.

"I hope I wasn't mistaken about your measurements, I guessed by sight."

The uniforms were much the same between the female model and the male model, except that the former was cut differently to allow the women's shapes not to be crushed by the fabric. They consisted of long black lace-up boots that went up below the knee, black trousers and a fabric shirt fairly close to the body, and a jacket of the same color with buttons and a few side pockets. The latter was very similar to those of military uniforms on Earth, except that the camouflage colors did not seem to be used here. The whole set was black to blend in with the shadows, and it was above all relatively simple and functional to allow its wearer to move comfortably.

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"These uniforms are strengthened by magic spells, it is not simple fabric. They are more resistant and will protect you more against knocks and scratches than simple clothing. They will also keep your body warm. As you will be traveling at night, you will need it."

"They're pretty comfortable," Mia admitted, gesturing to check that the outfit suited her shape. "Looks like the right size to me."

"Same," Ethan agreed, imitating the blonde.

"They are for you, you can keep them. I hope you won't have to use them much."

Yeah, I hope this will be the only time too, that would already be enough.

Irina and Liam were dressed normally, although they had put on nice clothes that Mia suspected were the newest in their wardrobe. Adam, meanwhile, was also wearing everyday clothes, but he had placed on his shoulders a long brown cape with a gold brooch at the level of the neck to close it and three thin golden chains as an ornament each connecting one of the six buttons presented equally on both sides of the fabric. It was hanging down but still made it possible to maintain a minimum of the cape closed on the Vila's torso when he walked or moved his arms.

"It's a sign that he's part of the Council," Irina explained to their questioning gaze.

"What about you Irina?" Mia inquired, surprised that she hadn't equipped the same cloak.

"I gave up my seat when Liam was born. I had other priorities, and besides, I'm still aware of what's going on there through Adam. In the end, other than not having to sit around for hours listening to them bicker until they agree on something, I haven't lost much," she laughed, shrugging her shoulders.

"And I don't want to hear them chirping for hours on end because I was late," Adam interrupted, "So let's go."

With sweaty and shaking hands, not knowing what to expect, Mia rushed after the group to begin the march toward the rally, a lump in her stomach. A glance at her mate told her he wasn't particularly relaxed either.

Please don't ask us to give a speech...

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