“You’re wasting your time with her. Best to count on me. I’ve used my deathtouch before. It works quite well.”

Jackson didn’t want to know who had fallen victim to Felix’s deathtouch. But the knowledge that he was able to use it effectively couldn’t be ignored.

“Yes. Just use Felix,” Viève said as she nervously clutched her hands together before her. She didn’t want them to depend on her for something so critical when it wasn’t clear if her half-breed genes could perform.

“Very well,” Jackson said reluctantly. “I won’t make you do something you don’t feel you’re ready to do. Felix, you can come out on the field and practice with us.”

“Tameri,” Kamen said to Docia, “we need to prepare you for the mass teleportation spell. I’ll cast the location spell now. Then you will know where you’ll be sending everyone. We cannot practice the full spell, but we can prepare you for it as best as we are able.”

“All right,” Docia said, rubbing her hands together anxiously. “I can do this.”

“I know that you can,” Kamen said. “You are a powerful priestess. I have seen you do many incredible things. This is well within your range of ability. But, as you said, it will drain you until you are flirting with death. Someone will have to stay behind to care for you.”

“I will care for her,” Ram said tightly.

“Very well. Come with us, Ram. I will show you how best to care for her once the spell has drained her.”

Ram nodded tightly and went to follow them into the house.

“Everyone else needs to be contacting more forces or practicing on this field,” Jackson said.

“I’ll be with you in just a second, Jackson,” Kane said as he hurried into the house after the others. “Kamen!”

Kamen stopped halfway up the stairs and looked down at the Demon. “Yes?”

“I need you to take me to the Doyen’s headquarters. I can only teleport somewhere I’ve already been. I’m not able to take the place out of someone’s mind like a stronger Mind Demon could.”

Kamen nodded. “Meet me in my rooms in ten minutes. I want to get Tameri studying this spell first.”

“Will do.”

Kane turned around and went back outside. The gathering had broken up, most of the people going out onto the field to practice their offensive and defensive abilities. Jackson had pooled together his little contingent, which was made up of Felix, Viève, Kane, the Phoenixes, and Grey.

“I don’t know why I’m here,” Viève was saying hesitantly.

“You’re backup, in case something happens to Felix.”

“Nothing is going to happen to me,” Felix drawled. “I’ve been in a battle before. I’m six hundred sixty-two years old. I’ve battled Nightwalkers before and I’ve certainly taken down humans.”

“Still, I like to play it safe,” Jackson said. “My plan is simple. Ceara, Cordo, you’re going to distract Apep with sheer firepower. Kane, while Apep is distracted, you’re going to teleport Felix to within touching distance of Apep. Felix, you’re going to use your deathtouch on him to weaken him. And, Grey, you’re going to bind him and get him into the circle Kamen will be drawing.”

“Sounds simple enough, provided everyone can do their part,” Felix said, eyeing Grey.

“I can get him to the circle; it’s keeping him there that’ll be the problem. Hopefully Felix’s deathtouch will make it all the easier,” Grey replied.

“Viève, I still want you to execute your deathtouch as soon as you can. If something should happen to Felix I need to know I have a backup.”

“All right. I will.”

But the idea of touching another being with death was a hard pill for Viève to swallow. She knew she would have to do it if she was going to be a part of this battle. And she did want to be a part of this battle. She would have to get over it. She wanted to prove her worth to these people more than anything.

“It would be better to use one of the other Wraiths that are coming as backup,” Felix said. “Wraiths with experience.”

“I think Viève will do just fine,” Jackson said.

“If you insist. If that is all, you must excuse me,” he said.

“That isn’t all. We need to practice these maneuvers.”

“We can’t. You heard him,” he said nodding toward Kane. “Transporting the other Wraiths is going to wear him out. He doesn’t have the energy to put into practice.”

“He has a point,” Kane said.

“SingSing can do the teleporting. She’s really quite good at it,” Grey said. “I would do it myself, but I fear all of my energy is going to have to be on holding this god in place.”

SingSing was also unpredictable. It was exactly why Jackson hadn’t asked her to be a part of this from the beginning. He had carefully chosen participants based on what he had seen during their capture the flag games.

“All right, if you think you can corral her,” Jackson said. “Now we need someone strong to play the role of Apep. Someone with a lot of firepower.”

“Did someone say they needed firepower?” a strong male voice asked from the left.

“Noah!” Kane exclaimed, going up to the Demon King and shaking his hand.

“Kane. I heard you needed some help. So, Gideon and I came. Legna stayed behind, however. She is watching over the children.”

“With you and Gideon here, we don’t need anyone else.”

Jackson took in the sight of the brawny, black-haired Demon King and the taller, leaner built Gideon whose silver hair and eyes gave him a startling appearance. He was as young looking as his ruler was, but there was something very aged in his eyes and demeanor.

“Anyway, if you need firepower…” Noah held out a hand and a ball of flame appeared. He pitched it hard against a group of landscaping rocks and they burst into cinders.

“Nice,” Cordo said.

It figured the Phoenixes would like the Fire Demon.

They moved to an area of the lawn separate from where everyone else was practicing and, after Grey fetched SingSing, began to practice their skills, their timing, and what it would feel like to take a hit in the process.

SingSing kept entertaining herself by disappearing and reappearing, a delighted “Tada!” accompanying each appearance. It grew old fast for everyone except SingSing.