In the morning, we had ridden without stopping to the Prophet's village, where finally I would be able to free my innocent. I'd hoped to return here with my power and even allies to help in the battle. Never had I imagined how much would have changed, though. In many ways, I was a different person. At least, I hoped I was. My track record on saving my world apparently was pretty lousy.

At least, Dr. Henderson didn't have control of our world right now.

Straight lines of warriors stood ready for battle around the domineering walls of the Prophet's village. The perimeter was entirely surrounded by his army and by archers poised atop the wall. Though I didn't see his disciples, I was sure they were waiting for us.

We flattened ourselves on a nearby hill, watching.

The Prophet's stare loomed in my mind. I'd grown up with his inky eyes drilling into my own on the day of my death. I couldn't shake them now. Fear that had grown within me every day since I'd first slipped to my death choked me now. It was like a vine that had wrapped around every blood vessel and organ in my body.

"We can do this…" I whispered it to myself. Even with my medicine and Piercey's treatment, my anxiety was difficult to control. A voice inside told me that it was because it wasn't something that anyone could fix. It wasn't a problem with my mind. I should be afraid. That was the issue with my condition. It was hard to tell when it was my voice and when it was anxiety hijacking my mind. I still hadn't learned to listen to myself fully. Perhaps, that was the worst way I'd always held myself back.

I ground my teeth down. When I went into battle, I destroyed all thoughts and lived in the moment, ready to deal with whatever came my way. Today was a day of battle. I had to shut myself up and focus on the only thing that mattered. Destroying everyone who stood in the way of me and my people. My family.

The rest of the mess I'd made trying to save them, that was for a different day.

But no matter how many times I told myself that, the unease hung inside me. My body knew what my mind had pushed away.

None of us were safe.

None.

That wasn't all though. I still wanted to fight. That was who I was. Someone who knew the worst that could happen, feared the worst, and still chose the battle. Nash and Piercey were right to believe in me. They were right and I'd been wrong.

No more.

"It's time." I squeezed Piercey's wrist. "Tell your graduates."

My people were waiting and ready to attack, hiding in the woods west of the village. The Prophet must have had scouts watching the area, because they had fortified the west side of the village perimeter with twice the warriors as any other direction. I eyed the enemy fighters posted all along the wall.

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Piercey closed his eyes. "It's done. I told them to tell your people to strike."

I wanted so badly to listen for Wren and Leif’s hearts, but I couldn’t alert the disciples to us. I had to control myself. I was just so desperate to connect with them in any way I could.

Nash must have felt my anxiety, because he slipped his hand over my back and whispered in my ear. "Your people will be free soon."

It shouldn’t have been possible for any of the fear to ease from my tense muscles, but looking into his eyes did just that. Even here, even now, I longed to draw him to myself again. His heart already felt like a part of mine.

I had to protect Nash today.

A roar erupted from the woods where my people had waited. Though I'd expected it, it still shook me, reverberating in my bones. Their battle cry swelled like one booming voice that drowned out everything else in the Valley: the birds chirping, the Prophet's warriors readying their weapons, my own thoughts crying out in my mind.

The cry built in my own chest. My body flooded with energy so I could race down to my people and charge with them. But I remained hidden on the hill.

The first of our warriors broke into the field with the rest pouring out behind them. Though we were a small force compared to the Prophet's army, the worry tightening the faces of the Prophet's warriors made it seem as if they were the ones outnumbered.

I looked at Nash. How many of them were like him? Forced to fight for the Prophet when they really wanted to join my people in storming his village. Fervor shone from his eyes and tightened the muscles in his forearms. I could feel his desperation as viscerally as my own. The Prophet had used his power to carve his name into Nash's back repeatedly and forced him into service. What else had he done to others in the valley? The man may have had more enemies than I realized.

We were ready to fight. It was time.

I searched for Leif and Wren and found them at the front of the charge, blades raised overhead. Please, they had to stay safe.

The Prophet's warriors sprinted for my people now. Archers on the wall unleashed their first wave of arrows. My people drove forward, even as arrows arched in the sky over them.

"Val." Piercey's face had gone ashen. I could practically feel his longing to return to the peace of the mountain.

She planted her hands on the ground and strained as a pulse of energy erupted from her, knocking into me like a physical force. The arrows exploded into a shimmering mist of wood and iron, each piece so pulverized that it fell like dark snow over my people. Our warriors charged unfazed while the Prophet's force all looked up to the sky.

We'd tipped our hand. The Prophet would send his disciples soon.

"You ready?" Piercey whispered.

My body buzzed. "I can hardly contain myself."

Nash grinned, but Piercey's brows tightened with worry.

A crack like thunder erupted from the field. Our warriors tore into the Prophet's line with no hesitation. Swords clashed against one another. I dug my fingers into the earth and focused on Leif and Wren now that Val had used her power.

A flash of energy tore my mind from them. Someone was coming. I felt their power like a gust of wind.

A haze of blue sparked at the front lines where the two armies clashed. Then it shot out in a beam that slammed warriors aside. A single woman was left standing in a small circle with a straight path out of the crowd. My people flowed around her like a rushing river, except for those who had been knocked over by her power.

She walked forward slowly.

My lungs tightened, burning in my chest. "An ambush." The words scarcely escaped my lips before I jumped into a crouch with my bow drawn. She was only a distraction from the real threat. I had to find the other disciples. I listened for heartbeats and unleashed my first arrow, focused on it as it curved for the heart I'd heard in the woods.

The arrow snapped.

Whoever was hiding had destroyed it.

The disciple walking toward us in the haze of blue had wanted our attention on her. Wanted us to see her. More were coming. It wasn't just whoever hid close by.