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Chapter 15

"We have to get in here and get settled," Jace was tugging me to the room. We were on our way into the meeting. It was being held at the nursery, because our father's were arrogant. "Theo's looking out, and he's going to make that noise outside the window if we're needed."

"Can you really create a distraction?" I stood in the room trying to figure out where we could be.

"Of course," he turned and flashed that grin at me I loved so much. "And I have the most powerful mind magic person with me. You can take care of everyone that we were never here."

"I won't hesitate," I assured him. "There," I pointed to the credenza at the back of the room. "We should be out of the way enough, and the room is small, we can hear."

"That works," Jace walked to it and sat down beside it. "Think we should be in this little alcove, or should we sit on top?"

"If we sit on top, we run the risk of someone putting something on us," I sat down in front of him, and his arms went around me. It seemed to be automatic at this point. "We can see everyone here."

"You good?" he whispered into my ear, then kissed me in that spot right under that he found caused me to shiver.

"Not if you keep doing that," I whispered.

Jace laughed. "The illusion is in the credenza. It looks like the thing goes all the way to the wall, and there's a plant on top of us so no one will try to put anything there."

It was good that there was a "plant" on our heads because a minute later to put a pitcher of water there along with some glasses.

"I'm just saying that we've got a lot of people coming in, maybe we can move things up," my dad had to be talking to Brian. I stiffened in Jace's arms.

"Neil, this is something we don't want to rush," Brian stopped and picked up the pitcher of water. "Our intelligence is showing that they're getting more people to train. And they have their new crop of readers and manipulators from The Gathering. I just want to see us as ready as we can be."

People started coming in before they could say anything else.

Some people I recognized, some I didn't. Brian acted like he knew everyone so maybe there were some people who lived in Canada where Jace had grown up.

They pinned up maps and started pointing at places, Dad and Brian were in charge, which was odd for me to see, because Oliver was there and he had always been in charge back in our old village.

Of course, that could have all been a sham so that no one knew what my dad was up to.

I tried my best to memorize all the maps, where they had people stationed and training, but it was a lot to take in. Between that and listening to everyone. I was glad Jace was there.

We watched them debate back and forth, where would be best to launch the attack. Could they get word to the people in the West? Matteo could do it, Dad assured everyone at the table. I wasn't surprised to find they were using Matteo as their technology expert.

"And you're sure your daughter will be on board with all this?" one of men I didn't know asked.

"Of course," Dad flashed a smile that made me want to throw up. "Now, I'm thinking that we should find a boat that we can load with troops. That way we can surround them on all sides," he pointed to the map.

After they decided where to start the attacks, they started debating when they should do it. The best place for me and Jace to be, and exactly what we needed to do.

We were weapons, nothing more. For all I knew, Dad and Brian had picked their wives based on the children they could produce. I had a feeling that Jace and I were not accidents. But they didn't know the extent of our combined powers. If we wanted, we could stop all of this now, but we'd still be here. And we'd still have the threat of the Assertives.