The Spirit Guardians Book 3: Fated

Chapter 42

Cassie squeezed her legs together nervously as she sat outside the safe house in the early morning, watching the sun rise over the horizon. She'd already been handed her weapons and had them sitting against a tree stump. Marc sat on the other side of her, leaning his back against hers.

"You'll say a speech in a few minutes, yeah?" Cherie asked as she approached.

Cassie slowly nodded, watching the crowd of people move around the surrounding area. It was more spiritkeepers than she had ever seen in her life, and while she was grateful for the support, she was terrified more than ever of the events that were about to transpire.

Marc clutched on her hand, saying nothing but holding it tight. She only hoped she could crawl back in her bed and sleep for a few days when all this was over. If she was this nervous over an attack on a prominent base, she wasn't sure what was going to happen when they eventually broke into the headquarters.

"And now Cassandra Black will say a few words," she heard Cherie call from afar. Cassie slowly stood, letting go of Marc's hand as she approached the gathering crowd. All eyes were turned toward her, though she did her best to look straight ahead, trying not to show any signs of fear.

"Welcome," she said as the crowd went silent. "I've had the privilege of meeting some of you already. I want to thank everyone for coming out here today, for supporting our rights, for standing up to ones who oppress us. The Preservers have brought us suffering for too long. Today, let's get out there and give them some hell!"

Shouts of agreement rallied from beneath her. It was short, sweet, and to the point, and the crowd seemed just fine with that. Cassie stepped down from the stump, feeling Cherie pat her on the back as she headed back toward Marc and the others. Cherie said a few more words, though Cassie had dulled them out by now, knowing the plan almost by heart.

She watched as ranks split up. Thankfully, all her friends would be in the same rank, with Cherie and another rebel Cassie had not met leading the force. He was an older, burly man who looked like he knew how to handle a weapon.

"You can just call me Commander Green," the man said, shaking each of their hands. A few other spare rebels joined them, and they watched as the first group went on.

"We'll be near the end of the pack," Green explained.

Cassie nodded, feeling her stomach drop. She grabbed onto her gun, watching each army head out in trucks. She knew deep down that not everyone would be returning, especially those on the frontlines.

When the fifth troop had headed out, that was their signal. Cassie climbed in the back of the truck and sat between everyone, being told specifically to be kept in the middle of the pack for her own protection. A part of her felt guilty that so many precautions were being taken to protect her. She wanted to get out there and fight, but she supposed she had to save her battle for a little longer. It would be disappointing to the rebels to see their icon killed in a minor battle.

The cars came to a halt about a mile off from the base. Cassie sat in the truck, watching as armies headed out one by one. It was announced at seven thirty that the security systems were shut off and that the gates would be accessible. Two troops were sent out, and Cassie waited. And waited. She clutched onto Marc's hand, jumping when she heard the first shot of gunfire in the distance.

"Troop six, you're good to go," came a call on Green's walkie-talkie.

Cassie took a deep breath and stepped out of the truck with the others. She felt like her legs were going to fall off as she walked toward the base. Her heartbeat was growing faster, and Marc's hand clutched onto hers was no longer helping. She could only hear increased weaponry being fired as they grew closer.