The Tiger Prince's Witch
Chapter 71 - Preparing for Battle

The people at the palace were on edge. Astaroth and his army of soulless were on their way. No one had alerted them, but Anna could feel the evil and darkness getting closer. Everyone was spending time with their loved ones, not knowing if they would see them after the fight. Loss was expected, but they were all willing to do their part for the greater good.

"Any idea if Elsie has her power back?" Kamryn asked Anna as they cuddled with Liana between them in bed.

"I haven't received any sign that she has, but I don't expect to know until she gets here. I just hope she uses it for good and not evil." She kissed her daughter's cheek, looking into her white-blue eyes.

"Are you going to be okay seeing her and Melita again? The things they did to you make me want to kill them myself." Kamryn wasn't one for violence, but he was replaceing it hard to forgive the two women who had hurt his mate. "They did terrible things, but I know that all of it wasn't them alone. I believe both of them had outside influences that helped them make the decisions they did. We'll see how they are when they get here. Actions speak louder than words. They can be forgiven if they choose to side with us when given the opportunity. If they decide to help the demon, the blood on my hands will wash off easily after I kill them." Anna looked at him with a small smile that gave him a chill. As sweet as she was, she could be just as vicious when her family was threatened.

"I love you, my little witch." Kamryn leaned over Liana to kiss Anna on the lips.

"I love you too, my strong tiger. How about we get breakfast and see how everyone is holding up?" She didn't say anything to Kamryn but was still trying to replace a way for everyone to pull through this. She refused to give up hope until the end. Nothing would keep her from fighting for her family.

They quickly got dressed and headed down to the dining hall. Liana moved her little head around, looking for Sean, who was lying in his father's arms. Their souls already called for each other. Sean's head tilted to the side until their eyes met. On the other side of the table, Zack and Sasha were already sitting together on Micha's lap. These little ones didn't know it, but the world would be doomed without them.

"Good morning," Kamryn smiled at everyone even though he could cut the tension in the room with a knife. They all looked at Anna, and he could feel the weight of the world seeping into her as he put his arm around her shoulders. "I know what you want to know, and I can't give you an exact time, but it will most likely be within the next twelve hours. Remember everything we've done to prepare and remain strong. We're ready for this." She looked around and realized the entire dining hall had stopped eating and talking to hear what she had to say.

"I have faith in each and every one of you. I'm not going to sugarcoat it and say this is going to be easy because it's not. Be prepared for the worst of the worst. However, we will prevail in the end. We won't go unscathed without loss, but we will take the demon down. You may recognize some of those who worked within the palace, but don't let their appearance fool you. They are no longer what they once were. Astaroth will likely use one of their bodies to hide in plain sight. He will send in the weaker fighters first to try and tire us. So save your energy as much as possible. Take breaks; otherwise, you'll get sloppy. I love you all."

As the tears began running down her face, everyone else cried with her. They knew this wasn't going to be easy, but they were willing to do what was necessary to stop Astaroth. Anna walked around and hugged each person, trying to give them the strength and encouragement they were in need of. Kamryn stayed by her side, beaming down at her. His eyes met his father's across the room.

Randal couldn't help the smile on his face as he watched Anna go around the dining hall, engaging with everyone. She was born to be a queen. He could see how much everyone loved her. They were willing to die if she said it was necessary. He took Lynn's hand, noticing she was watching the young couple.

"If we make it through this, we need to do something special for them. Not just crowning them king and queen. I want to have a ball to celebrate. We'll invite everyone from every species. If nothing else, this has shown me that we need to not have us versus them mentality with other species. We're all in this together. Good versus evil." She squeezed his hand with a smile.

"That's a great idea. It's almost spring. How about we do a butterfly ball? We haven't had one in a long time, and it would be the perfect start to a new beginning. Just like a butterfly breaking free from its cocoon." Lynn was already picturing the beautiful gowns the women would wear. It was a nice reprieve to think about something other than what was coming for them.

"We'll do it and make it better than ever before. Now we just need to get past this hurdle so we can enjoy the rest of our lives spoiling our grandchildren." Randal's heart hurt when he thought about not being around for Liana and Zack. He had always loved being a father, but those two little ones were something else. Being a grandparent made him feel more than ten feet tall.

Micah looked over at Jaz, staring at the children on his lap. He'd never been so happy and scared in his life. He knew Anna said they would defeat Astaroth, but at what cost? She'd said the children would make it through the battle but what about the rest of them? Would he be around to see Zack become a man? He and Jaz were only getting started. He wanted a whole life with her, yet he felt like something was off as he looked around. Was he going to die in this fight? Was this the last chance he was going to have to enjoy his family?

"What are you thinking?" Jaz asked, noticing how his demeanor had changed.

"I'm thinking I love you and Zack. I just hope I survive to see him grow up and love you for the rest of my life. I'm scared, Jaz." She leaned over and gave him a soft kiss.

"I'm scared too, but we have to stay strong and believe it will all work out in the end. You're the strongest, most caring man I have ever met. You have the biggest heart of anyone I know. I love you, Micah, and I'm not ready to be without you. So we need to fight for Zack, the kingdom, and our future. We have a lot more to accomplish." Jaz pulled his face to hers so she could kiss him. She knew many thought because she was quiet and preferred to stay in the shadows that she wasn't as strong as the others. She was okay with that, but when someone threatened those she loved, they better watch out because she could be worse than the devil himself.

Everyone around the dining hall was having similar conversations. Declaring their love for each other while trying to overcome their fear. Today was a day of togetherness throughout the palace. By the time night rolled around, everyone was ready.

There were lookouts on top of the roof while Anna and Kamryn stood at the palace doors waiting. Astaroth was almost there. As the ground started shaking, they knew it was time. When the doors opened, Anna's eyes widened. There were more than she'd thought, but that's not what made her freeze.

Alice and Marcus were standing in front of everyone with Melita and Elsie in chains. As they watched, they pulled out knives and held them to the two young women's throats. Anna held back her scream as the blades touched their necks. She'd hoped they could save Melita and Elsie, but this didn't look good. Just as she was about to speak, she saw something in Elsie's eyes that made her stop. Time for the rides to shift.