Chapter 216: Into the Lion's Den

  XENOIS   Moving with supernatural stealth, we approached the compound's outer perimeter. The guards Carol had identified stood at their posts, alert but unaware of our presence. I could smell their thirst for hunger, the way they scanned the horizon like wolves waiting for prey to stumble into their territory.   Carol raised her hand, magical energy gathering around her fingers as she prepared to cast a sleeping spell on the front yard guards. The spell wove through the air like invisible silk, touching each guard in turn and dropping them into unconsciousness so smoothly that they simply appeared to slump at their posts.   We moved through the outer defenses like ghosts, each step calculated to avoid triggering any alarms or detection systems Andy might have installed. So far, our approach was proceeding exactly as planned.   That's when Thorn, Rivers, and XY broke off from our group, moving toward the main entrance to begin their distraction. I watched them disappear into position,