Ch 163. Planning Ahead

I collapse onto the nearest available surface in Stella's cozy living room, exhaustion weighing down every muscle in my body. The others follow suit, plopping down on the couch, bed, and floor, all equally spent from the events of the night.

"Whew, what a wild ride!" Stella sighs, stretching out like a contented cat.

The widow sprawls all over the couch. "I don't know about you all, but I could use a week-long nap right about now."

"Tell me about it," Bree groans, rubbing her temples. "I feel like I just ran a marathon while juggling flaming swords."

Sasha lets out a tired chuckle. "Flaming swords? That's a new one, Bree. Maybe you should stick to daggers."

I can't help but grin at their banter despite the weariness threatening to consume me. But I know we can't afford to rest for long. We still have a lot of work to do, and not much time remains. I told the other Challengers to be ready in two weeks, and I still didn’t have an actual plan.

"Hey, guys," I start, sitting up slightly t