Leading the way, I made sure to keep my eyes off Emma. I was going to have to tell her she couldn’t come. Where I had first wanted her to stay with me, I knew now it was impossible. My Masters would never condone it and they would see how weak she had made me in my belief. It was better for her too. She wouldn’t be in direct danger anymore. It was a Chevalier’s job to protect this world. I gave her a sidelong look. If I’d learned anything about Emma, it was that she didn’t give up without a fight once she’d made up her mind. I would tell her at the last possible moment to give her little time to react.
Or to give yourself a precious few more moments with her and avoid letting her talk you out of it.
I batted away the thought, but the truth of it lingered.
We came to a small clearing and I nodded to myself, satisfied with the location. It was time to return things to normal.
Kneeling, I formed a box with my hands. “Illiminae homonae recurso meito.” The dark visage of trees in front of us ripped open, causing Travis and Emma to stumble back and gasp. The doorway-sized view in front of us now looked down on a large stone parlor. The backs of two leather tufted chairs were visible, set in front of a blazing fireplace. Books lined the walls on either side of the fireplace. I could already hear the crackle and smell the comforting smoky scent of burning wood.
Home. I’m going home. My Masters will know what to do.
Grateful to wield my powers once again, I turned to Travis and held out my hand. “It’s time.”
His cheeks looked drawn and ruddy from the cold as he eyed the portal. “And I’ll be safe there?”
“Absolutely.”
“Come on, Trav.” Emma nudged his shoulder. “I bet they treat you like royalty. Besides, how many from our graduating class have been to a secret Temple?”
When her eyes met mine, her smile faltered. She knew my thoughts before I’d said a word. “I’m coming with you,” she said, her voice tight, an unnaturally high pitch to it.
My features hardened, and I shook my head.
“But you said…” Her words faltered before anger flashed in her eyes. “You lied to me.”
“No, I changed my mind. It is for the best.”
Sensing a scene coming on, Travis grimaced and took a couple steps away from us. He shoved his hands into the deep pockets of his puffy camouflage trench coat and looked at the ground.
Emma shook her head vehemently, her eyes now glassy. “Don’t do that. Don’t talk like some kind of brainwashed soldier. I can’t go back now that I know so much.” Then in a quieter voice, “You need me.…”
I kept my mask of indifference on. I needed her to believe there was no chance of her going with us, in order for her to give up. Any chink in my armor and she would dig in and rip it all away. It’s what she did. It’s who she was.
“No, Emma. I need to take Travis to my Masters. You need to go home. You’ll go on with your life. You can’t help.” I clenched my right hand into a fist to keep from reaching out and dragging her into the portal with me.
“Help us.” The words seemed to come on the wind in a quiet, childlike warble.
Emma hadn’t heard it. “This is bullshit. I’ve helped save your ass multiple times. You say it’s the fate of humanity against the darkness. You’ll need all the help you can get.”
“Quiet,” I ordered.
“No.” She stomped her foot. “You can’t order me around. You don’t always know best. Hell, you don’t even know what’s good for you. You refuse to allow yourself to think outside your stupid orders.”
I thought I heard the childlike warble again, but Emma was on a tirade. I swiftly crossed the distance between us and clapped a hand over her mouth, which stunned her into momentary silence. The warmth of her startled me, too. It always did. Touching her was divine. Being able to smell her was intoxicating and so tempting, but that wasn’t what had me to distraction now.
“Help us.”
Emma ripped my hand away and was about to give me what for, but this time she heard it too and stilled.
Travis looked around, searching for the owner of the voice. “Who was that?” The sun was high in the sky lighting the forest and vestiges of snow in a white, cold light. There was no one around.
I said quietly, “The birds.”
A few minutes ago they had been happily chattering with one another but they’d gone silent. Emma and I searched for the speaker as well.
“Help me?”
This time the words came clearly and close by. Travis and Emma whipped around to look behind them. Though I had already been facing that direction, the girl seemed to appear from thin air. It was a child with long, straggly dark hair standing twenty feet away. The sheet of her hair obscured most of her face, and her gray dress was covered in a print of small flowers, and what looked to be grease and dirt stains.
