But Oro couldn’t forget what he found after flying for days to check on her after he felt his connection to her weakened. He had assumed she would be miserable or imprisoned...but she wasn’t. She washappy.
And that truth had been the most painful to accept. That she did not hate Grim, even after everything.
That she loved themboth.
Oro couldn’t blame her. Isla was trapped between a past life and a present one. Anyone in her position would have been confused. Especially with what was at stake with the prophecy.
But now...now she would have to make a choice between them.
Her final choice.
Oro was knocked out of his mind a moment later when Grim portaled Cinder to the tide pools. Oro’s friends were waiting on the cliff with Maren, should anything go wrong.
No reason to delay. Oro raised his arms—and the high tide rushed in.
Water crashed into them both, but they were ready with shields of flame and shadow. They both walked assuredly, cutting through the sea like blades, right toward the blue glowing pool.
He knew Isla. If she was willing to make the connection, and let one of them in, it was because she was in trouble. She needed them.
And one of them was going to be with her in just moments.
The pool glowed brighter as Oro and Grim stepped into it. They dropped the ring and the Threads of Time that Isla would need inside and watched as they sank to the bottom.
Then they faced each other.
“Whatever choice she makes...thank you,” Oro said, outstretching his hand.
Thank you for caring about her as much as I do. Thank you for helping me get to her. And if she chooses you—thank you for saving her.
Grim took his hand, his grip firm. “Thank you for making her life better,” he said.
And he meant it.
They shared one last look, one last moment as allies.
Then Oro turned and nodded at Cinder. He and Grim sank into the pool, floating on their backs. From this angle, Oro could see Cinder close her eyes and take a deep breath. With a crackle, swirling energy surrounded her, swelling and raging until she was lifted off her feet. Her eyes burst open—and they were blank, pure light. Oro heard Maren’s sharp gasp from the clifftop.
Cinder raised her arm. Pointed at the tide pool.
And a bolt of pure energy struck the water.
Side by side, Oro and Grim jolted. Oro’s vision was replaced by blinding silver as power sharp as a sea of daggers set him aflame. It flayed through his skin, burned through his blood, and buried in his bones. His every sense was ripped away, replaced only with endless light. The world roared like a storm had overtaken it.
It was working.
He could feel Grim pouring his power inside, his flair and his Nightshade ability. Oro did the same with his Sunling power. The tide pool whirled with energy, splintering and fracturing and reforming as a door.
Now, they only needed Isla to make her choice and open it.
ISLA
Today was the day.
Isla had her plan. She just had to be strong enough to go through with it.
Aurora had given her all the information she needed.
She would kill Cronan. She would reopen one of her bonds. Then she would figure out how to kill Lark, who could barely breathe in her current state. She would figure out how to use her flair to bring everyone back, and all her mistakes would be undone. Her world, and the entire universe, would be saved.
