They chatted about the Sacred Gardens as they headed for the trail. "Not much has really changed," Luke told her. "Father was always a man against change, so I don't think you're going to find it much different than it was when you left."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course," Luke answered. "We're family, right?"
"Right. Did your father ever try to find the idol? I mean, he had to know that my Jeremiah couldn't have stolen the idol after he was killed right outside the place where he supposedly stole it from, so he couldn't have hidden it somewhere."
"I asked him that several times in the early years after your family left, but he would never answer me. He was proud to a fault and admitting that he made a mistake would have destroyed him in his own eyes. Luckily, I never picked up that trait. If I'm wrong, I say it."
"That's an admirable trait to have. Will your people be happy to have the idol back?"
"I'm sure, although most of the newer generation probably don't even know what it is, let alone that it's been missing for so long."
She patted his arm. "Well, when you take it back, it will give you the reason to educate them."
When they reached the ridge about halfway up the mountain, Sarah flung her eyes wide. "You won't see that view just anywhere."
Luke surveyed the valley below. "I grew up in the gardens, but I don't think their beauty matches this."
"That's one reason I wanted to settle here," Vinia admitted. "My Jeremiah would have loved it."
Luke saw the pain in her eyes. He took her hands. "I'm sorry about what happened to him. It was unfair and uncalled for. I can't change that, but I can make it right and clear his name."
Vinia gave him a quick hug. When he stepped back, he saw the appreciation in all of the brothers' eyes. Luke turned to Sarah and gave her a kiss.
"I feel like if I kiss you here, we can conquer anything."
"I love you, Luke."
Without thinking, or even knowing he was going to do it, Luke dropped to one knee. "This place, no matter how beautiful it is, doesn't even come close to your beauty. Will you do me the honor of being my queen, from now until the end of time itself?"
A tear leaked down Sarah's cheek. "Do you know how long I've waited to hear those words?"
"Is that a yes? Because I don't have a ring right now, but I have your family as witnesses."
"Yes! Of course, yes."
She flew into his arms when he stood up, and he swung her around. Everyone clapped except Colton, who had moved closer to the edge of the cliff. Vinia noticed him, too.
"What's wrong, Cole?"
Colton suddenly flung his pack to the ground. "Smoke. Something's on fire down there."
Chapter Seventeen: Fire and Ice
Sarah Hale
Picnic forgotten, everyone shifted and flew down the mountain. Sarah's heart was in her throat, and she was grateful for Luke, who stayed right next to her. She saw Danielle point from Logan's back, and they swerved off to the east. Tyson, with his wife Valerie on his back, followed. Colton flew straight toward the heaviest smoke with Ellie on his back, and as soon as they landed, she hopped off so he could shift back.
Sarah landed nearby, with Luke and Vinia joining her. "Where's Drake?"
"He's around here somewhere," Vinia answered. "He may have followed Logan like Tyson did."
An entire pasture was on fire, and half of the wooden fence was engulfed in flames. Colton blew some of his dragon fire to extinguish the closest blaze just as Vinia pointed.
"Horses. The horses are panicking."
Fire lapped close to where the horses had gathered in one corner. Without immediate help, they were trapped.
