“Try heart,” Marius said.
Too short.
“Mind,” Killian suggested.
Again, too short.
“First guide.” Marius blinked at Killian. “I think you were onto something with mother. Maybe father?”
“Definitely not the first to guide a soul.” Killian frowned.
Marius watched Charlie, his mind drifting to their earlier conversation. Harlow did love her, even without knowing her. It was that way with children, wasn’t it?
“Try love,” Marius said.
Charlie arranged the symbols. Exactly six. Marius began to plug them into the slots in the stone.
“Careful, boy. If you’re wrong, it’s the cave for us again,” Brynhoff snapped.
Marius glanced toward Charlie. What would happen to her? Still, he had no choice but to continue. He slipped in the final stones.
The wall rumbled and then pulled aside.
Killian clapped his hands together and stepped into the next passageway. “Brilliant! This is the farthest we’ve come in a century.”
“Which means we have one last challenge to face.” Brynhoff grimaced. “And no weapons between us.”
Killian growled. “Shut up, Brynhoff. Count your blessings. Look there.”
The floor of the labyrinth was ascending, and at the top, a white glow beckoned them. Brynhoff increased his pace, his portly belly jiggling with his movements. “It’s the temple! We’re free!”
Marius moved to follow after them, but Charlie squeezed his hand.
“I feel weird.” She grabbed her stomach.
“Weird how?”
“My tummy hurts, and my zap is in my blood.” She tapped her torso with her fingers, imitating crackles under her skin.
Marius was feeling unwell himself, although his unpleasant sensation was in the general area of his heart. He rubbed his chest while she rubbed her tummy, wondering if the tug he was feeling there was because of Harlow. She needed him. They had to get home.
He gestured toward the light and the two men ahead of them. “There’s only one way out, and that’s through, kid.”
Her face strained with worry.
“We’ve made a good team so far.” He brushed her curls out of her face. “You’ve been very strong and brave. I think our chances are good.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“What do you think? Do we stay here in this passageway? Or do we try for home?”
“Try for home,” she squeaked, but he’d never seen her so uncomfortable. Her palm was wet with sweat as they started up the ramp, and she panted as they neared the light. The temple, it seemed, was having an effect on her.
“Do you want me to take that satchel?” he asked. “Is it too heavy?”
She pulled it over her head, her hair damp with perspiration, and handed it to him. He hoped it was okay for him to carry it. She’d retrieved them from the past. Could he bring them into the future? He had no idea how Charlie’s magic worked, or how the spell worked that had knocked him into this dimension. All he knew was that Charlie walked a little easier without the weight of the hearts. He took her hand again, and they were on their way.
Brynhoff was the first to make it to the end of the labyrinth. He did not look back before stepping into the light. His scream echoed down the passageway, but Marius couldn’t tell if it was a scream of joy or of pain. It ended quickly. Brynhoff didn’t return to the passageway.
