She climbed a few more steps toward the door, then turned around, her eyes filled with tears. “No! Get up!” She ran back down and grabbed his hand. “Get up, Uncle Marius! Get up now!” It was her mother’s voice again.
He hauled himself up another step. Only a few more to go. A sound like static in the air told him why Charlie’s eyes went wide. The guardians of the temple must be charging up again, focusing those deadly eyes on him. He tried to climb faster, but he couldn’t get his feet under him. The crackle started again. “Run, Charlie!”
She didn’t. She dropped into a fighting stance, crossed her arms, and bellowed like a dragon five hundred times her size. He heard the zap of celestial fire. Everything lit up like a sunrise. But when he looked back, all that bright light had stopped inches from his body, held back by some invisible shield Charlie was putting off. He cried out too, not that his howl would help her, but in reaction to the sheer power pulsing around him.
He only took a breath when the guardians ran out of steam.
Marius did not waste his niece’s gift. Powering through the pain, he scrambled to his feet and swept her into his arms. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she passed out. He hugged her to his chest.
“Hang on. Here we go.” He leaped into the center of the temple, into the beam of light that pulsed there. Instantly, he was swept into the beyond.
Suspended in bright light with Charlie in his arms, all his pain vanished. It was, he realized, exactly as Avery had described it. He was in the bright place. The in-between. The place between places. He knew instantly that if he chose, he could stay here. Not here exactly, but the next place. It would feel like this for all eternity. It would be bright and peaceful. He could rest. Everything would be easy.
But when he thought about moving on, something tugged, sharp and warm in his breastbone. There was someone he was forgetting. He sensed the child in his arms. Sensed because he was beyond sight. Wake up, kid, he thought to her. What should we do?
She did not respond. The weight of her seemed so slight in his arms.
The tug came again and then a voice. Please, Marius, please! Her voice. She was weeping for him. His hand felt warm. He looked down and could see it, where before his entire body had been washed out as if he were part of the light. He pulled on that hand and felt himself move.
Counterintuitive as it was to move toward darkness, toward cold, he understood she was there, on the other side of something. She needed him. Her name came to him, and he whispered, “Harlow.”
Darkness rushed toward him, and then he collided with pain. He was on his back, something heavy and limp in his arms.
“Oh my goddess! Oh my goddess!” The weight was lifted off him. He was not strong enough to open his eyes.
“Marius? Marius?” Harlow cried. “He’s hurt. Mountain, he’s burned. His wings are… Mountain! What happened? What is this? I need the healer! She’s fine, can’t you see that!” Harlow was angry. The intensity in her voice made him try harder.
He opened his eyes to see Maiara leaning over him, the palace healer. She placed a shell around his neck. “Easy. You have been injured but are healing. I am going to roll you onto your side.”
He winced as hands moved him. Thank the Mountain, she was there, kneeling in front of him, holding his hands. “Harlow,” he rasped again.
“I’m here.” She kissed his temple. “You’re home. You made it.”
“Charlie?”
“She’s fine. Tired, but awake. Uninjured. She has the hearts.” Harlow blinked away tears.
“Good.”
Something cool and thick spread across his back and eased his pain, and he closed his eyes.
“Maiara is putting a salve on your back and your wings. You’re badly… burned.” He understood her confusion. Dragons were typically immune to fire.
“Celestial,” he said. “Like the goddess’s tears.”
Her eyes widened. “It’s over now. You’re home. You’re already healing.”
He did feel better, thank the Mountain. He grunted and sat up, allowing Harlow to help him. He turned to Raven and Gabriel, who were fawning over Charlie like she was made of glass.
“You okay, kid?”
Charlie blinked at him, looking far older than her seasons on Ouros. She nodded.
“Thanks for what you did in there.”
Raven darted a glance between them. Charlie fidgeted, looking nervous.
“But we can talk about that later.” Marius gestured toward the satchel. “Raven, we were right. They’re still in there, and they need our help.”
