“He’s in redemption?” Emma asked, sobs escaping her.
Daniel nodded. “Yes, he sacrificed himself to save two worlds. His soul went straight to redemption.”
Emma nodded rapidly. “Of course it did.”
Lexen’s parents appeared from the huge building that was near the back of this level. Star and Jero were with them. Lexen met them halfway so he could explain everything. Ambra started to cry, burying her head in her hands, while Roland comforted her. Jero and Star, though, both looked happy, their faces almost bright as they hurried across to our group.
“They all accept your gracious gift,” Lexen told Daniel.
Roland cleared his throat. “You’re breaking a lot of rules today, Overlord Daniel.”
Daniel shrugged. “First day on the job—everyone makes mistakes on their first day.”
Roland chuckled. “I can see you’re ready to bring about the sort of change Lexen has always pushed for. I can’t wait until the day the four of you stand at the pillar of Overworld. That will be a fine day indeed.” His wife lifted her head, her dark blue eyes rimmed in red. Roland’s arm was still around her, solid, supportive. “Ambra and I are going to seriously discuss when to hand the mantle over to Lexen. Whenever he and Emma are ready for it.”
Emma went very pale, but she also looked pleased that they had included her.
“Can I see my son now?” Ambra asked, her eyes brimming with fresh tears. “I need to see him one last time.”
Cue waterworks again. This was going to be one emotional visit, and I wondered…
“If you’d like this to be a family thing,” I offered quietly, “I’m happy to stay behind. My heart is breaking for all of you, but I don’t know Marsil personally, and maybe I’m—”
I didn’t get a chance to finish before Ambra and Roland stepped forward, and then they … hugged me. Tight. Like parents would. Which had my heart cracking right down the center.
“You are family,” Roland said, his deep voice rumbling all around me. “Lexen told me everything that happened while you were gone, and there is no doubt in my mind that the eight of you … you’re family.”
“We would like you there,” Ambra added as they both released me.
I couldn’t speak, my throat clogged with emotions, so I just nodded.
Daniel stepped over to the edge of the justices, leaning out very far over the tree-filled land below. Light spread out from his hands, starting small, before it shimmered all the way down the huge cascading steps.
The beam got wider and longer, and when Daniel dropped his hand, the light did not disappear.
“Redemption time,” he said, before he sat down on the beam and pushed off.
“A giant rainbow slide … well, okay then,” I murmured as one by one everyone got on and pushed their way down the light.
When it was my turn—Xander right behind me—I dropped down, surprised to feel my body almost mold into the light. It was warm and soft, and as I started to slide, there was no out-of-control feeling, just a smooth glide all the way down. I was so fascinated with watching the lands below, trees and fire and monsters and water, that I almost missed the fact that I was closing in on the end. Luckily Daniel was there; he caught me before I could do an impressive tumble across the land. “Oh, thanks,” I said, when he set me on my feet.
“No problem. I figured most of you would be distracted.”
Not Xander. He sailed down like a boss, landing smoothly. The mood in the group was a strange mix of somber and excited as Daniel strode further into the pretty land. It was very fairy-tale-esque, with streams and green rolling hills, and that perfect warm temperature where you felt comfortable and not hot.
“There are souls here?” I asked, looking around. It seemed deserted.
“Yes,” Lexen said quietly. “But they’re not visible to us, not normally. They exist in their own version of paradise.”
Daniel, who had disappeared briefly behind some trees, reappeared then, and he wasn’t alone.
Ambra let out a choked cry, her hand going to her mouth as she ran toward them, Roland, Lexen, Star, and Jero right behind her. The rest of us let them go across first, strolling very slowly toward the group.
Marsil looked just like his brothers: dark hair, stocky build. A little shorter. A little less beautiful than Lexen but definitely still a Darken. He had his arms wrapped around Ambra; she trembled against him. “I love you, Mom,” I heard him whisper as he held her tight.
“How long do they have?” Callie asked Daniel.
“I’ll give them as much time as I can,” he replied, voice hoarse. “But there’s only so long I can draw Marsil into this realm without depleting my energy to the point of endangering my house.”
