The words settle something in my chest, even as my fire rune blazes with protective fury. Whatever we're walking into, whatever corruption Absentia holds, she won't face it alone.
I won't let her.
When we reach the portal grounds, Kaia pauses, her wings drawing close as she looks at our assembled group. Her shadows swirl anxiously around her feet as she turns to face us.
"Last chance to back out," she says, trying for lightness, but the shadows curling around her ankles betray the strain. "Except you, Malrik, I know this is your fight too. But the rest of you… you don't have to do this."
Finn, lounging against a pillar and tossing some glowing trinket in the air, snorts. "Nice try, Trouble. But we've been over this."
"More like organizing a revolution," I say, moving to stand beside my brother. "Did you really think we'd let you face certain doom without us?"
Bob, hovering near Kaia's shoulders, puffs up with what might be pride, while Mouse chirps his approval from her feet. Even her newer shadows seem to dance with excitement, feeding off her emotions.
"This isn't a game," Malrik starts from his position by the portal, but Aspen steps forward, cutting him off.
"No," my twin says quietly, his ice-blue eyes meeting Kaia's violet ones. "Which is exactly why you need us. All of us."
I move to stand beside my brother, feeling the familiar sync of our power. "We're stronger together." I hold her gaze, willing her to understand what we're really saying. "You're stronger with us."
The silence that follows feels heavy with meaning. Her shadows swirl around her in patterns that mirror the emotion I can see building in her eyes.
"You'd really walk into a corrupted shadow realm? Risk everything just to…" she trails off, like she can't quite believe we're all still here.
"Because you're family," Finn says simply, all traces of humor gone. "And family doesn't let family face ancient evil alone. It's like, rule number one."
Something in Kaia's expression softens then, making her shadows dance. The sight does something strange to my ribs, makes my fire rune pulse with a warmth that has nothing to do with power.
"I just want you all to be sure," she says quietly. "Once we cross over…"
"Save the noble sacrifice speech for after we survive," I cut her off, but I can't help smiling. "Now, can we get this apocalyptic field trip started before Malrik's frown becomes permanent?"
"Final equipment check," Malrik announces, all business despite the way his silver eyes keep darting to Kaia.
That's when we see it, Walter bobbing peacefully near the portal's edge. Unlike the other shadows that pulse with nervous energy, Bob maintaining a perimeter while the others dart between us - this one seems utterly unconcerned with the tension around it. Walter doesn't just observe—he studies. Like he already knows what we're walking into.
"Walter?" Kaia breathes. "How did you get here?"
The tiny shadow does a lazy flip in response, somehow managing to look both innocent and pleased with itself.
"He probably knew we'd need him," I say, watching as the little shadow drifts closer to investigate my boots.
Walter bobs in what might be agreement before floating up to eye level, regarding me with what I swear is curiosity. Despite myself, I feel my lips twitch into a smile. There's something endearing about the little guy.
"Two minutes," Malrik calls out. The portal's hum deepens, making my bones vibrate. "Remember, we stay together. No heroics."
That last bit seems directed at me, which is rich coming from the guy who basically volunteered us for this suicide mission. But before I can respond, power surges through the archway. The portal's surface ripples like black water, and something stirs in my blood.
I watch as Kaia takes a deep breath, her wings unfurling slightly as she turns to face the portal. The shadows at her feet swirl in anticipation, and I can feel my own power responding, fire coursing through my veins.
"Everyone ready?" Kaia asks, her voice steady despite the tension I can see in her shoulders.
"Always," I reply, stepping closer to her side. Our eyes meet, and for a moment, the world narrows to just us. The fire in my blood surges, not with the familiar heat of battle, but withsomething warmer, more protective. The moment stretches, charged with unspoken words, until Finn clears his throat.
"As touching as this pre-battle bonding is," he says, "we should probably get moving before the portal destabilizes or something equally dramatic happens."
Kaia nods, breaking our gaze. "Right. Let's do this."
The moment we step through the archway, Absentia slams into me like a physical force. The corruption in the air is thick, heavy, clinging to my skin like oil. An unfamiliar ache blooms in my chest—not pain exactly, but a hollow warmth that demands attention. I try to ignore it, focusing on the wrongness that permeates this place.
