"And the apartment manager never questioned why you paid rent in baked goods and hand-carved talismans?"
"Mrs. Chen appreciated my contributions." Birdie's lips quirk. "Though she did think I was quite mad."
Despite everything, I laugh. It comes out wet and broken, but real.
But then reality crashes back.
Asher.The grief that had consumed me…
"Wait." I grab her hand. "Was it you? When I was teleported to the hospital with Asher, I’d called to the standing stones and felt this incredible energy. It wasn’t my power or Hallowind ancestral power. Did you teleport us there?"
Sadness flickers across her features, and she squeezes my fingers. "I was hoping for a better result. I'm so sorry Asher didn't make it. He was a treasure even among the most precious gemstones."
The words land hollow in my chest.
I grip her hand tighter, desperation clawing up my throat. "You’re a goddess. Is there anything you can do? To bring him back? I'll pay whatever the cost. Anything.Please."
Birdie's smile returns, soft and knowing. "Why do you think I brought you here?"
Hope flares so bright it hurts.
She turns toward the crystalline pool, and lifts one hand, gesturing to the waterfall. The cascading wall of white begins to glow gold.
Ripples spread across the surface of the pool, catching light like diamonds. The glow intensifies, rising from the depths in swirling patterns that make my eyes water.
Then a figure breaks through.
Asher rises from the grotto, water streaming from his shaggy blond hair. He’s a vision, like something out of a Greek or Roman myth.
His skin gleams with faint golden light, his eyes bright and clear andalive.
He looks healthy. Whole. Beautiful.
One second, I'm standing with Birdie, and the next I'm doing an awkward run through water and crashing into him. I wrap my arms around his middle so tight I'm probably crushing him, but I don’t care. He’s solid and real.
"You're here," I sob into his shoulder. "You'rehere."
His arms come around me just as fiercely. "Are you okay? The wolf didn’t get you, did it? Tharuzel didn’t hurt you?"
“No, I’m fine. You saved me.”
“Good. I would’ve hated to die for nothing.”
The laugh bursts out before I can stop it—wet and hysterical and so relieved I can barely breathe.
"You didn’t." I pull back enough to see his face, tears still streaming down my cheeks. "And you’re absolutely forgiven for dying on me, now that you're back."
He grins, and it's so perfectlyAsherthat something in my chest cracks open.
“I love you hard, Asher Hendrix.”
He pulls me back against his chest for another hug. “And I love you back just as hard, baby girl.”
We turn together toward Birdie.
"Thank you." The words aren't enough. They'll never be enough. "Thank you so much. I don't—I can't?—"
Birdie moves closer, radiating warmth. "You don’t have to thank me. Just live. Fight. Be the duo I know you can be."
