He was beside me instantly. “We’re getting you out.”
A second figure came through the archway behind him.
Gideon.
Followed by my little goblin friend.
“My mother?” I asked.
“Alive and well. But a bit dazed,” Keegan said quickly. “Your father and Bella have her.”
My eyes burned again, and I wanted to collapse from that single word.
Alive.
Gideon moved toward us as Twobble looked around the room.
“She used old binding iron,” Gideon explained.
“Oh, no,” Twobble muttered, but we all chose to ignore him.
“Can you break it?” Keegan asked.
Gideon’s mouth tightened. “Yes.”
The room trembled violently before he could say more.
The wall began sliding sideways, the stones trying to seal themselves around Celeste.
“No,” I shouted.
Keegan shoved both hands into the stone, bracing himself against the moving rubble. Muscles strained through his arms and shoulders as he held the wall from closing.
“Gideon,” he growled.
Gideon grabbed my wrist and pressed my hand against the pendant. “Use the moonstone on the wall.”
“I don’t know how.”
He stared at me. “Yes, you do.”
“Mom,” Celeste sobbed from behind the stone.
That was all it took as I pressed the pendant to the wall and poured every bit of love, fear, fury, and impossible hope I had into the moonstone.
Light erupted through the room, and the wall stopped moving.
For one breath, everything froze, and the wall finally settled.
Chapter Twenty-Four
When I saw Celeste, my heart nearly burst. Her eyes met mine, and I ran towards her. Gideon and Keegan's footsteps were behind as I knelt in front of her and held her in my arms.
“Whatever you do, don’t cry,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “We can’t cry.”
Celeste held me so tight. “Why?”
“She’ll use those tears.” I kissed her. “The Priestess needs our tears.”
