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The air went deathly still. “The fact remains; he is damaged.”

I stared at Jima’s limp body. Guilt had weighed on me for so long I hardly recognized when a new stone was added to the pile. And yet, when I considered Jima’s actions, that added weight didn’t come. Was I upset that Jima was injured? Of course I was. But was it truly my fault? Was I the one to blame?

I wasn’t. The realization came as most epiphanies do—out of the blue and with little warning. Jima was an adult and he’d made his own decision. Jima knew the risks, just as we all did. He’d fought for his friends, for his family. Asking Jima to do any different wasn’t fair to him. It was not allowing Jima to be who he was.

Despite the exhaustion and pain pulling at me, I squared my shoulders and looked Helios in the eyes. If what happened to Verona and Axios was any indication, this powerful being could end me between one heartbeat and the next. Perhaps it was a poor time to decide I was done with apologies. Regardless, I wouldn’t apologize now.

“Jima did as his heart dictated,” I answered, somehow keeping the fear from my voice. “He is a very capable and strong individual. I will not cage him. I will not force my will on Jima just as I would not force it on any other living, sentient being.”

Helios’s lips twisted into an ugly snarl. “You would accuse me of doing such a thing? Of being a master?”

“No,” I quickly answered. “When you care for someone, it is often difficult to allow them to do things that put themselves in danger. But that’s what love is. It is trusting that individual to fight like hell to get back to you. It’s trusting them to make the right decisions and to follow their own path. It is not dictating their journey; it is being there to support them as they travel their own road.”

Helios growled. “But he is damaged.”

“I’ll heal.” Jima’s voice was so soft I had to strain to hear it. The effect on Helios was immediate. His eyes dimmed back to their more natural deep blue and his jaw unclenched. All his tattoos died down as well.

“You are awake?”

“I am,” Jima answered. “Although I kind of wish I wasn’t.” When Helios cringed at the word wish, Jima offered a weak, “Sorry. Poor choice of words.”

“It is fine.”

“It’s not, but we can discuss that later.”

Martin’s branches slowly dissipated, absorbed back into his body although his arm remained wrapped around Grayson. Evidently having zero self-preservation instincts, Vi and Blu took off from their Grayson perch and flew to Jima, both landing on his abdomen and fighting for his attention.

“Hey, I’m okay. Really.”

Thankfully, Helios didn’t seem bothered by the small wyvern.

“We should get Jima inside,” Lazarus said. “I believe we still have some pain charms that Warlock Holland graciously supplied. I’m certain he could use one.”

I thought Lazarus and I could do with a pain charm or two as well but didn’t say so.

As a group, we moved toward the above ground door and the barrier surrounding it. Martin and Grayson went through first. Helios was next, Jima still in his arms, but when he came to the barrier, a low growl escaped his throat. “I cannot pass.”

There was only one reason that would be the case. Swallowing hard, I asked, “You mean one of us harm?”

Helios’s jaw tightened. “I am uncertain. I am still unhappy with Jima’s condition.”

Martin stepped back through the barrier, holding out his arms. “I can take him,” he bravely offered. “I will be very careful with Jima.”

Instead of loosening, Helios’s arms tightened on Jima.

“I’ll be safe inside,” Jima said. “You know that.”

“I do not desire to let you go.” Helios sounded horribly confused by the notion. “I do not understand why.”

I wasn’t certain I did either but thought that was tomorrow’s problem.

“You will contact me with updates,” Helios said, not a question but a command.

“I will,” I answered for Jima.

Helios’s eyes narrowed again. “I will hold you to that.”

I had little doubt that was true.