Page 185 of Visions & Shadows

“We’ll take you to a safe place,” I say, keeping my tone as gentle as I can.

“You can’t, Alchera,”Raighne begs.“They’re not chosen.”

“I don’t care,”I mutter to him.“I have to do this.”

Chapter 33

Alchera

Moving forward, I say, “Forma circle. My friend is going to take you to a safe place.”

The boy gives us a worried look, but he helps get the toddlers to hold hands.

I crouch in front of them. “Don’t let go of each other. Okay?”

They just nod, their cheeks covered with tear tracks.

I rise to my full height and look at the boy. “Give me the baby.”

He hesitates for a moment before handing her to me. I turn to Ares and hold her out to him. “Don’t let go of her.”

Even though he shakes his head, he takes the baby.

I grab the boy’s arm and force him to stand beside Ares. “Place your hand on him and hold one of the toddler’s hands.”

When they’re all linked, a thunderous noise fills the air, then Awo’s voice rumbles in the air.“A life for theirs.”

He’s not saying we can’t save them.

Not thinking twice about what this means for me, my eyes lock with Ares. “Go!”

“Alchera! Don’t you fucking dare,”Raighne shouts, his tone desperate and filled with fear.“Don’t do this to us.”

Ares shakes his head again, giving me a pained look.“This isn’t right,Alchera. I would follow you to the darkest pits of the shadowlands, but what you’re asking of me…”

With a pleading expression, I place my hand on his arm.“I forgive you, Ares. Do this for me. Take them to safety.”

He closes his eyes, intense heartache tightening his features.“You showed me how to be strong. You saved me.”

My throat closes up with emotion as I stare at Ares. “Go.”

“Please,”Raighne begs.“Ares, just grab her and come home.”

Ares shakes his head, the veins in his throat straining, then he opens his eyes and looks at me. He begins to fade, and I feel his cool breeze whisper through me as he tries to take me with them.

Then they’re gone.

Standing alone in the house while the thunderous noise around me grows, I let out a heavy sigh.

An explosion rocks the world, and I’m forced to my knees. The walls of the house shudder and crumble, and the ground quakes.

“Alchera,”Raighne groans, all his warmth pouring into me and giving me the strength I need to climb to my feet.

“I’m sorry,”I sob as I stagger out of the collapsing house.

The area to my left is engulfed in fire and black smoke, and above me, the sky is a dark inferno as the asteroid barrels toward the ground.

I run as fast as I can to get to Phoenix, and when I reach him, he slumps to his side. I fall to my knees and catch him in time to watch as he gasps for air, his eyes turning completely black.

---