Chapter 68
CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
Ellery
“Go back to the others, make sure they stay safe, and I’ll return soon,” I assured them.
“You can’t go alone,” Scarlet said.
“I’m the only one the Heart of Stone can’t destroy. I don’t know what will happen when I touch it, so no one else can be there.”
Scarlet opened her mouth to protest before closing it.
“What’s the Heart of Stone?” Luna asked.
“Scarlet and Ianto can fill you in on that once I’m gone,” I told her.
“You can’t be okay with this,” Ianto said to Scarlet.
“I’m not thrilled about the idea of freeing them either, but no one knows these woods like Lery, and I trust her. If she thinks this is the right thing to do, then what choice do we have?”
“I choose not to die today,” Ianto said.
“Then you’re in luck,” I said as I waved toward the woods. “It’s nighttime.”
“You’re not funny,” Ianto muttered.
I understood the giant’s reluctance over this.
My own reluctance kept me from freeing them the last time we were in that cavern.
I’d agreed to keep the gargoyles locked away and battled my guilt over it, because we didn’t know how they’d react to us, and especially to lightning bearers, but I didn’t see any other options.
“Do you have any other ideas?” I asked Ianto. “A way to build an army? A way to free them? A way to save us all? Because if you do, then I’m willing to listen, but I don’t see any other choices.”
Ianto rubbed the top of his head as he stared at the ground and pondered my questions. I could see him desperately trying to come up with something and failing as badly as I’d done.
“No,” he reluctantly admitted. “I don’t know what else to do.” He gazed back down the tunnel toward where the others hid. “And we can’t stay here forever. The smell alone will eventually push us out.”
I couldn’t think about what it would soon smell like with all those animals and amsirah down there. We’d known it would be awful when we chose this place, but it had also been the safest option.
“Go back to the others,” I said. “I’ll be back soon.”
“And what if you don’t come back? What if we lose you too?” Scarlet asked.
“You won’t lose me. Even if this goes wrong, I’ll return. Those gargoyles won’t take me down.”
“Do you think you could fight them off?” Ianto asked.
“A lightning bearer did before, and I will too.”
Scarlet and Ianto exchanged a look before Scarlet squeezed my arm. “Be safe.”
I hugged her before turning to Ianto. “I have to go.”
He looked as though he was about to argue further but decided against it. “Don’t be gone long.”
“I won’t.”
Luna stepped forward and rested her hand on my arm. “I don’t know exactly what’s happening, but I will go with you.”
“Thank you, but I have to do this alone.”
“Okay. Good luck.”
“Thank you.”
I smiled at all of them before stepping back to open a portal. I didn’t look back as I walked into it.