“But he can be defeated,” Jordan insisted. “He can be… vanquished.”
“It could be done,” she said quietly. “Perhaps it will be.”
“He retreated.” Brad lifted his coffee cup. “He ran because he wasnt prepared to take you both on at once.”
“He mightve done us both in with that sword he pulled out of thin air. I think we owe Rowena for that one,” Dana said.
“He was not to shed mortal blood, not to take mortal life. It should never have been allowed. We dont know why it has been, but since it has, well do whatever we can to prevent him from doing so again.”
“At what cost to you?” Brad wondered. “The responsibility is ours,”Pitte said simply. “As is the cost.”
“You may not get back now, isnt that it?” Hed worked it out while trying to keep his mind off his own fears for his friends. “You broke your vow, so even if all three keys are found and used, even if the souls of the Daughters of Glass are freed, you may not be able to go back. Youll be trapped here, in this dimension. Forever.”
“Thats not fair.” Seeing the truth of it on Rowenas face,Zoe stood up. “Thats not justice. Thats not right.”
“Gods are not always just, and often far from fair.” Touched byZoes defense, Rowena rose. “This was our choice. One might say our moment of truth. And now, will you finish yours?”
She held out a hand, offering the key to Dana.
Odd, Dana thought, that she was wobbly in the knees now. But she stood, walked to Rowena. “Whatever promise or rule you broke, you did it to save lives. If youre punished for that, if thats the way your world works, maybe youre better off in ours.”
“There would be no lock if we had guarded them more closely. They are the innocents, Dana, and they suffer because I was weak.”
“How long do you have to pay for that?”
“As long as they do, and longer if that is the law. Take this and open the second lock. Youll give them hope, and give it to me as well.”
Pittelifted the glass box, dancing with blue lights, out of the chest. He placed the Box of Souls with great care on a table, then stood at one side, warrior-straight, while Rowena stood on the other.
Watching those lights, Dana felt her heart ache.
r />
There were two locks left, and she slid the key into the first, felt the gold heat against her skin, watched light shoot along the bar, along her fingers as she turned her wrist.
She heard the quiet click, a kind of sigh, then saw the frantic leap of those three lights. With a flash, both key and lock melted away.
And there was one lock remaining on the glass prison.
Rowena stepped forward and kissed Dana on each cheek. “Thank you, for your vision.” Turning, she smiled atZoe .
“Looks like Im up.” Because her cup rattled in her saucer, she set it aside.
“Will you come, all of you, at seven on the night before the new moon?”
“The night before the new moon?”Zoe repeated.
“Friday, seven oclock,” Brad supplied.
“Oh. Yes. Okay.”
“Will you bring your son? I enjoy children, and Id like to meet him.”
“Simon? I dont want to take any chances with Simon.”
“Neither do I,” Rowena assured her. “Id like to meet him, and do what I can to see him safe. Whatever I can do, I will do to see that no harm comes to him. I promise you this.”
Zoenodded. “Hell get a big kick out of this place. Hes never seen anything like it.”