And during that time, they’d slowly cut Ryker to pieces and leave them in the forest for me to find. I couldn’t let that happen.
“You’re putting us all at risk,” Ianto said.
“For now, you’re safe down there,” I told him. “If things go wrong with the gargoyles, I doubt they’ll find you.”
“They’re living in a cave now,” Ianto said. “This might be thefirstplace they come.”
Doubt flickered through me, but then I recalled the black dog, and I straightened my shoulders. “The forest wants them free.”
“And it could also want all amsirah dead. Did you ever think about that? In case you haven’t noticed, we’re kind of trashing the place lately.”
“The forest hasn’t done much to aid us throughout the years; it’s mostly allowed nature to take its course within its depths, but it helped us the night of the fires, and those trees have been trying to take us to the gargoyles for a while now. I have faith the Revenant Woods knows what it needs to survive and is trying to show us what to do.”
“And again, its survival could be destroying us.”
“Do we have any other choice?” Luna asked as she stepped away from him. “We have no other help.”
“This is crazy,” Scarlet whispered.
“But you know it’s true,” I said.
Her shoulders slumped a little as she gave a brief nod. “I do.”
“Have youalllost your minds?” Ianto demanded.
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, butnooneknows 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 Idon’tsee 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.”
