Page 96 of Lost

I looked at Aphrodite. She was standing so straight and strong and proud, but I could see the fear in her eyes, and I promised myself that I would do everything I could to be sure she wouldn’t regret giving her blood to get us home.

“Thank you, my friend,” I told her. “I love you.”

Aphrodite’s lips twitched, but she didn’t sneer or smile. Instead she fisted her hand over her heart and bowed respectfully to me. “You are welcome, High Priestess. And I love you right back.”

Blinking my vision clear of tears I turned to Oak. “Can you take us anywhere in that world?”

“Within reason,”Oak said.“Queen Sgiach does not appreciate interlopers on her isle, so you would not receive a pleasant welcome there.”

“Oh, no. I don’t need to go to Skye. I want to go someplace closer to here. It’s a lavender farm, and the woman who owns it is—”

“Oh, I know this place of which you speak. The woman who tends the land there is delicious.”Oak smiled, showing way too many sharp white teeth.

But I grinned anyway. “ ‘Delicious,’ ” I repeated. I looked at Aphrodite. “Tell her bye for me, okay? Tell her not to worry.” I paused and added, “And tell her the sprite called her delicious. She’ll love that.”

“She’ll worry less when she knows you went to her first. Maybe,” Aphrodite said.

“Maybe-not worrying is better than for-sure worrying. Take care of yourself. You are High Priestess until I return.”

I saw the surprise in Aphrodite’s eyes before she bowed her head and fisted her hand over her heart again. “It will be as you say, High Priestess,” she said solemnly.

My eyes caught movement in the circle, and I saw that each of my friends had followed Aphrodite. They were all bowing to me, hands fisted over their hearts.

“Thank you,” I told them. “I’ll be back soon.” My gaze found Damien. “Tell Stark I love him.”

“You can count on me, High Priestess.”

“Stevie Rae, don’t blow out your candle. Aphrodite, close the circle after we’re gone.”

“I will.”

“We’re ready,” I told Oak.

“Then link hands, you three, and follow me!”

Stevie Rae put her green candle on the ground. She held one hand out to me—the other was already linked with Rephaim’s. I took it and as we turned with the sprite toward the tree, which had begun to glow, a shout came from behind me.

“Zoey Redbird! Stay safe. Stay strong. And come back to me!”

My head whipped around, and I looked over my shoulder at Stark. He was standing just outside the glowing circle. Our eyes met.

“I love you, my Warrior, my Guardian. I always will.”

“And I you, my Queen, my High Priestess, my heart. Remember, we’re bound by blood and love… always love.”

Then the glow expanded and I followed the tug on my hand. I stepped into the center of the blazing opening and the world around me exploded into light.