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“It’s time.”
His knees nearly gave out beneath him as he stared at that battered and scraped hand, waiting for him. Clay wanted the Heart of the Earth. It was time to cast the final spell. There wouldn’t be a better moment. The pestilents couldn’t reach them and the rift was clearly in view.
For the first time in his life, Harrison faltered in his duty. He took a step away, his hand automatically leaping to the gem that had hung around his neck for two decades. It felt cold against his skin and the weight so impossibly heavy.
How could he hand it over?
It was like he was the one firing the kill shot straight through Hale’s heart. Into all their hearts.
A hand closed on his shoulder, squeezing. Blinking through sudden tears, he looked over to find Hale standing right next to him, a sweet smile on his lips. “It’ll be okay. We’ll find each other again.”
“But—”
“I love you, Harrison. This is not the end.”
Harrison had no memory of removing the Heart of the Earth. It was just suddenly slipping from under his shirt. As the gem touched the mountain air, it sparkled in the morning light and floated free of the gold casing. It drifted straight into Clay’s outstretched hand as if it were coming home at last.
It was time.
Chapter
Twenty-Four
It took every ounce of Hale’s willpower to release Harrison and take a step closer to Clay and the other Weavers, who were gathering in a loose circle.
The next step was a little easier.
The third didn’t happen because fingers bit into his elbow, jerking him backward. He crashed into Harrison’s hard chest. Hard, unyielding lips slammed over his mouth in a demanding kiss. A last kiss.
“I am never letting you go. I will chase you across time and all of space. I will follow the ribbon to you,” Harrison swore. His dark eyes threatened to swallow Hale completely. The only thing he knew was that Harrison would see that promise through. Even if it meant following him into death, Harrison would always be right there with him.
“Find me,” was all Hale could choke out.
And then his soul mate was releasing him and shouting to the other mates. He bravely rallied them to hold back the pestilents who were still trying to break through the barrier Clay had erected of vines and rock. They would keep them safe as they cast the spell.
With a lump in his throat, Hale stepped up to the circle, falling into place between Clay and Calder. His eyes slowly moved around the ring, pausing on the weary and tear-streaked face of every man he’d come to know in such a short time. Clay was stoic and composed, but his gaze still strayed to Dane a short distance away. Baer placed a hand on Clay’s shoulder and grinned at them all.
“It’s been a hell of a ride,” Baer declared in a rough, choked voice.
“The pain was worth all the happiness we found,” Lucien murmured. He twined his fingers with Calder’s and lifted their joined hands to his lips.
“And the Earth will be safe at last,” Clay whispered. He extended his hand, revealing the Heart of the Earth glittering in the center of his palm.
As they watched, the gem rose from Clay’s hand into the air, spinning slowly as if set into motion by some cosmic wind Hale couldn’t feel. The gem reflected and tossed about the bright sunlight, teasing his gaze as if trying to hypnotize them. It gently floated away from Clay and into the center of their circle, moving into place.
Hale could feel the power within him rising as well, gathering against his own will. Everything was prepared. The words were memorized. He would pour all of himself. All his powers. All of his existence. All of Hale would flow into the Heart. All that would be left would be the memory in Harrison’s mind and the red ribbon.
“Wait!” Grey shouted. The Soul Weaver lunged forward and captured the Heart again, hiding it away in his tightly clenched fist.
“Grey!” Clay shouted. “We can’t wait any longer. We can’t leave our mates to die because of the pestilents!”
“It can’t end this way! It’s wrong. They said the soul mates make the difference. What’s the point of finding them if we get just a taste of life with them? Why?” Grey shouted in Clay’s face. He shook the fist holding the Heart at the Earth Weaver. “We fight and die. Fight and die. There’s more. We’re just missing it.”
“But that’s what Harrison saw,” Hale said. He wanted Grey to be right with every fiber of his being.
Grey jerked to face Hale. “Harrison also saw dozens of visions of the future on his trek up the rift. We changed every damn one of them. We stopped countless attempts on our lives because of those visions. We can change this one too.”
