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Dax seems about to speak—and disagree, no doubt—but I raise a hand to stop him. He smirks a touch but doesn't say anything.
"I believe, though I have no concrete evidence to support the theory, that the Echo is not entirely Sefton Stainthorpe's construct." I wait a couple of seconds, strictly to let that statement sink into their minds. "He created it, yes. But Dax and Allison were integral to the spells that crafted the Echo world itself and the magics that control it."
"Which means what?" Dax asks.
"That you and Allison are a part of the Echo, just as much if not more than Sefton was. Now Grant and Erin have become an integral element too. We have our new Tria Prima, which I believe will be far stronger than the original."
Grant smiles and nods. "I knew you were a genius in disguise, Sarah. Glad you finally let your wings unfurl."
"You don't think I'm insane?"
"No. I think you're amazing."
I can't help blushing a little. Only Gabriel has ever given me a compliment like that.
Dax clears his throat. "I'll reserve my judgment for after Sara explains the rest of her plan."
And this is the part that will probably convince them I am insane after all. Here we go…
I resist the impulse to bite my lip and glance at each of my friends in turn. "We are going to sever the Echo from the Earth, leaving it as a completely separate world that, I believe, exists only in a parallel universe of magics."
Dax lifts one brow. "That would strand all the Echo creatures who have invaded this world. They will have free rein to wreak havoc on Earth."
"Like they don't already?" Erin says. She shakes her head. "But I'm sure Sarah has more to tell us."
"Yes. That's not my whole plan," I say. "We will also send all the bad creatures back into the Echo just before we sever it from Earth. Good creatures will be allowed to stay here."
Grant raises both his brows. "Are you talking about only Aldith and Jarek? Or other creatures too?"
"All the good ones."
"How are you going to separate the good ones from the demons?"
"With the power of the Echo's Brain, once Gabriel and I take command of it."
"Allison will not enter the Echo," Dax states, his tone fierce. "We will not risk our child's life on a mad scheme like this one."
"I never intended for Allison to go into the Echo. None of you will. I need you here on Earth."
They all stare at me like I've suggested I want them to strip naked and dance in circles around a bonfire.
"Can you guys trust me or not?" I ask. "Because everything depends on you four. No matter what Gabriel and I do, it means nothing without our allies."
"Will you bring Aldith and Jarek in on this?" Grant asks.
"Yes. But I wanted to make sure you guys are in before I tell them." I can't deny I'm a little depressed by their reticence about my plan. But I'd known the moment I conceived it that this would take some serious convincing. "Here's what I need from you guys. Dax and Allison will go to the epicenter of the apocalypse on Earth. That means Fort Worth, Texas. Grant and Erin will go to the point on the planet that is equidistant from Fort Worth."
"Allison cannot go to Texas," Dax snarls. "She's eight months pregnant, and Fort Worth is still a dangerous place."
"I know. But I have a plan for that too."
He sharpens his gaze on me. "It had better be good."
"We will pool our Echo powers to cast a protection spell on Allison. No creatures will be able to touch her."
"Suddenly, you're an expert on magics. That's bollocks."
"No, it isn't." I take a breath and exhale out my frustration. I understand Dax's concerns, and I would never want to put Allison in danger. But I can't figure out how to explain this in a way that will convince Dax. If he says no, my entire scheme falls apart. "You don't know what happened in the castle, while Gabriel and I were there together. Before the quantum ghost of Sefton appeared. We shared more than sex. We forged a bond so deep that I can't even describe it. We met a few days ago,yet I feel closer to him than to anyone else in the world. I know our connection will provide the power we need to complete the mission."
