Guardians of the Boundary (Book 3 of The Conjurors Series)

Chapter 21

Valerie had no doubt in her mind that she'd found the Byway. She'd thought it might be a weapon or shiny orb. But growing from the ground, in complete darkness, bloomed a perfect yellow rose. Henry knelt beside her and touched it with a finger.

"How do we get it out of here without hurting it?" Valerie asked.

"Something tells me that the Byway isn't as delicate as it looks," Henry said, but his hands were very gentle as he dug around the roots of the flower and pulled it out of the ground with a big hunk of dirt so that it could be transplanted.

Valerie unzipped the bag that she carried on her back, and Henry placed the flower inside. It hit her that what they were doing was more dangerous than carrying a backpack full of cash through a dangerous part of town. There were many Conjurors who would attack them if they suspected what she carried.

Some of her tension must have rubbed off on Henry, because his muscles tensed.

"Let's go. The sooner this is in Elden's hands, the sooner it will be the People of the Woods' problem," Henry said.

"They have to destroy it," Valerie said, though the thought of killing the beautiful flower seemed like a travesty.

The cavern began to shake around them, as if from an earthquake. Dirt fell from the ceiling onto the ground, and Valerie dragged her brother to the mouth of the cavern so that they wouldn't be trapped inside.

Valerie could see a blurred figure through the water crashing down in front of them.

"It's him," Henry whispered, his eyes huge.

Temporary panic made the edges of Valerie's vision go dark, but she clenched her fists and forced herself to drive back her fear. The rushing water parted, and Reaper stepped through, not a drop of mist touching his body.

Valerie raised Pathos, ashamed to see the blade trembling in her grasp. She took a small step forward, hoping Henry didn't notice that she put herself between him and Reaper. She would die before she let Reaper torture Henry like he'd done to Midnight.

"Have you reconsidered my offer?" Reaper asked Henry, not coming closer. "No matter what your sister has told you, my goal is not to senselessly waste life. I do not wish for harm to befall your father. But I keep my promises."

"My father doesn't want me to give you what you want, even if it means he'll die," Henry said, and Valerie was proud that his voice didn't tremble.

"Sometimes we do not know what is best for ourselves," Reaper said. "I am not asking you to end lives, Henry. I am asking you to save them. I must sacrifice a few to save the many. Think for yourself when you make your decision. Your sister's opinion is clouded with emotion."

"I think for myself," Henry snapped.

Henry opened his mind to Valerie, and she saw that his annoyance was a distraction. He had a plan.

"Then decide now, and come with me," Reaper said, drawing nearer for the first time. He spared a glance for Valerie that was laced with disgust and disappointment. "And I will be taking that Byway with me. I was surprised it took you so long to find it. I've been waiting for you to come to Babylon and unlock the Byway with Pathos for weeks."

Valerie considered his words. He hadn't said he'd been locked out of Babylon, but that he couldn't unlock the Byway. Why hadn't he tried when Kellen had taken Pathos from her?

In her connection with Henry, she saw that he had gathered the formidable pool of magic that he'd been collecting under Oberon's instruction. He hurled his power outward in a blast of telekinesis that threw Reaper off his feet and sent him crashing through the waterfall and into the lake.