Willing Sacrifice
Page 70

There was only one sure way he would give up on her. She knew that now.
She took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves and still her shaking hands. When she was steady enough, she pasted a smile on her face and walked into Brenya’s hut, armed with the excuse of checking on her before bed.
The woman was already asleep. She looked so old, so frail. Her head was tilted back against the chair, and her mouth hung open. There was no regal beauty in her now—only fatigue and age.
The box of crystals sat on the table in front of her. Next to it was a small leather bag. Grace tiptoed across the room and picked up the box. It was chilly in her fingers, and heavier than she remembered.
She opened the lid and saw that the crystals were still inside. All she had to do now was put them to good use—two birds with one stone. Or crystal, in this case.
She would take out the portal, and Torr’s reason to destroy his life, all at once.
There would be no reason for him to become human if she was dead.
•   •   •
Brenya opened her eyes as Grace left. She had done all she could for the young woman. The rest was in Grace’s hands.
And Torr’s.
Brenya had seen the future play out in two ways, and even she could not tell which one was more likely. All she knew was that both futures ended in Grace’s death.
Chapter 31
It took Grace most of the night to reach the place where Torr had seen the Masons building the portal.
A full moon hung heavy in the sky—so much closer and brighter than the one on Earth. It reminded her of just how far away from home she was, and how many lives were at stake if she failed here.
She was acutely aware of her humanity as she crept around to get a better view of the site. Each noise she made felt like a siren, and every time the moon hit her skin, she was sure the glow would alert the Hunters that stood guard over the giant stone portal.
A giant glass man—a Warden—stood in front of the place where the Masons hammered. Each clink of their chisels made her skin crawl, the way fingernails on a chalkboard did. The Warden was as still as a statue, but the knowledge that Brenya had shoved into her head warned her that if she was spotted, that creature would fly into action and kill her.
As soon as it was discovered that she’d left the village, Torr would come after her. She didn’t doubt it for a second. Before he did, she needed this job to be done.
The markings in the stone were nearly complete. They looked just like the ones on the Sentinel Stone in the village, only with one single curving line incomplete.
Grace had spent hours running her finger over the mark, wondering what it meant and how it worked. All she knew was that when it started to glow, it was time for her to back away, because someone—or something—was coming through.
Once the last line was finished, the Masons would leave and she would make her move.
The progress seemed to creep along. Each hour that passed wore on her nerves, drawing them tighter.
Every few minutes, she would edge a few feet closer to where she needed to be. The box of crystals was a cold, heavy weight in her bag, and the knowledge of how to use them was burning in her mind.
Finally, after what seemed like half an eternity, the Masons’ hammering stopped.
They lifted their hands in unison, and the markings began to glow. Grace could feel some kind of energy pouring out of the stone. It rippled over her skin, making the fine hairs rise and shudder.
A moment later, a line of light split the night. The Masons stepped through, disappearing. She saw a brief flash of sunlight and blue sky.
Earth. Home.
The light winked out.
She was blinded for a second while her eyes readjusted to the moonlight. By the time she was able to see again, the Warden had moved. It was at the stone, its giant clear hand pressed over the carved markings.
It did nothing for several minutes, as if waiting for something.
Grace had no idea what, but she was pretty sure it wasn’t going to be good.
She moved into position, skirting through the woods as fast and silently as she could. She tried to stay out of sight but kept veering back close enough to make sure nothing at the portal had changed.
When she’d made it about halfway to her final destination, something had.
Through the Warden’s body, she could see the rune light up again, only this time the glow was different. Darker.
Knowledge appeared in her head—thanks to Brenya’s gift.
Grace couldn’t wait any longer. If she was going to destroy the portal stone, it was now or never.
Brenya’s knowledge had shown her how to use the crystals. They had to be heated. Grace had prepared for this moment, wrapping one of the pebbles she used to start a fire in kindling and rough fabric. As soon as she crushed the fire pebble, the whole thing would ignite. There was a little pocket in the cloth just the right size to hold the crystals. They would be right against the flame. She tucked them inside and raced into the clearing.
The Warden saw her immediately, but her momentum carried her forward before he had time to reach her. She slammed the bundle of kindling against the base of the portal stone, crushing the fire pebble. There was a crack, a pop, then the whole dry bundle erupted in fire.
The flaming ball fell to the ground, right where it needed to be, at the base of the stone. Yellow flames swiftly turned a vibrant cobalt blue as the fire spread to the crystals.
The Warden shifted. An enormous burst of pain landed against the side of her head. She flew through the air, and it was only after she landed that she realized the Warden had hit her.
Blood trickled down her cheek. She couldn’t quite figure out what was going on, but she knew there was something important about the blue fire blazing next to that big rock. She couldn’t let it go out.
The Warden looked at the blaze, then her, then back. It seemed to be trying to make up its mind about which was the bigger threat.
It must have decided she was weak, because it turned its back on her to put out the fire.
Grace shoved herself up and charged. A small sword appeared in her hand, though she couldn’t remember how it got there.
She screamed as she ran. The blade slid off the hard, slick skin of the Warden, but at least she had its attention.
It turned. A ball of blue flame bloomed on the other side of its body. There was some kind of explosion, but she didn’t see it or hear it. Instead, it spread over her skin, through her body, vibrating her bones as it passed.
The light coming from the symbol carved into the stone went out. The rune turned black, and the rock began to crumble away.