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“And you can’t breathe in the shadow?”

“You can’t breathe in Spirit Terra, no matter which dimension you’re in.”

Ivy added, “The Control Tower has essentially been keeping the portal at bay, patching it shut in a sense, which is why the people who are still there can still breathe, and why not all of the streets have been blinded by the Void.”

“And we’re about to take it down,” Dean mused, looking equal parts overwhelmed and fatigued. He turned to Darien and said, “Once we’re close enough, I can always take over with the tracking if you need a break. You just let me know, and I’ll be ready to jump in.”

Darien accepted the offer with a dip of his chin.

And it was that quiet acceptance that lifted some of the weight that was squashing Loren’s lungs. Once Dean was close enough, he could handle some of the tracking so Darien didn’t have to do it all.

As long as he’d be willing to accept the help. Admit when he needed it.

She scanned Darien’s face now, watching as his inky hair gleamed in the light. He was studying Roman.

The Shadowmaster said, “So, we all know our next moves.”

“You get back to Yveswich,” Darien began, “you make sure you’re there for when the tower comes down, and if that darkness spreads, and tracking fails for whatever reason, you use the swords and you find Travis and the others and you get the hell out. Good?”

Roman nodded. “Good.”

Darien scanned the room. “Any other questions?”

No one spoke. No one argued.

“All right,” Darien said. “Then it sounds like we’ve got ourselves a plan.”

98

Heaven’s Gate

ANGELTHENE, STATE OF WITHEREDGE

Darien’s bootspounded as he walked, sword in hand, down the hallway on the third floor. Toward the guest room where Roman had placed his belongings only a few hours ago.

He was in there now, grabbing everything he hadn’t even had the chance to unpack. He had more than enough time to get back to Yveswich before the forcefield came down, but he’d be taking a longer route as a precaution. Avoiding the places where Don’s men were more likely to be lying in wait. On top of that, they’d need to stop at a motel. It was late, and he and the others were beat from the long drive here. The drive they were going to have to make all over again.

Darien was almost at the door when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned?—

And paused when he saw Ivy walking this way, the other sword in hand.

He and his sister had barely talked since she’d learned about the years he’d traded to the Widow. He’d wanted to talk to her—wanted to apologize—this whole time, but no words would ever be good enough. What the hell was he supposed to say,Yeah, sorry that I’ll be dying soon, I know it hurts your feelings, but there’s nothing I can do about it?

He hated disappointing people. Ivy, especially, but—his whole damn family. He’d disappointed—upset—all of them.

Ivy slowed as she drew near. For a moment, they faced each other, with nothing to break the silence but voices from other areas in the house.

“Here.” She offered him the sword.

Darien closed his fingers around the hilt. “Listen, Ivy?—”

“It’s okay, Darien.” Her voice held none of the edge it’d had these last few days. She sucked in a breath. “I mean—it’s not actually okay. It’ll never be okay, but— I’m done fighting. We can agree to disagree and just…carry on.” She crossed her arms. “You’re my brother, I love you, and I…I don’t want to waste any more of the time we have left fighting with each other.”

He swallowed. “Ivy?—”

“It’s okay,” she said again. But her eyes were shining, and there was a wobble to her chin that she was trying desperately to hide. “Don’t ruin it with an apology that doesn’t solve anything.” She gestured to the open doorway to Roman’s room. “Now get going.”

Darien stood there for a moment. Looking at his sister and wondering how he deserved her. Deserved any of the Devils.