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Swallowing again, Alex could only nod in response, before she continued out the door.

Her friends were already waiting for her, each of them looking as anxious as she felt.

“Last day,” Bear said, as if needing to break the silence.

“We’re five for five so far,” Jordan said. “The odds are looking good.”

D.C. groaned. “Don’t jinx us.”

“Honestly,” Declan jumped in, “I’m just hoping we can avoid that death, plague and tragedy possibility. Surely the Gates have got to be running out of ideas.”

All of them turned to look at him, and D.C. hissed, “How about you don’t say stuff like that out loud?”

Alex stifled a grin, unable to believe she was capable of finding anything amusing given what they were about to face—both with the final Gate and once they returned home afterwards.

Sobering, she called for everyone’s attention, knowing they would soon beparronedaway.

“No matter what happens today,” Alex said, “I want you all to know how grateful I am for everything you’ve done this week. While so much of what we’ve gone through has been focused on me,”—she caught D.C. mouthing ‘The Alex Show’ with clear humour—“I would have failed from the very first task without you all here. It’s your support and your strength that has brought us all through to today, and I don’t take that for granted.” She eyed them all. “I just… I just want you to know that.”

Kaiden reached out and entwined his fingers with hers, giving her a gentle squeeze as her words settled in the air, her friends all smiling softly at her in response.

“For the record,” Jordan said, “visiting a new world?” He grinned. “You couldn’t have stopped us if you’d tried.”

“And we know you would have,” Bear said, also grinning.

He looked much better than he had all week, Alex noted. The dark shadows under his eyes were still there, but not as deep. And after Kaiden’s explanation a few days earlier, and D.C.’s before that, Alex felt a surge of appreciation for Declan having stepped in to be there for Bear, especially when she’d been caught up in her own emotional mess. In fact, looking from friend to friend around the circle, Alex realised just how perfect their small group was. How much they complemented one another, how well their personalities mixed.

“I’m going to miss this,” she whispered.

“Hey, now,” Jordan said, reaching out to tug on a lock of her hair. “We’re not going anywhere.”

“Actually,” Bear said wryly, “we’re hopefully going home later today.”

Under his breath, Declan said, “Unless we really do have to face death, plague or—oomph.”

D.C.’s elbow to his stomach and firm glare afterwards kept him from finishing.

“I meant that whatever happens next, we’ll all be together,” Jordan said pointedly. “So there’ll be nothing to miss.”

And yet, they all knew that as soon as they returned to Medora, things would be different. At least until Aven’s defeat.

… Or theirs.

Whichever came first, really.

As if reading her declining thoughts, Kaiden gave her fingers another squeeze, prompting her to look at him. His brilliant blue eyes were warm as they held hers, erasing her doubts and filling her with confidence.

Offering him a grateful smile, Alex turned to face the others and said, “The Tia Aurans wanted us to prove ourselves, but as far as I’m concerned, we’ve already done that and more. All that’s left is for us to finish this and make sure their entire world has no choice but to acknowledge our worth. Are you with me?”

Sounds of agreement met her words, just seconds before they were flash-transported to the stadium for the very last time.

The immortals in the crowd were going wild, the stands packed beyond the escalating numbers Alex had seen in previous days. And above it all sat Saefii, Tayros and Calivere. The empress and her two advisors were markedly tense, never having expected Alex and her friends to come so far. And now, with only one test remaining, the future of the immortals hung in the balance just as much as the future of Medora.

‘If Day and Night combine and fight…’

Alex hoped beyond hope that they would make it far enough to see that come to pass.

“Here goes nothing,” she said quietly as Tayrosparroneddown to distribute their golden cuffs, failing to offer the usual blessing before he returned to the others.