DAWN REVEALED OUR DESTINATION: two triangular silhouettes rising into the clouds.
My body drank the heat, and elation expanded my chest on a lungful of ash-scented air. The Minax, already humming with excitement, carved a wildfire path through my veins.
Even though the Fireblood and Frostblood ships still hadn’t arrived, and we still watched every hill and curve suspiciously for signs of the Servants, the Minax expanded, making me feel invincible. I could do this: enter the Obscurum, save the trapped souls, fix the Gate, get safely out again without losing myself.
I could do anything.
As we crested the final hill, we all stood speechless at the unbelievable sight. Nothing could have prepared me for my first glimpse of Cirrus’s Gate.
The low cliff enclosed a semicircular plain of smooth black rock. Two pillars sat on the opposite side of the cliff. The immense round supports had been carved into irregular shapes by wind and water. It would have taken a dozen men with their arms outstretched to surround each one.
Between the pillars, a rectangular sheet of golden light crackled and sparked, while tiny golden specks appeared and disappeared, making it glitter like fireflies trapped in amber. High overhead, the light ended at a horizontal beam, also made from black lava rock. The contrast of solid, dark rock and warm, effervescent gold was stunning, the image burning into my mind.
Lucina proceeded down a set of stairs carved into the cliff. The rest of us followed.
When I reached the ground, a surge of energy almost took me off my feet. Arms out, I barely managed to keep my balance. Everyone looked a bit unsteady as they stepped into the arena-sized clearing, as if we stood on the deck of a storm-tossed ship.
“Ruby!” Lucina called. “It’s time.”
I dropped my arm and moved forward. As I got closer, I could see that a dark vertical line marred the Gate, with a thin membrane of light keeping it sealed—the opening I would use to enter the Obscurum. Like a crack between two doors where light seeps in, but reversed. Instead darkness was trying to escape the light.
The Minax fed off my fear, easing it away.
I turned to face Arcus. He’d followed as I walked forward and now stood a few paces behind me, his attention on the Gate. With a quick look, I made sure that Kai and Brother Thistle were a few paces away, moving closer, as we’d discussed.
Agony tore through me, and the Minax gorged on the emotion. It was a terrible thing I’d done, not telling him until now. Why hadn’t I told him sooner?
I turned and took his hands. His eyes flicked to me and he smiled.
“It looks like we beat Eurus here,” he said with satisfaction.
“Arcus.”
My tone got his attention. His hands gripped mine.
“I have to go now.”
“Go?” He said it as if it were ludicrous, as if I were making a poorly timed joke.
Squeezing his hands back, I explained. “You can see there’s a crack in the Gate. The only way to repair it is by releasing the spirits that are inside trying to get out. And I have to put the fire Minax in there, too. I’m the only one who can do it.”
He continued to stare at me. “What are you talking about?”
“As a Nightblood, I’m the only one who can go in there. The Minax would kill anyone else as soon as they entered.”
He shook his head, his brows knit tightly together. “Our job is to guard the Gate and to repair it. Not to go inside.”
“Going inside is how we keep it closed. Lucina can tell you more after I’m gone.”
“After you’re gone? What—” He turned his head as Brother Thistle moved closer on his left. “Did you two concoct some ridiculous scheme?” His voice rose as he turned to his right to find Kai just as close. “Let me guess, the prince is in on it, too.”
Kai didn’t reply, just stared back, a muscle ticking in his jaw.
Arcus turned back to me, breathing hard, battling his anger, trying to keep himself under control. “We talked about this. We agreed. I would stop being so protective and you would tell me your plans.”
“I’m sorry. There was just no way you were going to agree to this one.”
“So you hid it? You lied to me?”
“I… I didn’t lie, but I did conceal the truth. I’m so sorry.”
His grip on my hands tightened. “I thought I could trust you.”
“I promise this is the last time I’ll risk myself without telling you first. Next time I’m about to do something foolish, you can forbid me to your heart’s content.”
“Next time?” he asked furiously. “Can you guarantee me a next time?”
I swallowed as I felt the stares of the soldiers, everyone around us. I hated that this was playing out in front of an audience. “I can’t. Lucina isn’t sure if I’ll be able to get out.”
His eyes flickered through shock, fear, accusation, and a tortured look that seared my soul. Finally, a grim mask froze into place.
“Please forgive me.” I begged him with my eyes, heard the pleading in my voice. This was no way to say good-bye.
“You are not going in there!” he thundered.
Lucina said gently, “She must. She’s the only one who can.”
He turned on her. “Ruby was right when she told me not to trust you. You told me—”
“No, Arcus,” I interjected before he could turn his wrath on her. “It was the Minax that made me distrust her.” I freed my hands and reached up, taking his cold face between my palms. “Listen to me. Either you embrace me and tell me good-bye and let me go…”
“Tell you good-bye!” Pure outrage. “Let you go!” His voice shook. “You just told me last night that you’d never let me go.”
“…or they’ll hold you back and I will still go in there.”
The icy mask broke and fury stormed across his features. “Well, I think you know which one it’ll be.” He whipped around, raising ice-covered hands to Brother Thistle and Kai. “And let me warn you, I will never forgive either of you if you try to restrain me.”
Brother Thistle regarded him with sadness, but also with resolve.
Kai watched Arcus warily, even as he spoke to me for the first time in days. “I would agree with him if I didn’t understand that you going in there is our only hope. You had damn well better make it out, though.” His eyes flicked to me for half a second. “He’ll be murderous if you don’t, and I won’t be too happy, either.”
I smiled, tears coming to my eyes, grateful for the forgiveness and the levity he’d offered in that statement, even if Arcus clearly wasn’t. His palms were still raised threateningly. He looked ready to fight the world.
My whole body trembled. This was so much harder than I’d thought it would be, and I’d known it would be gut-wrenching.
“Don’t do this, Arcus,” I said, my voice shaking as I made one last attempt. “Don’t make me walk away from you feeling as if you hate me.”
“I could never hate you,” he said fiercely, “but I am furious right now, Ruby.” His icy eyes burned with betrayal. “I don’t know if I can forgive you for this.”
I had to swallow twice before I could speak. “I hope you can. I love you.”
He inhaled, his voice hoarse as he said, “I love you, too, and that’s why you are not going in there.”
He knew me, knew my determination. He had to know this was a losing battle.
“Have you ever known me to lose a fight?” I asked, trying to reassure him. “I know I can do this.”
As our eyes held—mine imploring him to understand and accept, his angry, betrayed, and determined—a shout rang in the hills behind us.
Two streams of fire shot toward the sky from where our people guarded the pass between the lava field and the Gate.
A signal.
The Servants had arrived.