She traced the lines of my face with her shaking hand. “It wasn’t supposed to be this way,” she said as I closed my worn travel bag. “We were supposed to have more time than this.”

“What about us having this at all? Is that not a gift?” She shook her head. A curtain of tawny brown hair covering her face. I knew tears wouldn’t be far behind.

“It’s not enough, Henry. I told you I’d follow you anywhere, so why are you leaving me behind?” I moved to the bed and got down on a knee. My hand brushed her hair out of the way, letting me see reddened eyes.

“You’ll be right here with me,” I said tapping my heart. But I can’t have you out there beside me. There’s too much that can go wrong. I was a fool in the first place for letting you come this far. A hard slap caught me across the face.

“You say that like I had no decision in the matter. You didn’t let me come anywhere with you. I decided too. Just like I’m deciding right now.”

“Ella, don’t. Please. Don’t do this. I can only tell you to leave so many times,” my head sagged. “I can’t lose you too.”

“You say all that and you would lose me right now. For what? For pride? For some storybook ending where you get to go be the hero and I wither in your wake?” She took a step towards me. “I don’t think so, Henry Caldwell,” she kissed me. Setting my body on fire and wiping my mind of worry, “When you face down sorcerers, you need to come prepared with a little magic of your own,” she said opening her palm to let the emerald fire atop it light the room.

“It was a good try,” I said giving her a light kiss on her nose. “Do you know the route to Dalamdul?”

She gave me a wry grin, “Do you mean my birth place? I might know the way.”