"If Fate is willing to let me return, I want to go back. I want to experience every single moment she showed us. I want to carve them into my memory as they happen, and not have them slip away like a dream at dawn."
He took her hand. "It may hurt," he warned.
"Nothing worth having is easy. Besides, I can torture you later in repayment."
"I shudder in anticipation," he teased.
"Let's go."
He gripped her hand tightly and began following the now thick green rope securing him to the land of the living. Slowly they made their way toward the harsh white light.
*****
Gasping he turned on to his side and began to choke. Next to him he heard a similar noise as someone else fought to breathe. Soft weeping came from all around them. He opened one eye to find that he was being held by the twins who had sweat dripping down their faces. He looked around for Serenity. Across from him, Kendrick sat on the floor with her cradled against his chest. Behind him Aiden, Colton and Gavriel lent him their strength. He let his head fall back to look behind Nigel and Neil. There his unit brothers supported the twin witches.
Now the thicker rope made sense. Kendrick, Nigel and Neil had used their earth magic to reinforce his anchor. They risked being pulled into the darkness to give him a chance to save his mate.
Kendrick glared at him breathing heavily. "If you ever try this again, I'll bury you before you stop breathing," he threatened.
Aiden bopped him on the back of the head. "He only did what any of us would do."
"Micah?" A weak voice called.
Micah pitched forward and started dragging himself along the floor toward his mate before Etain and Declan lifted him and carried him over to Serenity. They set him down and Kendrick gently lay her across his body.
He held her close as he leaned against Etain's legs for support. "Gods I love you so much."
She clutched at his shirt. "I am so mad at you right now. How dare you risk yourself," she said, her voice a meager whisper.
He tilted her head back and kissed her nose. "You promised to punish me later," he said.
"That's our Micah!" Declan exclaimed, plopping onto the floor visibly exhausted.
Serenity tried to look around but didn't have the strength. "The children?"
Ellie knelt down beside them, though her face was tear streaked her eyes were jubilant. "Meryn helped us figure out a cure. They're doing just fine." She looked over her shoulder where the children and their grateful parents looked on worriedly.
"How long?" Micah asked.
Kendrick tilted his head. "How long did it seem?"
Micah shook his head. "Minutes," he responded.
Adriel wiped his eyes. "You both were clinically dead for twenty-three minutes," he said in a shaking voice. "After Kendrick figured out what you were trying to do he called for the twins and they used their magic to help."
"They did help. If they hadn't, I think the thin string anchoring me would have snapped," he confessed.
"Of course, it would have snapped!" Kendrick growled. "Who uses an emerging power to anchor their soul to their body while they traipsed through the underworld!" he shouted.
Anne rubbed his shoulders. "There, there my love. They're back." Like their friends around them, her eyes were also bloodshot from crying and her cheeks were stained with tear tracks. "Don't you scare us like that again."
Micah knew he had just received his first order from his queen. He simply nodded before closing his eyes and resting his cheek on the top of Serenity's head.
"Okay people, let's get them both downstairs to the infirmary. That way you can visit whenever you want," Marjoram's practical voice rang out.
Micah fought to open his eyes. He saw Meryn standing behind her mate looking scared and nervous and pissed. She scrunched her nose up at him and sniffled. "You died."
"I was only mostly dead," he said and enjoyed watching her mouth drop. She covered her mouth as she chuckled. "I hate you right now."