Morgana’s lips tightened, and she was about to argue further when it was like she suddenly heard a voice in her head.
“I have been reminded that there is no time to argue with you. The eclipse will not last much longer. I must complete my task.”
As she raised her hands and spoke in a language Jericho didn’t understand, he felt it become harder to breathe, as if there were no oxygen in the room.
He tried to move forward to grab the woman in order to stop whatever she was doing. However, as he moved forward, it was as though his body were weighted down, and his lungs were burning, starved for oxygen. Then he saw Cara fall to the floor, her hands at her throat, and fury spurned him forward.
When he reached Morgana, he struck out to knock her unconscious, but she began to laugh and merely stepped away. Jericho fell to his knees, realizing his strength was leaving.
As the woman moved across the room and out of his reach, he managed to crawl to Cara’s side, pulling her limp body toward him. His vision became blurry, and then he felt a concussive blast that rocked the cabin. In the next instant, the room erupted in a blaze of light as windows shattered, sending glass flying throughout the cabin, and Jericho felt oxygen slowly entering his starved lungs.
“Cara.” He shook her, frightened more than he had ever been before.
Her lids raised, and relief filled him as she sat up in his tight grip.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know.”
Just then, they both turned, hearing a woman’s scream.
A huge man stood facing Morgana. He glowed, making it hard to look at him, while the darkness outside made it appear as if the sun had materialized in the room with them.
“Thor!” Morgana’s triumphant expression turned to terror.
Cara and Jericho watched as Morgana raised her arms, preparing to disappear, but Thor would not allow escape.
He sent a thunderbolt of electricity toward the woman, and the powerful light encased Morgana. Her skin and hair instantly began to burn and smoke, and within seconds, the only thing left of the woman was a pile of ashes.
“Thor!” This time, it was Cara who screamed the man’s name.
She tore herself out of Jericho’s arms and ran across the room to fling herself into the light bulb’s arms.
Jericho watched as Cara was gathered into the man’s embrace and twirled in a circle. Jericho rose to his feet, feeling like an outsider watching their tearful reunion. Although he should have been grateful to the light bulb for saving their lives, he was too busy wanting to beat him for holding Cara too closely.
“How did you know Morgana was here?” Cara managed to finally get the words out when he finished hugging her in his tight grip.
“I didn’t. Your mother saw the eclipse coming and sent me, knowing it would be too good an opportunity for your enemies to miss. As always, she was right.”
Cara didn’t miss the derision that was in her brother’s voice.
Cara reached up to again hug him. “Thank you for saving us.”
Thor looked at Jericho, not missing the jealous look on his face. “You’re welcome, baby sister.” Thor glanced around the small room then returned his attention to Cara. “Are you ready to return home? Your mother and family await your arrival.” Cara was aware he did not include himself in the family.
She smiled, anxious to see her family again, but then turned to Jericho and walked back to his side.
“Tell my family that I am well, but I cannot return.”
Jericho looked down at Cara as if she had lost her mind. “No, Cara, you can’t stay here. You have no hope of fighting your enemies as a human.” Jericho’s voice was ragged.
“I won’t leave you, Jericho.” Determination emanated from her gaze. “I can’t.”
Jericho knew what he had to do to keep her safe. He had to make her go back to the world where she could face her enemies on an equal playing field. If she stayed, it was a foregone conclusion that she would die. Either an enemy or time would succeed in using Cara’s mortality against her.
“I want you to go.” Steel entered his voice as the remoteness she was so familiar with once again entered his face and eyes. “You will only endanger me by staying. Obviously, I am not able to protect you against your family’s enemy. I never gave you any hope that there was more to our relationship than sex.” He hardened himself against her hurt. “Don’t get us killed because you want to get laid.”
Jericho looked at Thor, seeing the anger in the listening god’s expression.