. . . It gets hot, I said. Yeah. Got that part.

I could survive, but the three of you wont. I need to get you out of here before the temperature rises too far.

What were you thinking about? I asked.

What? He had his back to me now, conveniently examining the walls.

You were thinking about something after you cut it off with the Oracle. What did he say?

Oh, you know Oracles, David said, and ran fingertips over the crack Cherise had put into the rock. He shook his head, and under his hand the crack bonded itself and disappeared. Not that way.

That wasnt an answer.

Youre right, he said.

What did the Oracle say?

Jo, dont

I put my hand on his shoulder, and felt the heat radiating from the skin beneath his shirt. What did the Oracle say?

His muscles tensed under my touch, and I saw the color in his eyes flicker, less copper, more red. He didnt like it when I used the Rule of Three on himwhich was why I rarely did.

The Oracle said the Mother is waking up, he said. And theres no way to stop her. If he tries, hell just be consumed along with the rest of the Djinn. Hes trying to remain separate as long as he can.

He has to at least try to talk to her, tell her our side!

No. He doesnt. David moved steadily around the circular room, avoiding Cherises sleeping form and Kevins unconscious body, both lying close together. Hes not the guardian of humanity. His connection runs between the Djinn and the Mother. Thats all. He owes you nothing.

That was direct, and painfully true. But

David stopped, hands hovering over one part of the wall. Get Cherise, he said. When this opens, I need you to drag her through, then come back for Kevin. Ill have to hold it open.

Then how are you going to get out?

He gave me a fast glance. I can go anywhere now. You cant.

Oh. Right. That made sense.

I grabbed Cherise under the arms and dragged her to where David was standing. She mumbled a littlewaking up, which wasnt a good thing at the moment. Hurry, I told him. He didnt bother to nod; his full attention was fixed on the wall in front of him. As I watched, it wavered, then fell into dust, revealing that black, oily surface like what wed pierced to get here in the first place. Once that was done, David remained where he was, unmoving, staring.

Go, he said, just the one word. I wondered how much strength this was taking. A lot, I assumed.

I towed Cherise backward through the cold, clinging liquid, fell for a thousand years, and landed with a jolt as I tripped over a tombstone and went sprawling. Cherise was with me, lying in the bright green grass. I picked myself up, dusted myself off, and charged back through the barrier. Falling, cold, et cetera . . . it was almost routine now. I grabbed Kevin and did a rinse-and-repeat, only this time I sidestepped the tombstone as I got thrown out of the barrier.

The black liquid shadow vanished with a pop. Gone. I left Kevin and Cherise tumbled up together and went to look inside the mausoleum. Just a plain old jumbo-sized family crypt, with marble benches and plaques on the wall. Sunlight filtered in graceful Tiffany patterns through the far rose window, bathing the room in brilliant, soothing color.

David?

My voice echoed on the cold stone. There was no answer.

As I turned around I ran into him. He was standing right behind me. I smacked a fist into his chest, but not too hard. Dont do that! I yelped, and he smiled. In the sun, he looked chillingly beautiful. Id kind of gotten used to his slightly rough human looks. This was all that, only distilled into perfection.

I wondered how he saw me now, with his Djinn sight. Not the Warden Id been. No power. No real value in the world. It hit me with a jolt that David was seeing me as just any other human, and for a moment I felt true, horrified panic and loss. Hed loved me for what I was. Did he love me for what I was now?

He touched me gently under the chin and bent to kiss me. It was a thoroughly sexual kiss, all heat and heart, and the warmth spread through my body like liquid, gathering somewhere around my womb. It felt . . . wonderful. He didnt break the kiss until we both heard the mumbling from Cherise break into actual words.

. . . hot, have to get out . . . She sat up suddenly enough to dump Kevins head off her lap, and he groaned and rolled over, facedown. We have to get outoh. Wow. Did I get us out of there? If I did, Im awesome and oh God my jaw hurts! Ow, what the hell! Cherise had a bruise forming there where Id clocked herred right now, but itd be a spectacular sunset before it was done, Id bet. Little help?

I smiled at David, stepped back, and went to offer her a hand.

She hauled herself up, looked down at her clothes, and groaned. I look like a bag lady who got dressed out of an incinerator after it was burning. How come you look so good? And I stink like a mule, too. Ugh. Did we get anything out of that at all? Because if we didnt, Im totes billing the Wardens for . . .

I glanced over at David. He had his arms folded, watching us quietly. Waiting for Cherises monologue to end, I presumed. Which, eventually, it did, and she ended up staring at him as her voice trailed off.

Oh, she said. Is he back? All magic-y again?

Yes, he said, without an ounce of amusement. Im back.

She cocked an eyebrow, almost back to the old, sunny Cherise. Nice paint job. Very plush. She stopped short of asking for a ride, which was, considering it was Cherise, tactful restraint. So you got us out.

With your help, David said, very generously. Yours, and Kevins.

Kevin, for answer, rolled over on his back, stared up at the sun, and groaned again. I hurt all over, he said. Did I lose at mixed martial arts? Maybe with a ninja?

Have you ever even tried mixed martial arts? Cherise asked, and held out a hand to him to pull him to a sitting position, then to his feet. Because you should. Those guys are smoking hot. In a bad-guy sort of way.

Cherise wasnt this shallow, but she could give a really good impersonation of it when she wanted. Right now, she was (literally) whistling past this graveyard, which, no matter how picturesque and perfect, was a less than ideal place for us to enjoy our continued survival.

Kevin knew all that, which surprised me. He folded Cher in an embrace, bent and whispered something in her ear, and then took her hand. They started walking down the gravel path toward the road.

At the gates of the graveyard, I saw the gleaming shape of the Boss pull up, idling with an intimidating growl. Our anonymous Djinn chauffeur was behind the wheel. Id just started wondering where hed gotten himself off to, but I supposed Whitney had pulled him well out of danger. She wasnt the type to sacrifice important assets unless it was absolutely necessary. I think she trademarked the phrase Youre on your own.

That chain of thought linked, fast as the speed of light, back to David, and I suddenly rounded on him, fists clenched. Wait! I said. Why are you still you?

The only thing, as far as I knew, that had protected David from becoming subject to the whims and will of the Earth had been the fact that his powers had been taken from him. Once restored, he should have been dragged into the collective hive mind with the rest of the Djinn.

I hadnt surprised him with my question. He sighed and stopped walking before he could run into me, but he didnt answer. Not at first. Finally, he looked up at the smoke-gray, unnaturally smooth sky. She cant reach me, he said. Not here. The Fire Oracle has an excellent shield up. It may not last, but its kept him safe this far. When I leave here, I wont have that protection.

You knew this could happen, I said. You knew, and you did it anyway.

I didnt have a choice, he said. I still dont. My options are very limited, Jo. I wish it werent the case, but it is, and we have to accept that.