He gripped my waist as I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. It took me a few seconds to find my voice again. “You scared the living daylights out of me,” I finally managed to say.

“You scared me when you wandered off, so we’re even.” He studied me. “What are you seeing?”

I twisted out of his grasp and pointed ahead. “Something really bright is just up there. I wanted to see what it was.” It wasn’t far, just on top of a small hill.

“And you didn’t come get me?”

I shrugged. “I didn’t think of it. I had to see what that was. It could be the temple.” I glanced around. “Where’s Gobble?”

“How should I know? One second he was there, and the next, gone. I expect he’ll be back, but I’m glad to be rid of him for now.”

“He’s not that bad.”

He growled softly.

“Come on.” I kept walking toward the glow, stepping around trees and plants as I moved through the forest. It was weird being able to see this well at night, but I liked it. Made things much easier.

A thick layer of moss hung down from a tree branch. As I moved it out of the way, the temple came into view.

I gasped as I took in the overgrown stone structure made of perfectly cut square bricks. Just like some of the Incan ruins I’d seen in passing. A small steeple cut into the night sky. And the most beautiful part of all: the windows on either side of the door glowed with a pure, bright light.

I nearly laughed. It didn’t feel real. I’d hoped, but I wasn’t sure that anything would come of this. But now I knew. The map had been right. I had a real chance at saving Raphael. Everything might turn out okay. “That’s it. We found it.” I took off running for the front door.

“Wait.” Lucas caught up and wrenched me to a stop. “Someone’s been here.”

I froze. “What do you mean?” We’d asked so many villagers, and no one had even the smallest story about the mages or their temple. So how could anyone have been here?

“Here.” He pointed to a broken branch and some smushed grass. “Tracks.”

I couldn’t make out a footprint. “Couldn’t that have been a bear or something?”

“No. Those are human tracks.”

There was no way that was possible. “I thought no one knew the way.”

Lucas squatted to sniff the supposed track. “Human. They smell familiar, but not.” He stood up. “We have to be careful. No running. You stay behind me.”