Sophie’s armor paled, becoming transparent and crystalline, revealing the girl beneath. Her eyes were solid silver, like mirrors in her face. “She did what was necessary,” she said. Suddenly her aura completely vanished, streaming up and away from her flesh in silver globules, and when she spoke, it was in the cracked and aged voice of the Witch of Endor. “Little Brother, I did what I had to do, and I did it for you. You spent your life protecting me and you paid a terrible price. And yes, I went with Chronos and I sacrificed my eyes to him, but I did it so that I could see the shifting threads of time, and so that I could always watch over you and keep you safe.”

“Zephaniah…,” Prometheus whispered. His auric armor flowed down his body and puddled around his feet before sinking into the ground. Bright green grass speckled with tiny alpine flowers appeared all around him.

Sophie turned to the Elder. “The world will end,” she continued in the Witch’s voice. “This I have seen in every thread of time… all but one. In one there is a chance, a very slender chance, of survival. Do you remember when you and I fought for the newly created humani, Little Brother?”

Speechless with shock, Prometheus could only nod.

“Now it is time for another brother and sister to do the same. And they need your help, Little Brother.”

Prometheus started to shake his head. His green eyes were huge with fiery tears. “Please, do not ask me…”

There was anger in the Witch’s voice. “Your aura sparked the humani to life. You are their father, and like every father, you have a responsibility to your family. If you refuse, then you doom the humani to destruction.” Sophie started to sway on her feet and Josh raced in to grab her. Threads of his gold aura wrapped around her, hissing, crackling and spitting when they touched her flesh. She shuddered, and when she opened her eyes, they were bright blue again. Her lids fluttered, and she blinked hard as she looked from Prometheus to Josh. “Do not disappoint me. I have always been so proud of my Little Brother,” she breathed before she lapsed into unconsciousness.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

“I hate leygates!” Virginia Dare screamed as they plunged into the icy water.

“Now you tell me!” Dee shouted.

They fell, down, down, down… and then suddenly there was no water around them, only complete and utter darkness.

“And I particularly hate the falling ones…” Virginia’s voice sounded dull and muted, as if she was talking in a tiny space. “I’m not keen on the jumping ones either.”

Dr. John Dee tried to orient himself, but in the blackness, he was unsure which way was up and which was down.

“What about a light?” Virginia said. “I think a light would be good right now.”