‘No!’ Ella grabs the cuff of his sleeve, but Crayton races off. I watch, helpless. Pieces of the ceiling continue to fall and Ella yells for Crayton to come back, to wait for Six. My mind is racing. Six is out there battling single-handedly with a Mog army, and I know I need to forget all of it, and focus my energy on Eight. I can feel his body giving in to the pain and damage that I can’t seem to heal quickly enough to save him. I squeeze my eyes shut, willing him to respond to my Legacy, when I see his wound has returned to its original size, as if I’ve not even touched him.

‘Ella.’ I look at her, my eyes filling with tears. ‘It’s not working. I don’t know what to do!’

Ella’s voice is determined. ‘We need him, Marina. Just concentrate. You can do this.’

I try to catch my breath and see Crayton barely dodge a jagged boulder. ‘Eight. Hold on. I will do this, you will be better soon,’ I say as he closes his eyes. I shut out the noise of the attack, I shut out the hysteria surging inside of me, and I tell myself, I can heal Eight. I will heal him and Six will take care of the Mogs. We have a mission and this is not the end. I sit up straight, my breath slows to a normal rhythm, and a ball of ice seems to form between my shoulder blades. It races down my spine and out to my fingers. The force of it nearly pushes me over, but my fingers stay firmly on Eight’s wound. I can feel something happening inside of Eight and my breath quickens. My heart beats so fast I think it’s going to explode, and then Eight opens his eyes.

‘It’s working!’ Ella shouts.

Vertigo sweeps through me. I wobble but remain upright as Eight’s wound closes. I can feel his broken ribs move back into place beneath my hands. After a few seconds I allow myself to sit back. I’m so exhausted I can barely keep my eyes open. I take a deep breath and Eight sits up. He touches where the wound was, feels his ribs, and then reaches out to take my hand.

‘I have never felt anything like that,’ Eight says to me, looking incredulous. ‘I don’t know how to thank you.’ I open my mouth to respond when Six suddenly appears.

She has a Mogadorian cannon in her hand. Her face is covered in black ash. She’s out of breath but in control. ‘I’ve pushed them back, but I could use some help out there.’

Eight staggers to his feet. ‘Right.’