Exton

I listen to the hurried conversation between Stoney and Alise, but it's faint… too faint. Then Alise's voice is back in my ear.

"Erik, Stoney needs some way to find you in the darkness. Can you send Phoenix up?"

I'm already shrugging out of my shirt. "Consider it done, Alise… and thank you."

Phoenix rises off my back, expanding as he ascends, like the granddaddy of all signal flares. As he hits the stratosphere, he suddenly explodes with light and fire.

Easy, big fella… we only want to guide Stoney in, not blind him….

Things happen pretty quickly after that. Phoenix has barely returned when Stoney swoops down and takes Star in his arms. His grip is firm, but his hands are gentle, and my voice breaks a little. "Take care of her."

"As if she were my own, mon ami." And then he's airborne and I'm left to wonder what the hell comes next.

Tannr answers that for me, already on his cell phone, calling Keon to come pick us up.


It seems like forever, but in reality it's probably no more than ten minutes before Keon arrives in the Jeep. "All aboard." He smiles grimly. "Be careful of Her Majesty back there." He jerks a thumb at the back seat; Mera is there, bundled up like a tiny Michelin Man and strapped into her car seat.

Looks like he let Ky get her ready....

I take the front seat, Tannr takes the back and we're off to see the wizard….