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I stood, li, and watched the car race away "Son of a bitch! He’s getting away again!" I tried to run, butred hot Felt h to crack my knuckles Maybe if I round ahead of the car exploded upward in a rain of earth and rock Gigantor bellowed loud enough to vibrate the air Before Kassus could stop the speeding vehicle, the leyworm sed it whole I heard the horn honk twice before the creature subround and vanished

"Oh, no," I said "Please, no" My voice sounded weak My knees gave way, and I dropped to the ground Kassus was gone Mo with someone "Dispatch Custodians to these coordinates," she said "Major cleanup" I heard her snap a picture Felt her arms embrace me "I’m so sorry, Justin I’round and saw tears in her eyes "Me too," I said "Me too"

"I sent Shelton a picture so we can go home"

"Home to what?" I mumbled as my heart constricted with pain

The portal opened a few et the feeling there’s a long story behind you two being in Australia?"

I couldn’tbut h the portal and back into theIt was Cinder I didn’t feel like talking to hi until it went to voicemail The portal winked out behind us

"Are you okay?" Shelton said "What happened to hiain," she said "A leyworm ate him"

"Holy crab cakes in a public toilet," Shelton said "Oh,to die," I said, and would have dropped to the floor if Elyssa hadn’t heldShelton pulled his out "Yeah?" he answered His eyes flashed wide "Be right there" He gripped my ar the silver ring on the floor

I didn’t have the will to resist

"What’s going on?" Elyssa asked

Shelton grunted An ie of the El Dorado cave flickered into existence within the ohed, sucked in a breath, and walked forward

It’s over I need to tell Moht I reached deep down inside for the strength I kneas there We’d done everything superhumanly possible to save her After all was said and done, we’d lost the fight I would miss Mom with all my heart Hot moisture dripped down my cheeks as alked deeper into the cavern She’d put h hell these past few iveable and abandoned her own child But she’d done it to atone for letting her daughter be taken fro everyone I loved in h it all, I knew she’d lovedso, but she’d made a choice no , I knew one thing for certain

I forgive you, Mom

I could only hope she was still alive for me to tell her that

I felt Elyssa’s hands stiffen on roide A crushed car sat before the two giant leyworantor was back, coiled around the nursery next to Lulu

Without thought, I raced to the car I saw a black-robed form inside, pinned between the roof and the driver seat On the passenger side, I saw a cupid wriggling Kassus’s eyes blinked open He tried tofrom one side while the car roof pressed his body to the seat Kassus screairl

"Let rin peelfrohan’s blood vials in the utility pack at lass filled with crimson liquid Elyssa wrenched the other door open, and took the cooing cupid back into the nursery as the leywor on the cave floor, watched

"How does it feel to be trapped, Kassus?" I said in a lohisper "How does it feel knowing nobody’s going to set you free, that you’re going to die in here?"

"C’ot to let ht spaces" A tear trickled from the corner of his eyes

"I don’t think so," I said, knowing full well I wouldn’t let him die like this no matter how much I hated the bastard "Enjoy your stay, you piece of crap"

"Let me out!" he screamed over and over until his raw voice faded into a whih the portal I closed it, reopened it in the Teh and ran for the container Two Teuards watched as I blurred toward the tractor trailer I pressed the button on the vial and trailed blood downopen

I saw the s position on the floor, her arms and head secured in what looked like a medieval torture device, a black cloth over her eyes I opened theged intoacross her face

"Mom," I said "Please be alive Please!"