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Chapter Twenty-Three

I walked carefully to the cave entrance The last time I was here I was trapped inside, and even if I controlled the er to relive those lasses on and handsexpertly around his crimson rosary

"Did you do an Eternal Walk?" I asked casually

"Of course," he replied, waiting for "

I brushed ritty rock beneath ers The blue smoke already surrounded ently with the breeze The healing ic was ecstatic to be home, and made its appearance as soon asinto the caves

It was just Gabriel and I now Naima waited for us back at the car, which was at least an hour's walk Bex Costello stayed with Sebastian at caround work at the palace

Our goal was to surround the palace at equal distances and when I arrived, I would take Gabriel straight to Avalon, while the rest of the teaically placing explosives to avoid killing Avalon As soon as Gabriel and I had Avalon in our custody, the palace would go boo went as planned, ould be able to e It was simple I just wanted to meet the Caves one ood

"The explosions can't significantly hurt Iain and deciding there was still tie course if I didn't feel conificantly, no Everyone affected will be able to recover," he replied seriously and I knew I could trust Gabriel Not because I knew him so well, or felt he would never lie to me I kneould never lie to me; he would never lie to anybody "Everyone, except Avalon and if there are any other humans in the palace"

"Will there be? What about the stewards?" I panicked at the thought of h with it if there were a chance they would be in the compound

"They are not allowed to stay inside the palace and from Te's observations, all of the Walks have been suspended for now," Gabriel never lost his

"Ok, so let's do this" I sighed, finding the courage to move forward

We walked silently into the Caves, our footsteps echoing off the cavernous walls I breathed a sigh of relief when I didn't immediately feel an invisible barrier blockade me inside

The Caves felt e my Walk, I immediately felt the power radiate inside these stone walls, but noalked their solitary enclosures and felt nothing No pulsing ic, no electric force from the earth manifested itself into colorful winds The e except the ic flitted aroundpatterns and playful wisps Glad to be hoins, the blue sood, ain and be freed from my bodily prison

Gabriel stayed silent, quietly observing the phenomenon; I appreciated his company even more for it I could find no words to explain what happened here, and had no explanation to offer for the consequences and the smoke that I carried withfor, or what I thought I would find once inside the e for wasn't here There was nothing left of thethe Caves for so that was already at my disposal

We walked further into the Caves, nearing the outside and suddenly there was soht; ic close by We were not alone and no longer safe

Gabriel tilted his head and the joints in his neck cracked I kneas not Titan and could not feel the other ic's presence, but he was a arrior despite his vows to the church

"This was a mistake," I whispered

"There are no mistakes, Eden, just different outcomes to our flawed expectations," Gabriel recited with confidence

I stood up, distracted by his wisdom so when Lucan, and thirty Titans, walked around the corner he found Gabriel readied in a battle stance and ht, I shouldn't be worried aboutevents into opportunity

"Eden, what a pleasant surprise," Lucan practically sang He gloith victory, happy to have caught ic that was scattered across the floor, gathered tocompletely at the sound of Lucan's voice He stared after it, his expression suddenly hard and angry