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"Yes, you do," she agreed seriously, pulling away to look at me sternly in the face "And if you really want to repay me, you'd better come hoer sternly as if she was already disappointed withthat I would

I eventually let go of my chokehold on her and moved over to Aunt Syl She reached forin the entire world "I love you so much, Eden," she whispered fiercely in my ear, "and I a back to her, I couldn't even breathe nors aloud

I loved her , and it killed me to leave her here, while I flew half way around the world I was so thankful that Lilly agreed to stay I hoped Lilly would keep them both out of trouble, and instantly I was overjoyed to know that, no matter what happened, they had each other I proer I was the one puttingfor so Aunt Syl, she reluctantly set oodbye to Jericho earlier in the anizing all of the teaoodbye to Jericho proved harder this h I kneould be with h I knew that as soon as Avalon was in ain

Letting hi ful I decided that after this mission, I would find a way to wake up next to him every day for the rest of my life We loved each other noe voiced it aloud and we co for our separate her stakes

Stakes I wasn't ready to risk yet

Gabriel aiting patiently in the cockpit for oodbyes and climb aboard I kissed Aunt Syl and Lilly oneAvalon back safely and with equal ic, I then turned to the Cessna

Gabriel wasto take ested it as a possibility Now, sitting down next to hi

I looked back at the hangar that housed his small deathtrap of a plane and decided that I would risk it anyway I needed to prepare for a mission, not die of a heart attack before it even started Besides, he pushed all the right buttons and got the engine started so I determined he couldn't be all bad even if his plane did look like a heavy-combat left over from World War II

"Ok, are you ready?" I asked, as he moved the plane to the runway

"Of course, ouldn't I be?" he mumbled, solemnly He recently re-shaved his head and as usual, he earing his dark, aviator sunglasses I was convinced they were e eyes than protect his vision froundy, beaded rosary hung around his neck, the perfect accessory to his priestly robe

We re ti plane The landscape turned into sreen, like a quilted blanket laying coh the full billowy clouds scattering wisps across the wide, blue sky

"Did Silas get to O for conversation

"Yes, late last night," Gabriel responded, his thick Latin accenteven the siain for several ht his people"

"His people?" I gasped, wondering what prompted him to do that after he made it clear to me they would be no part ofto follow you, then he would have to take your exaive them a choice So, when he asked theed his shoulder casually, as if it were not a big deal

I sat back against the chair trying to understand the extra nuness of Silas's people to help Even harder to comprehend was that I was an example, that Silas, as centuries old, looked to ed, I was suddenly heavy with the weight of what that ood leader, but even worse, I was a terrible exaain I was reminded how desperately our cause needed Avalon

"We need to get Avalon back," I whispered, echoing my anxiety aloud

"You think he will be a better leader than you?" Gabriel asked, his intuitions hitting the nail on the head

"I knoill," I promised "Well, really at this point, anyone would be a better leader than me" I tried to joke, but Gabriel stared ahead, his lips not even hinting at a smile