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He looked at her in shock "Tintern has already fallen, Lia I tried to return there days ago but the portal was closed"

She looked him hard in the eyes "The Abbey may have fallen, but there is an Aldermaston there I know he is there He will direct you to the ships"

Marciana grabbed Lia’s arm "What will you do?"

"What I ed into the tunnel shaft and helped Marciana co on her The fire pushed against her will, but she refused to let it win Not yet¸ she ordered

There was Sowe next, followed by Edmon They both turned and helped Pasqua down, and it took ti, quit fussing down there," Pasqua snapped "I was once as skinny as you two and could handle ladders quite with ease" Her eyes glearatitude and relief when she looked at Lia "I knew you would save us, child I never doubted it"

One by one, Lia helped the back the flames with sheer will Siler and the children clambered past One after another The flames burned even hotter, and she realized that another presence was cois

"Hurry!" Lia warned Reorateful s in the back, insisting that others go first He coughed violently against his arm, for the smoke seeped into the lower chae went down So few, Lia realized So few had believed

At last it was just her and Prestwich The weight of the Abbey strained against her She could not bear it any longer

"Go," she said with afor Prestwich

He shook his head "I will die here, Lia This is where I want my bones to sleep With my Aldermaston"

Lia stared at his

"Prestwich," she said

He shook his head "I am done, child This Abbey was my life The ships are too far I would never ht "I cannot hold it back Go down You are needed, Prestwich Your wisdom Your experience The little children need you Someone to tell theroaned "Please, Prestwich!"

His face wrinkled with livid erief "I cannot…abandon hi in her throat "I know, Prestwich I know But I am your Alder you can do to serve him more Help these children escape Do it forHe nodded and then a up at her "Cos failed She felt the blast of fire already sucking through the shafts as she slammed the stone lid down and whirled The torrent of flah the shroud of flaentle breeze She went back up the stairs as huge chunks of burning rock hurtled from the weakened beams They exploded around her, sparks and whorls of fla whether a stone would strike her She had no fear So the kystrel she had taken from the lair, she removed it fro thedross In herin the conflagration The Rood Screen turned to ash The floor tiles were all cracked and black with soot, the pewter and silver vases and stands warped Her soul grieved seeing the ravaged insides of her precious Abbey Fordown her cheeks only to hiss and vanish when they struck the floor It was ht, she realized The darkest hour And somehow, deep inside, she realized with shock and sadness that there were no Abbeys left in all the world

She felt a presence and turned, startled, seeing the Alderh the fla aisle She kneas hih the billows of sly than what her eyes beheld She squinted, not sure what she saw in the smoke

"Aldermaston?" she breathed in surprise

There he was, a wraith, a shadow that was visible one linized who it was, she recognized his presence She felt hi at her