Emily leaned forward on Pegasus and saw the blazing lights of Manhattan rising in the distance. ‘There’s the City. This is Governors.’
‘Where we are no longer matters,’ Diana said sharply, helping to lead the stallion down the steep wooden steps. ‘It is where we are going that counts. It won’t take long for the Nirads to reach the surface again. We must be gone before they do.’
She looked at the stallion. ‘Pegasus, are you recovered enough to carry all of us, or should I stay?’
Pegasus gently nudged his cousin and let out a soft nicker.
‘Of course,’ Diana said. She turned to Joel. ‘Climb on, he can carry all of us.’
‘What about the Daughter of Vesta?’ Joel asked, as Diana helped to hoist him on to the stallion’s back behind Emily. ‘Will there be room for her too?’
Diana leaped up on to Pegasus, behind him. ‘She is already with us,’ she said softly.
‘What?’ Joel cried.
Emily turned in her seat. She looked at Diana. ‘It is me, isn’t it? I’m the Daughter of Vesta and the Flame of Olympus.’
Saying nothing, Diana nodded.
‘Emily, no!’ Joel hushed. ‘It can’t be you.’
‘It’s all right, Joel,’ Emily said softly. ‘I’ve suspected for a while now.’
‘When did you know for certain, child?’ Diana asked.
Emily patted the stallion’s neck. ‘It was a few things really. Back on the bridge I started to wonder. You and Pegs should have escaped. If the Daughter of Vesta was really out there somewhere, Pegasus would have left me and gone to her. But he didn’t, he fought the soldiers to protect me. Then when I heard he was dying, I knew I had to get to him. That I could somehow help. And when I touched him, I felt him react. After a few hours with me, Pegasus grew much stronger. I finally knew for sure when you said I was more important. You wouldn’t have said that if it wasn’t me.’
‘That is correct,’ Diana confirmed. ‘You are more important than all of us. The Flame is burning brightly inside you now. That is why Pegasus heals so quickly when he is with you; first on your roof and then here in this place. As your feelings for him grew, so did your power to heal him. Emily, you saved Pegasus.’
‘And with luck, maybe I can save Olympus too,’ Emily said gravely.
‘No,’ Joel insisted. ‘I won’t let you sacrifice yourself,’ he choked, staring at Emily. ‘You can’t die.’
Emily reached back to touch Joel’s hand. ‘It’s all right, Joel. Believe me, it is. If I do this, Olympus will be restored and you, my dad and this whole world will be safe. I want to do it. Please, let me.’
‘But Emily—’ Joel dropped his head, unable to form words. He squeezed her hand and looked away. The awful sounds of Nirads filled the air. They were on the main floor of the house and heading towards the front doors.
‘They’re coming,’ Emily said. ‘Pegs, take us to Olympus.’
32
Seated right behind his wings, Emily felt the stallion’s growing strength as he trotted away from the house. When they reached an open area, he turned his head towards her and whinnied.
‘He says hold on,’ Diana explained. ‘His wing is newly healed, but untried. It may be a rough flight.’
‘You can do it, Pegs,’ Emily said patting his neck. ‘I know you can.’
As Pegasus moved from a trot to a full gallop, he spread his massive white wings. Emily clutched his mane as he leaped confidently into the air. She felt Joel tighten his grip around her waist as Pegasus rose up and over the dark water.
Manhattan lay dead ahead. As she looked at the beautiful, sparkling lights, Emily realized this would be the last time she would ever see her home. If they made it safely to Olympus, she would die in the Temple of the Flame.
What would happen to her father? Where was he? She was going to die without his ever knowing what had happened to her. Or that she loved him and had done it for him. That pain was the worst of all.
Inhaling deeply, she looked down on New York. The city would be safe. All those millions of people in it would live and never see or hear of a Nirad again.
‘Hey, wait for me!’ a tiny, unsteady voice called from behind them.
‘Paelen?’
Turning back, Emily and Joel saw Paelen struggling to catch up with them, limping through the dark air. Only one sandal was flapping its wings and he was covered in blood.
‘Paelen!’ Emily cried. ‘You survived the Nirads!’
‘Are you all right?’ Joel called.
‘No!’ Paelen called back. ‘But I will live. Can you please slow down so I can catch up? The Nirads wounded a sandal and only one is working.’
The stallion snorted.
‘Pegasus says you may hold on to his tail,’ Diana called back to Paelen. ‘He can help carry you home, but we must move faster if we are to reach Olympus.’
In the night sky, it was difficult for Emily to clearly see Paelen. But as they passed over New York, the city lights revealed his deep, open wounds.