“Let them play,” I said softly. “Let them be children.”

His eyes met mine and he gave me a slow nod. Then he held his hand up and the rocks blocking the doorway shifted so we could slip into the open air.

Night had fallen, and the moon was high above our heads giving a soft ethereal tone to the cherry trees and the ever-falling blossoms.

The stillness was broken by the cries of the children as they were reunited with their families, the sobs of mothers and fathers as their little ones, thought gone forever, returned to them.

I put a hand on Peta’s back. “Good job, bad luck cat. You did that for them, I think now they will have to give you a new nickname.”

Peta snorted softly, but said nothing.

Fiametta strode toward us, her eyes going straight to Keeda.

“Who is this?”

No choice now, I had to come up with a lie she would believe. “This is my sister, she was imprisoned by the one who blocked your element and stole control of the lava from you.”

Fiametta leaned in and then sucked in a sharp gasp. “Her soul is gone.”

Like a punch to the gut I tried to breathe around sharp dig of pain. I’d done that, I’d stolen my sister’s soul. Goddess, how could I ever fix this? “It happened in the battle.”

Fiametta was talking, a blur of words. Something about being heroes, or judging all Terralings by a few, or giving us a hero’s send off. I didn’t really hear much of it, just nodded and smiled while my heart and mind reeled.

I’d stolen a soul.

I was a monster.

“What can we offer you, in thanks for saving us?” Fiametta said, her words finally snapping me out of the fog I’d fallen in.

“Stop killing the firewyrms. Make peace with them. They could have left us all to die, they didn’t have to help, and yet they did,” I said, mulling over my words and then just going with it. “Like us. We could have left you to fight this battle on your own but we didn’t. Because we are family, and no matter how much we fight, we need each other in this world.”

The Salamanders around us nodded, and my words were quickly passed through the crowd.

“Family,” Fiametta said softly. “That is a word I have not applied to the other elements for many years. Yet perhaps you are right. Call on me, Larkspur, if you have need, and I will call you cousin in truth. I swear on the soul of my unborn child that I will send aid if you ask for it.”

Unborn child. I raised an eyebrow at her. “There is one more thing. Cactus is coming with me.”

Fiametta’s eyes narrowed.

I gave her a tight smile. “You don’t need him now, if you make peace with the firewyrms.”

Beside me Cactus tensed, no doubt expecting her to command him to stay. But despite her hard ass nature, he’d been right about her. She wasn’t an evil bitch like Cassava, just a very tough woman.

“So be it. But I will miss him.”

“I will visit.” He grinned at her, and her lips twitched with what might have been a smile.

I held my hand out to her, tapping two fingers across the top of my hand in the way that they showed recognition of someone stronger than themselves. “Thank you, and may the mother goddess be with you and all your children.”

There was nothing left to say, and within a few minutes we were all inside the mountain once more. Fresh air replaced the heavy heat of the receding lava flows. The Salamanders were already putting things back into place, and the lava had returned to its bubbling river.

Homes were destroyed and personal items had been burned up in the flooding lava, yet even I could see that the damage was not complete.

Blackbird had to have been directing the flow of the lava all along, chasing the Salamanders. There were areas of the living quarters completely untouched.

I wondered how long it would be before any of them truly trusted their element again and willingly stepped into the lava for a swim.

Fiametta directed her people, encouraging them to help those who’d lost everything. To share what they had. She even put one family into her private quarters while their home was rebuilt. I had to give it to her, she was a better queen than I’d thought. Still a hard ass, but a good leader.

Perhaps I just brought out the best in her. Peta snorted on my shoulder, picking up on my thoughts. “Not likely.”

Cactus, free from the hold Fiametta had on him went to the middle of the living area, beckoning me. “Will you help me?”

I went to him. “What do you want me to do?”

“Let’s show them just what a Terraling is made of, yes?”

At first I didn’t understand, until the first curl of green lines rose up his arms and the shoots of grass erupted under our feet. Nodding, I held my hands out and tapped into the earth. With my eyes closed I imagined a garden loaded with fruit and blossoms, vegetables, and living plants of all varieties. The power flowed out of me with ease and the air around us cooled.

Opening my eyes, I struggled not to gasp at what we’d created. An oasis in the middle of a desert was the only thought I had. Exotic trees that could withstand the heat towered over us, and the ground was soft with soil that would encourage growth.

We’d changed the very makeup of the Pit. At least in this one place.

Fiametta came to us in the oasis. “Cactus, why didn’t you do this before?” The awe in her voice was rather gratifying.

He shrugged. “Most of this isn’t me. This is Larkspur. I just gave her the idea. Most Terralings could barely get a shoot to grow in this heat . . . she gave you a paradise.” He winked at me as I gaped back at him.