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enough for his body to pass through, but she was on him, her hands coming out of the vapor. The burns went to the bone, her skin dissolving first into a mass of blisters and then melting. Still, even with her bones, she held him, preventing his escape.

Razvan's fist came out of the vapor, suffering the same fate as Ivory, the skin burning off as he slammed it deep into Xavier's chest and extracted the burst heart. He threw it into the raging fires and then followed it with the body.

The four Carpathians streaked out of the rapidly collapsing cavern using Xavier's escape route. The spinning mass of heat and light stayed behind them as they shot down a tube and into the cool darkness of the caves. The mountain rumbled ominously as they made their way through the tunnels to the outside hills.

All of them rolled in the snow, trying to ease the burning, vicious pain.

"We need to go to ground right now," Vikirnoff said, his teeth chattering, his body in shock. Gregori, we have need of you. Healers! Come to us!

"Not here. Not anywhere near his evil," Ivory advised. "Find a clean spot and let Mother Earth have you."

"Gregori and Francesca are on the way. They will meet us," Vikirnoff said.

Shivering with the terrible pain, Ivory and Razvan took to the air together, leaving Vikirnoff and Natalya to do the same.

CHAPTER 21

Razvan gripped Ivory's hand as they approached the ceremonial cave. Gregori's summons had reached them just before dawn, with his invitation to the naming ceremony, and both had been nervous before they had succumbed to their rejuvenating sleep. They had spent so long in the ground recovering from wounds, both had thought the naming would have already taken place, but Gregori had honored them by waiting, which meant they had little choice but to attend.

"They are not going to search you this time," Ivory teased. "I think."

"They try that this time and the dragon in me may just come flaming out." He gripped her hand tighter.

Ivory looked up at his face. Instead of his usual calm, he looked strained. She knew it had nothing to do with the distrust of the Carpathian ancients and everything to do with his daughters and sister.

She halted and tugged him around to her, lifting her palm to frame his beloved face. "You are han ku pesa-protector. You are han ku meke piramet-defender." Her voice softened. Her eyes swam with love. "Most of all, you are han ku kuulua sivamet-keeper of my heart."

He caught her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. He couldn't have spoken. Not with love shaking him and setting his hands trembling, or with the lump in his throat so big he might choke. He could only pour everything he felt for her into his kiss. When he lifted his head, her eyes had gone antique gold. "Thank you. I needed to hear you say you loved me."

She parted her lips to protest. She hadn't actually gone that far, but he kissed her senseless again, scattering her wits until she could barely remember her own name, let alone what she'd said to him.

"Razvan!" Natalya rushed them. "You came."

They had barely time to break apart before she threw herself into her brother's arms, rocking them both so hard Ivory had to catch his arm to steady them.

"Of course we came. Gregori said it was a naming ceremony. I have never been to one." Razvan gently set his sister back on her feet, looking her over for injuries. The time spent rejuvenating in the ground had done her good. She bore little evidence of the encounter with Xavier and Sergey.

"You have to come to see Lara. Gregori let her up for the ceremony. She's fragile and weak, but he said whatever Ivory did, she can still bear children." Natalya's eyes were bright.

"Mother Earth saved her, not me," Ivory protested.

Natalya ignored the protest as well as all personal barriers, catching Ivory's arm and tugging toward the ceremonial cave. "Hurry. Everyone is waiting inside for you."

"Give them a chance to catch their breath, Natalya," Vikirnoff advised with a small smile. He tucked her beneath his shoulder. He still had a couple of burn marks on him from having shielded Natalya.

"I do not wish to upset Lara, especially in her fragile state," Razvan objected, halting abruptly.

Ivory swung around to him, her hand actually curling around the hilt of her knife. We do not have to do this. She wasn't