Her heart shattered at his words. At the sacrifice he was willing to make for her.
She started to protest, but the snowmachine took off. She tried to brake it, but Zarek must have been using his powers to keep the gas on.
The last thing she saw was a blind Zarek turning around to face Thanatos.
Ash grabbed Simi from Artemis the instant she materialized in front of him.
He cradled his "baby" gently in his arms as he took her to Artemis's bed.
"Akri!" Simi wailed, nuzzling against his chest. "The Simi is hurt. You told me I couldn't get hurt."
"I know, Sim, I know." He held her close, half-afraid to pull back her makeshift bandage and see the damage done to her.
Her tears fell down her cheeks, making his own eyes well up. Out of habit, he started singing to her, an ancient Atlantean lullaby he used to sing to her when she was barely more than a hatchling.
She calmed a bit.
Ash wiped the tears from her cold cheeks, then pulled the cloth away.
His dagger had sliced through her, narrowly missing her heart, but the wound was clean and the blood flow had slowed. Thanks to Zarek, no doubt.
He owed the man more than he could ever repay.
Summoning his powers, Ash laid his hand over her wound and healed her injury.
Simi glanced around, then she looked at him. "Simi better?'
He nodded and smiled. "Simi all better."
Simi looked at her chest. She pulled her shirt up and looked underneath it, too, as if to verify to herself that she was okay.
Laughing, she threw herself into his arms.
Ash held her, grateful beyond measure that she hadn't died.
He held her close until she whined for him to let her go.
Kissing her brow, he released her. "Return to me, Simi."
For once, she didn't argue. In dragon form, she placed herself over his heart.
It was where she belonged.
Turning slowly, Ash faced Artemis.
In a pique, she stood with her hands on her hips and her body tensed. "Oh, come on, you're not still mad. I did the right thing. I brought it back to you."
"Her!" he barked, making her jump. "Simi isn't an it, Artemis. She's a her and I want for once to hear you say her name."
She stuck her chin out defiantly. Narrowing her green eyes, she forced herself to say, "Simi."
He inclined his head in approval. "As for the right thing... no, Artie. The right thing would have been to not steal from me. The right thing would have been to listen to me when I told you not to create another Thanatos. What you did today was the smart thing. Because of that, I'm not going to do the wrong thing and kill you. But Thanatos is another matter."
"You can't leave here to kill him."
"I don't have to leave here to kill him."
"You bastard!" Thanatos roared as he knocked Zarek aside.