Rage darkened her sight as she stared at the selfish goddess. Sunshine started to lunge at her, but Ash caught her and pulled her back.
Sunshine trembled in fear and anger.
"Give it to me, now." Acheron's deep voice sounded like thunder. "Do it and I'll give you a week of total submission."
A calculating gleam darkened Artemis's eyes. "Give me two."
Sunshine saw the fury and resignation on Ash's face. "Done."
Artemis held her hand out and a large maroon stone appeared in her palm.
When Ash went to take it, Artemis pulled it out of his reach. "You will come to me at dawn."
"I will, I swear it."
Artemis smiled in satisfaction, then handed the stone to Ash. Ash returned to Talon. Then, he met Sunshine's gaze. "Sunshine, you're going to have to take this into your hand and hold it over the brand mark until his soul is released back into his body."
She reached for it, but Talon caught her wrist. She hadn't even known he was still conscious until she felt his weakened grip on her arm.
"She can't, Ash."
"Talon!" she said, angered that he was stopping her. "What are you doing?"
"No, Sunshine," Talon whispered, his voice strained. "If you take that, it will scar your hand. It could leave you unable to draw or paint ever again."
Her greatest fear.
She looked into Talon's pain-filled eyes.
Her greatest love.
There was no contest.
She grabbed the stone from Ash's hand, then cried out as it seared her flesh.
"Watch Talon's eyes." She heard Ash's voice inside her head. "And for Zeus's sake, please don't let go of his soul. Focus..." She did and the pain lessened, but still she could feel the fire of the stone searing her hand.
Time stood still as she stared into Talon's jet-black eyes. Memories of this life and of their former one merged in her mind. She flashed back to her own death, to Talon holding her close.
She leaned down and kissed him. "I'm with you, love."
Talon took his last breath and relaxed. Her own heart stopped beating as raw terror consumed her.
Please, please, let this work!
Ash placed her hand over Talon's bow-and-arrow brand mark. Slowly, the heat faded and the stone turned dull in color.
Still, her hand burned.
When it was completely cold, she dropped the stone and waited.
Talon didn't move.
He didn't breathe.
He lay there, completely still and unresponsive to her.
"Talon?" she asked, her entire body shaking with the fear that he was gone.