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"We need to move," I said.

Kai started backing toward the opening, keeping himself between her and me the entire way.

I tried to make him go first.

"Not happening," he said.

"You can barely stand."

"Still standing."

Of course, the Guardian went last. Of course, he did. I climbed back through the tear into the chamber, back into gold light and cracked stone and the sight of Zelda on her knees with Carol holding her steady, the tether burning bright from her marked wrist, through the Door, straight to the One Below.

I turned around immediately.

Kai was still Below.

The One Below lunged.

Zelda screamed and hauled the binding tight with everything she had left. Kai dove through the tear a half second ahead of clawed fingers that came close enough to graze the threshold.

I raised the crown.

"Queen closes."

Gold Magic detonated through the seal. The Door began folding in on itself. The edges curled inward like paper catching fire.

The One Below screamed.

"Witch binds," Zelda gasped. The black and silver line instantly snapped taut, yanking the woman fully away from the closing breach.

Kai dragged himself upright between me and whatever was left of the opening. I knew that only blood and dust and pure stubbornness were holding him vertical, and I loved him all the more for it.

"Guardian stands."

And this time it worked.

And this time, nothing stopped it. The Door didn't slam or explode. It sealed, slowly and deliberately. Gold lines ran clean through the old stone. The Witch symbol settled into place. The Guardian symbol settled beside it. The Queen symbol burned brightest of all, right up until the light faded to something soft and steady.

Then there was silence.

I looked at the spot on the floor where Kai used to hit an invisible wall every single time.

Nothing.

The barrier had shattered when the One Below dragged me through, and this time it didn't come back. Kai stepped across the old line without so much as a flicker of resistance. No zap. No barrier at all. Queen. Witch. Guardian. Together.

Exactly where we should've been all along.

Zelda's mark was already fading. The black veins retreated back down her arm, leaving nothing behind but a small silver crescent scar in her palm.

Carol checked her over, quick and thorough. "You're you. How do you feel?"

"Fine-ish," Zelda said, sagging against Carol's shoulder. "If anybody needs me, I'm retiring."

"You're not even Baba Yaga yet," I said.

"Then I'm pre-retiring."