A knock came at the door, and Andrew Arrowsmith opened it to find Charles Keen on the other side.

"Get your stuff," he said, his twin swords shining over his shoulders. "If you want Marissa to hide Madeline and Kayla, now would probably be the perfect time to do so."

Andrew's brows furrowed. "Has something happened?"

"Yes, Arrowsmith," Sergei said gruffly. Andrew looked beyond Charles to Sergei standing with the others at the bottom of the steps. "It's called your sister and her husband and son trying to perform necromancy. We all know that they want to bring your wonderful great-aunt Emily back from the dead. She's in Hell for a reason."

"Give me five minutes," said Andrew, closing the door and turning to Marissa.

Marissa's dark brown eyes were filled with tears that threatened to spill over. "Andrew, no," she begged, her lower lip trembling. "Andrew, please, you have to think about the girls!"

Andrew placed his hands on his wife's shoulders. "Marissa, you know that I have to go. The Guard needs me," he said calmly. "You knew that this day would have to come sooner or later."

"But I thought that you would come with us," Marissa sobbed, the tears finally spilling over.

Andrew brushed her tears away with his calloused thumbs, his fingertips in her silky brown hair. "Everything is going to be okay, my love," he told her, tears pricking his own onyx eyes. He gave her a peck on the lips.

"Losing Ingrid hurt," she said. "Andrew, promise me that you will come back. I don't know how much more our family can take—Madeline and Kayla still need a father..."

"I can't promise you that I will come back. But if I do manage to shut down the Swifts' cult, I promise you that I will stop at nothing until I find you girls again—and then we can be a happy family again and not have to worry about Destiny finding us or Ingrid."

Andrew pulled away from Marissa and shrugged on his midnight blue waistcoat. He had just finished tying up the laces of his black boots when he looked back and saw Madeline and Kayla huddling together by the stairs.

"Come on down, girls," he said, motioning for them to approach him.

Five-year-old Madeline bolted down the stairs, her dark brown braids bobbing as she ran for her father. Kayla struggled to keep up on her small two-year-old legs. Andrew crouched down and Madeline barrelled into him.

"Don't go, Daddy," Madeline whined.

"I have to, sweetie," he murmured. "Daddy has important work that he has to take care of."

"I don't want you to," she cried, tears streaming down her face. "Daddy, please don't go."

The door opened and Charles stuck his head in. "Nelson and Kai are having a difficult time restraining Sergei from running off. We all know just how fast that impatient man can run—but please, feel free to take your sweet time. It's not like a portal to Hell has been opened."

The door closed again and Andrew looked back at his daughters. "I have to go, Madeline. I love you and Kayla so much. Protect each other, alright? Be good for your mother while I'm gone." He gave Kayla a hug before he stood up and took his bow and arrows from Marissa. He gave her another kiss on the lips. "Be strong for them, Marissa. You know where to go and what to do. I'll find you once I've taken care of Nathalie and her cult."

Marissa nodded. "Please come back, Andrew."

He gave her a sad smile as he opened the door. "You know as well as I do, Marissa, that I can't promise that."

Andrew walked across the threshold and down the steps.

"About damn time," Sergei muttered. "Let go of me, damn it."

Nelson and Kai let go of him.

A tremor rocked the ground below them.

"Let's go!" Andrew shouted as he ran down the residential Hartseer street. "We don't know how much time we have left!"