Light burst with such immense heat it was like Ra himself had unleashed his wrath upon the Earth.

The brightness washed away form and face, man and rock, obliterating the outlines of life like bubbles in a roaring waterfall.

It was boisterous like the shrieks of a thousand harpies.

All became white until white perished into black and black melted into malachite waves that coiled like vipers.

She was neither here nor there and everywhere all at once.

Colors burst with heat through the waves of green.

Burgundy seeped like fresh blood. Lamplight yellow mingled with turquoise, swirling like a cyclone barely contained.

And beneath it all, a hum. A steady vibration that blew the waves and colors together like clouds in the wind.

She was light.

She was destruction.

The waves bent under her will and consumed all that stood in their path. She didn't stop them. No. She spurred them on.

More.

More.

Leave nothing behind.

Take all of it.

And bring her back.

Her breath was a tribute to the ancient gods, and her essence was green fire.

She was time.

She was divine.

She was unstoppable.

***

Daylight paled in comparison.

She'd traveled the entire color spectrum, she'd breathed the energy of each and every quasar in its pure, undiluted form. She'd bent the fabric of time.

Being back in a human form felt like being turned into bacteria after tasting the omnipotence that came with being a deity.

But it didn't matter.

When Harper saw Aisling and Declan at the edge of the cliff, looking around like they weren't sure how they'd managed to get back up, Harper knew she'd chose this form over any other over and over again until the end of eternity.

Blurry-eyed, she fiercely wrapped her arms around Aisling's small body and brought her back into the safety of the hangar's walls, not believing her luck.

The sound of the door behind them exploding and the shouts of the agents that swarmed through it were background noise. Harper held onto Aisling, smoothing her hair back, apologizing, praying, saying thanks, and apologizing some more. She felt herself be hustled back out into the corridor and down an endless stream of stairs. She didn't care where she was, what mattered was that Aisling was safe.

She walked out into the sunlight and a hive of special forces. More entered the hidden door whence their party had come out, but the Watchers' escorts stayed with them until relieved by a higher authority. Blankets were wrapped around each, Harper sat with Aisling next to Avian and Declan. Strangely, none of Ra's people were found, but agents were still inside sweeping the compound.

Harper overheard snippets of people talking about a helicopter crash down the side of the mountain with neither passengers nor pilot. She felt Aisling shiver under the blanket, and Harper squeezed her tighter. "Are you cold, sweetheart?"

The girl didn't answer her, but instead, her face lit up and she reached with her whole body away from Harper. "Mama! Mama!"

Harper looked up to see Beth, bundled in a thick parka, running out of a black SUV at full speed. She snatched Aisling from Harper's arms and hugged her tight. Her breath of relief was lost in her sobs.

Harper wiped her wet eyes on the blanket as she watched them joined by Beth's husband who enveloped them in a tight embrace.

Yes, Aisling had a family. And she was safely back where she belonged.

Harper rose on wobbly legs, feeling a headache come on with force. She fought it and the accompanying nausea and reached for Beth's hand.

"Harper! Your face," Beth looked aghast.

Harper touched her cheek absently, her focus on getting the words out, one at a time. Her speech was slurred. "I promised I'll get her back."

Beth looked down at the thing Harper had placed in her hand and closed her fist around it. "And you did," she said, her voice thick with too many emotions. She clasped the birthday bracelet back on Aisling's delicate wrist as Harper brushed the girl's hair behind her ear.

Harper glanced up to find Theo watching them with a peculiar look.

Beth noticed. "Does he know?" she whispered.

Harper met her sister's eyes. They'd aged a decade since she last saw them. "He can never know," said Harper solemnly.

Beth nodded, her chin firmly set, and took Aisling back to their vehicle where her husband awaited.

Declan. She needed to find Declan.

No sooner has she thought it than the headache reminded her it was still there. A burning sensation closed itself around her eyes like a blindfold. She'd felt this before, and by now she recognized the signs of the quasar energy sapping her life force until her body shut down.