"No? Following us here, reporting our movements to other Guardians?" her father snapped, approaching her. "I spent the night defending you against them. You think I want all this death?"
"I think you don't care."
He slapped her. "Keep quiet, and do as you're told. You cannot begin to imagine how long I've waited for this night and what I've done to make sure it happens as it must. No one will stand in my way, including you, my daughter." He continued past her, up the hill once more.
Yully touched her burning cheek. The site's power comforted her, and she kissed Jule's medallion. Her father returned with a bag slung over his shoulder. She dreaded discovering what it was until he ripped it open to display woodchips.
"Help me spread this around," he directed. "We need each element present."
She obeyed. He brought three more bags while she spread the woodchips around the monument. She was soon soaked by a light drizzle and stretched to keep her stiffening muscles warm. After the bags, he brought torches covered in plastic bags and placed them by each column of the monument.
She finished spreading her woodchips and watched him, taking refuge against the drizzle in the protection of one column. It hummed with energy that spread through her, warming her. Her father moved to the center of the monument and looked around.
"What next, Father?" she ventured.
"We wait."
"For what?"
"For the Gods and Guardians to come."
"We can't perform the rite without them?" she asked.
"You'll need their power to puncture the gateway," he said. "As strong as I am, mine won't be enough. Jule will come for you and bring the most powerful of the immortals confined to earth."
"You promised not to kill him if I cooperated, Father."
"We'll see just how strong your bond to him is. The only way for them to stop this is to kill you. Do you think he'll do it, daughter?"
"No, Father," she whispered.
"Then you've played your part well, daughter. You made the one who can stop you fall in love with you instead," her father said.
"You knew we belonged together," she said in a hushed tone.
"Of course."
"You were setting me up."
"My dear, what I do, I do for us and our future. I saved your life. I thought you'd be happy I spared him instead of burying him with the others." He suddenly cocked his head to the side. "Wait here."