Journey's End

The shrine air felt stuffy with old magic and bottled up emotions. Maddie stopped on the threshold and took one last deep bracing breath.
The protective flames in her mind flickered to life.
Understand, don't feel.
There were stairs leading underground. The magic sang in her ears.
Something is off.
She couldn't sense any other person in the vicinity. So either Ishanvi was wrong, or...
"He's not here!"
The Indian woman was close to tears. But then the light of her torch found a small statue adorned with necklace and ring, holding a scroll and she squealed in delighted surprise.