by Eve, Jaymin
When we finally reached the veil, even with my shitty non-power eyes, I could see it clearly. An unbroken curtain of darkness that couldn’t be moved or penetrated—demonstrated by Rayge as he pushed against it.
“How do we get through?” I asked.
Asher and Braxton had some sort of silent conversation, before the huge dragon flapped a few times and turned back to the sheet of nightmares.
“He’s going to see if it’s immune to dragonfire,” Asher said quickly, “since it’s able to cut through most magic.”
He moved us further away, and we both watched as a blast of flame scorched the air across the dark sheet. The other two dragons joined him, and I shook my head at the intense blue-black flame.
“Remind me not to piss off a dragon,” I murmured, and Asher shot me a slow smile.
“You could take on a dragon any day, and if you want my opinion, you should start with Rayge.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “What’s your issue with Rayge? Seriously. It’s time to finally tell me.”
Asher sucked in a deep breath, his gaze conflicted. Through our bond I could tell he was sorting out his thoughts, so I didn’t pry further. “Our parents were friends,” he started in a low voice. “Rayge and I didn’t know each other that well, he was already much older when our families would catch up, and was never really around.” He sucked in another lungful of air, anger spilling into his next words. “The first time I really saw him, he was on trial for killing his parents. I went because mine weren’t alive to be there, and I felt like they would have wanted to go. Rayge sat in that room, and his expression never changed once, and whenever I went near him, my fucking hair stood on end. There was something in his gaze, Maddison … he’s dangerous.” His eyes left mine to rest on the bronze dragon.
“He killed his parents,” I breathed, turning my head to see Rayge as well. “Did he go to prison?”
Asher shook his head. “No. He was found guilty of killing them but wasn’t punished. To this day, I have no idea what happened between him and his family, and the fact that he wasn’t sent to a supernatural prison should be enough to ease my worries … but my initial assessment hasn’t changed. He is dangerous. Just … maybe not to you.”
Rayge shifted his head, dragon fire cutting off as he met my gaze. No doubt with his supernatural senses, he’d heard everything.
“He’s not dangerous to me,” I said to Asher. “I’m pretty good at judging someone’s nature, and that’s not a supe you have to worry about turning on you. If you deserve his trust and loyalty, you have it for life.”
Rayge’s eyes were shadowed as he nodded. Before I could say anything else, he’d turned back to the veil, dragon fire once again spewing from his jaws.
Asher watched us both. “I will trust you on this. No doubt my past clouded my judgement of him.”
Asher lost his family. He believed they’d been murdered, and no information ever came out about it. Someone choosing to kill their parents was probably a decent trigger for him.
“The dragon-fire isn’t working,” Asher snarled, startling me from my thoughts.
He moved us closer, a blast of heat blowing my hair back and giving my cheeks a stretched, stiff feeling. “We need to help them,” I decided. “My energy is back in my control again ... I’m willing to throw it at the veil.”
Asher moved us further along, so we weren’t at risk of being burned, and I reached out to touch the sheet of darkness. “The fire was breaking the bonds, just not fast enough,” I noted. “At least we know it can be parted, all we need is to find the right power to do it.”
Asher reached out as well, and when my hand finally landed on the dark sheet, I expected it to feel how it looked, like a thick, heavy, curtain. Instead my hand went right through to the other side, and I lurched forward with it.
“Maddison!” Asher cursed, reaching out to grab me, both of us tumbling through.
The other side was nothing like the side of darkness and mystery.
Crystal clear blue skies, clean air that smelled like sunshine and flora, and a creek casually cutting through the green grass below. An animal chirped near my ear, and I thought it was a little bird until I turned my no doubt astonished eyes on a tiny fluttering … fairy. I mean, that’s what it resembled. Like Mab crossed with a lightbulb, shining brightly.
The chirping formed into words. “Welcome to Heptashia’s underworld. Please, do not panic. You may have left your previous life behind, but here you will be safe and content and happy for the rest of your eternity. You will find your family and loved ones here, including all of your pets. You will find your greatest heart’s desires. Please follow me.”
Turning to Asher, my words died on my tongue. What…?
The look on his face … dread and pain.
“Ash?” I said softly.
He snapped out of it, shaking his head before turning to me. “Nice place they’ve got here,” he said, trying—and failing—to sound casual. “Welcome committee isn’t bad either.”
Reaching out, I rested my hand on his arm. “Are you wondering if your family is here?”
I could think of no other explanation for that expression he’d worn.
“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “I should not see them though. There’s a reason that we don’t cross here until we die. A very important reason. We must wait until our time is done, but it’s just so…”
“Tempting.”
And it really was. A land where you would be safe and protected. None of the fear and pain and loss we’d had on Earth. Fuck...
“Why doesn’t everyone want to die?” It was a horrible, morbid thought, especially considering a lot of people did want to die, and actively chose it to end their pain and suffering.
Asher took his time in answering. Not a surprise considering the context of my question. I mean, it was one of those very deep, possibly painful introspective questions. Getting to the true nature of life and death.
“I think … that our time on Earth is filled with so much more than this land holds. New experiences; true, strong love; emotions that take your breath away; and yes, fear and worry and sorrow. But if we didn’t have the lows, would we truly feel the highs?”
Unease slithered through my chest, replacing an iota of the peace I was feeling. I mulled his words over. “Yes, you might be right. Everything here is peaceful, but it’s also the same, forever. It’s a nice retirement, but we’re too young for that now.”
Asher pressed his lips to mine. A brief, perfect kiss. “Exactly. Here there are no babies. No new life. No change. As you said, this is the perfect retirement for souls to be at peace. We’re not ready for that yet, but it helps to know it’s there.”
It did help. My heart was just a tiny bit lighter than it had been before I stepped into this world. A sliver of hope and light was sometimes all anyone needed. Unfortunately, the real world still awaited us … and it still needed saving.
Turning back to the veil, I reached forward, parting it with my hands, like a waterfall broken by a rocky ledge. On the other side, a dragon head appeared. Braxton was waiting right where we’d disappeared.
He pushed through my gap, having no issue making it to the sunny side. They’d just needed someone to make the first part.
“I can’t break through it,” Asher said, trying again. “It’s not an Atlantean power that allowed you entry.”
“Draconis,” I said drily. “My parents might be crazy, power hungry bastards, but at least they left me with some wickedly useful skills.”
Asher’s chest rumbled. “Heptashia shouldn’t have had power over you in those fucking trials.”
I shrugged. “When I first arrived here, my power was locked down by that land of nothing. I’m assuming that’s standard practice. If I’d tried even a small amount, I would have broken the lock long ago. I played the game like a sucker.”
He nodded. “Your father’s energy is probably the reason you could open a path for us as well. This land should res
pond to you, if you can just figure out how to tap into it.”
Braxton, back in human form, dressed head to toe in black, heard the end of our conversation. “How is Draconis locked away in the underworld, if technically he’s the god of it?”
“Sonaris trapped them,” I said with a shrug. “To be honest, I never asked him how he managed that, but whatever he did, it kept them there for a few months.”
Asher shook his head. “If they didn’t have Draconis with them, they would have been locked in there for an eternity. None, except maybe the Mother of All and the god of the underworld, can manipulate the power of the underworld. It stands alone. Draconis is how they got out so quickly.”
The other two dragons approached us, both back in their human form. Rayge was pulling a shirt over his head and I wondered if he was the one to magic them their clothing. Seriously, dragons were as ripped as Atlanteans. But I wasn’t tempted—I barely gave them more than a glance—Asher fucking eclipsed all other dudes.
But … I still had to glance, right?
I’d go with Axl and call that one research.
Strong hands wrapped around me, throwing me up and over a broad shoulder. “I should smack your damn ass, Maddison James,” Asher grumbled, and I snorted, threading my fingers through his hair, mostly because I liked doing it.
“Have some respect. We’re in the … afterlife.”
Asher shook me gently, before he walked us over to the other guys. None of them blinked an eye to see me up on his shoulder, but I felt uncomfortable. Wanting to stand on my own feet, I wiggled to get down.
Braxton’s face was grim, his eyes sad pools of blue. “Jessa got used to being carried around,” he murmured. “It still pissed her off at times.” The pain on his features was the sort that crumbled lesser people. “We’re men who love our women, and we have dumb fucking ways of showing it.”
“We’ll find them,” I said, solemnly. “Nothing is going to take your mates down. They’re strong.”
“You’re strong and you still failed the test,” Maximus said, the rumble in his voice matching the black pitch of his eyes.
I shook my head. “The last part of the test judges your future actions. Apparently future-Maddi is planning on doing something really bad. Pretty sure it’s to do with my fight against the gods, and whatever happens, I’m a risk to the world.” I wasn’t a moron, I knew that controlling the Hellbringers might destroy me or the world, but it was literally our only option.
“Can any of you feel a stronger connection to your mates?” Asher asked, abruptly changing the subject. In his thoughts, he was pissed that anyone might consider me a threat. He really didn’t have to worry. None of them seemed to care. This wasn't their first rodeo.
“I can feel her,” Braxton said quickly, “but our communication channels are still closed. She’s alive, at least, and that’s just enough for my beast to remain calm.”
“Mischa is alive,” Maximus confirmed.
Rayge lifted his head, eyes flashing to a dark gold. “I can sense Josephina. We’re not mates or bonded in that way, but we have a different connection … a magically created life-debt that allows me to feel her. She’s also alive.”
As confident as I had been that they were okay, it made me feel a lot better to have it confirmed.
“Would you please follow me…” The light fairy was back, trying to usher us along. She never flinched or questioned our presence here, remaining calm and glowing. “You need to go through processing. Then your eternity awaits you.”
Lucky it was the fairy and not Heptashia who was the welcoming committee. That goddess would definitely give the underworld a bit of a reputation.
Gates of Hell, anyone?
Chapter 26
“Let’s follow her,” I suggested, not sure what else to do. “Maybe Jessa and the others had to go through processing and we’ll find them there.”
No one argued, and since the light fairy was still waving us on, like a tiny automated robot attendant, we walked in the direction she was frantically indicating. Nothing changed as we moved; the light breeze stayed the same, the sweet smell in the air was consistent, and the sprinkle of warmth bathing our faces never faded. It was nice, but unnatural. Especially compared to the Academy, where the weather was changeable within seconds. Maybe I liked that more than I thought, the unpredictability. The longer I stayed here, the more I wanted to leave and return to my real life.
The light fairy disappeared as soon as we followed her instructions. We continued along the stream until we reached a large open lagoon, surrounded by wildflowers. There didn’t appear to be trees or shrubbery here, just grass and bunches of flowers, ranging from the starkest white I’d ever seen, to pinks and purples and yellows. The colors were vibrant and eye catching, and the sweet scent had to be coming from them because it was slightly more potent here.
We stopped at the edge of the water, because there was no more path to walk. “What now, little light fairy?” I asked, looking around for her.
She didn’t reappear.
“Light fairy, that’s highly appropriate,” Rayge said. “They’re called the linuettes, which means lighted guide. They exist only in the underworld. They guide the dead to their final resting place.”
Creepy. Very creepy.
“Do you think it's because we’re not dead that we’re just standing here staring at the water? Because this doesn’t seem like much of a processing … uh, process.”
Yeah, okay, I was a tad impatient at times.
Rayge took a step toward me, hand lifting like he was going to touch me, but a rumble from Asher’s chest stayed his hand. My possessive Atlantean was in fine form today, but I felt the same way about him. The world kept tearing us apart, and we were frankly done with it.
“We’re still standing here because our transport hasn’t arrived yet,” Rayge said. The tension between Asher and him faded as fast as it had appeared.
We were all adults here, and Rayge respected Asher’s claim as my mate. He was also too old to give a single fuck about dick measuring. Not that Asher was doing that, but Rayge could have chosen to respond like he had. He was apparently secure in his supernatural skills. It was one of the things I liked most about him. The other was his ability to drink me under the table.
This was all forgotten as the water started to ripple before us. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting for transport. Since we were standing on the edge of a waterway, probably a boat of some sort, captained by the ferryman. Okay, I might have been delving a little deep into another mythology. I knew very little about the supernatural and Atlantean “death” process.
No boat arrived. The water rippled, waves increasing in an outward flow, until there was a single path through the lagoon. Grass lined this path, despite it having just been under water.
Okay, then. I’d just keep reminding myself that normal rules didn’t apply here. Saved my brain from fracturing under all the weird.
Braxton stepped out first; his mate was missing, and he was done waiting. I really couldn’t blame him. I was next, then Asher, Maximus, and Rayge last. The path was wide enough for one person only.
“We should have flown over,” Rayge said, looking around. There was nothing to see as the path took a downward trajectory. Not a single living creature was visible in the clear blue water around us.
“I don’t think over would have worked,” I breathed, noticing how dark and high above our heads the water was getting, like we were literally walking to the bottom of this waterway. “Looks like we’re going into the depths.”
Silence remained our constant companion. It was only that I was so accustomed to the sounds of the ocean and the birds and the air that I truly noticed the lack of it here. When we’d been walking for some time, the water surrounding us—which was now too high for me to even see the top of—started to ripple. It was the first change since we started, and I braced myself for what might happen next. If this amount of water crashed onto us, we would be crushed.
All of us stopped. Asher’s face beside mine was tense. My power churned, teasing across my fingertips as I readied myself to use it. The ripples in the lagoon grew stronger, and I blinked as water spiraled out of the wall beside us, swinging arcs of color and pattern. It was not clear, as one would expect water to be when separated like that. The strings were teal and purple and red, and as each wound around and through us, I felt them sliding across my skin and down my arms. The water left just as fast, and I looked down to find a teal mark—a perfect match to my hair color—twined across my arm.
Like a water tattoo.
It was not the same as an Atlantean tattoo, this one slightly elevated above the skin. Rubbing a hand across it didn’t move it though.
Asher got the same aqua mark, but the dragon shifter brothers had red swirls across their thick forearms. Rayge’s was a dark navy color, the most intricate mark of all, spanning almost his entire right arm.
“What does this mean?” I whispered, as the remaining water fell away and we were back to standing in the middle of the never-ending lagoon.
“We were processed as we walked,” Asher guessed, “and now we have been placed into … categories of some sort.”
Asher and me. Braxton and Maximus. And Rayge was on his own.
“Don’t let them separate us,” Rayge said, pushing in closer.
We didn’t have much of a choice in the matter though. No one can truly fight nature.
Not when she’s ready to take you.
Chapter 27
Darkness crashed into us at the same time as the water. It didn’t squish me flat like I expected. A ball of aqua wrapped around me and Asher and we were jetted off through the side of the path, out into whatever lay beyond.
I heard the angry roars of the dragons, before each of them disappeared in their own ball of water, colored to match their marks.
“The colors have to refer to sections of this land,” I said to Asher, holding on to him as the world flashed past. Everything was dark outside our bubble as we zipped through the underworld. We could have broken free if we wanted, no doubt, but I decided to play this out. See where we ended up.
