“Portal magic is ancient and rooted within the very earth. There is a reason we have limited portals throughout the Veil that connect our world to the human world. If something is affecting it, causing this, then…” Tess got quiet, her face paling.
My gut twisted with worry; I knew without a doubt that whatever she was going to say would scare me.
“What?” I prompted.
“It could mean many things, but the worst scenario is that this realm’s magic would slowly spiral out of control. My ancestors created the gates, but the gates were constantly watched over. The magic that surrounds them is in a constant state of flux. When fae transport humans through the gate, it’s extremely dangerous.”
“When you say, extremely dangerous, what do you mean?” I asked since Olezka tensed at her phrasing.
Her lips pressed together before she looked over at me again. “It means humans have been known to perish in their attempt to pass through the gate. It is a harsh process on their bodies. If the gate isn’t watched over, it could expand. We have always been extremely careful with our gates to the human realm, whereas portals like the one in the orchard are created from a flux of magic. It has nothing containing or regulating it.”
“So, if we were to use it?” I led.
“It might grow… or it might…” Tess got quiet.
“Or it might kill me?” I guessed. She didn’t respond, but the room was deathly silent. I felt less confident about my idea to try the wild gate. We definitely needed to find another escape route from this place.
“We will find a way,” Olezka assured me.
The gentle chill of the room that offset the warmth of this realm wrapped around me. I thought about what Tess said about the tear. It was unnatural, feral, and wild. But even in the crafted portals, there was still danger to humans who crossed over. Considering the hundreds of humans I’d seen on this side of the Veil, and knowing the crafted portals were closely guarded and watched, I wondered if the Light fae had been using this wild gate to bring in their humans.
I shifted on the couch, wondering what would become of me.
As it turned out, I was only the means to an end.
Chapter 6
Timur and Tess left not long after we finished our conversation about the portal. My thoughts circled back to all of the times I’d passed through the gate, never realizing the danger. Why didn’t anyone tell me I was in mortal danger each time I crossed? Also, why even bother bringing humans into their realm if it could potentially kill them?
Olezka encouraged me to eat before we bathed together. After a very PG-13 rated bath, we crawled into bed. Olezka held me close until his breathing evened out and he was lulled into what I imagined was a very light sleep. He was too aware even when it appeared he wasn’t.
Thoughts swirled around in my head. Sleep finally found its way to me, but my mind was restless and gifted me with truly horrific nightmares. I eventually jarred myself awake and drew nonsense designs on Olezka’s chest with my finger until he woke.
“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice still groggy from sleep.
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“Da, and what have you been thinking about?”
“That I’m really craving something, but I don’t know what it is.”
He peeked one eye open and stared at me. “We aren’t doing that here, ozorink,” Olezka said very seriously.
I snorted a laugh and pressed my forehead against his chest, wrapping an arm around his waist. “You wish.”
“We will get out of here, Sixx, and then we will find Anastasia.”
I nodded, but his words didn’t make me feel better. We stopped talking then spent some time drifting between the edges of sleep and wakefulness.
The King had graciously provided us with a couple of outfits to help make our imprisonment more enjoyable. There wasn’t a whole lot to choose from, so I’d stolen one of the two tunics that Olezka had been given to sleep in. He slept in the nude, which I was perfectly okay with. That was until two guards stormed into our room. I didn’t have time to scramble closer to my mate before one launched forward and grabbed me. Fear crippled me. This was what I was scared of – that they would separate us.
“Olezka!” I reached for him, but the guard was much stronger than me, wrenching me away from my mate. Even as I kicked my legs out and clawed at the iron-banded arm clamped around my waist, I made no progress. Olezka was disoriented, still half asleep, but he lunged forward with reflexes honed by years of battle. Just then, an iridescent barrier formed between us, encapsulating me with the guards while Olezka was stranded outside the bubble. Olezka’s lips peeled back from his extended canines.
Once the guard wrestled me out of the room, I gave up fighting. I didn’t have as much leverage without Olezka nearby. The guard realized that I’d stopped and set me on my feet, though he kept a bruising hold on my arm. Thankfully, the tunic I wore brushed to my mid-thighs. My cheeks flamed, knowing I would be stuck without any real clothes for who knew how long.
My bare feet slapped against the tile floor. That, along with my harsh breathing, were the only sounds accompanying us. I’d learned during my first incarcerated stay with the Light fae that they didn’t think of humans as anything more than animals.
I couldn’t suppress the grisly image from my mind from when Cyril, Ana, and I were on our way out of the small Light fae village. Sometimes I forgot that their world wasn’t just these two impossibly large palaces that I’d been shuttled back and forth between. Then I started to panic because I thought of the humans I did see, and how Cyril tried to keep me from seeing them, and that even though he’d double-crossed me, he was gone. My dark thoughts weren’t a great distraction from my current plight. I certainly wasn’t prepared to be deposited in an enclosed study.
The small room was lined floor-to-ceiling with books of every size, shape, and color imaginable. A leather, wing-backed chair was tucked into a corner. Soft lights floated delicately through the small space. Sitting in the chair, quietly drawing in all of the glow of the lights, was the King of this Court.
“The human, my lord.”
“You’re dismissed,” the King said, not even looking up from his book. It was strange to see him in such a muted setting. The books were awe-inspiring, all leather-bound and crafted by true masters. He needed no bright lights, stones, or windows with light streaming in to bounce off his radiance. His long, golden hair fell like spun silk as it draped over his shoulder, so much like Ana’s. Long, thin fingers that looked like they belonged to a master pianist held the book.
“Do you know that Anastasia’s mother was so beautiful that one could easily mistake her for fae?”
My skin crawled. He had such a soothing, lyrical voice: a soft, deceiving one. Power thrummed from him.
“My daughter takes after her, but she takes after me as well. And for some reason, I have not been able to decipher why she disappeared with that Dark fae. You tried to warn me of his plans when he first brought you here. I believe you know more than what you led me to believe, human.”
My stomach soured. I did know something that would change everything. Erebus and Ana both believed they were mates, but that wasn’t something I was willing to tell my best friend’s biological father. And I definitely wouldn’t betray my mate’s King.
“The False King you seek to protect sent your mate to kill my daughter at a young age. He succeeded, in my eyes. Though he did not kill her, he took her from me. He does not seek to better our world. I do not trust any of the Dark fae.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
The King breathed through his nose and leaned back in his chair. He blinked slowly before looking over at me. “You hold more power than you realize, human. All I seek is to protect my daughter, and you will help me do this. The guard will take you back to the room in which I’ve gifted you so you may be properly dressed. Think about what I said.”
My scalp tingled at the warning in his tone.
&nb
sp; The guard returned, but this time, I didn’t let him grab my arm. I twisted around and started to leave the room on my own.
“Sixx.”
The King’s voice ricocheted around the small room.
“Her affection for you is the only thing that keeps you safe. Your affection toward her would-be killer puts you in danger.”
I didn’t truly understand what the King meant, but that right there settled it for me. We had to escape this place as soon as possible.
I picked up my pace, anxious to get back to the room. The guard grabbed onto my elbow as if I’d try to run away. Silly fae; I just wanted to get back to my mate and make sure he was safe. The guard had to redirect me a couple of times. Unlike the Dark Palace, their palace wasn’t comprised of stone walls like a fortress. Instead, there were open hallways lined with trees or other greenery that made it seem more like a greenhouse.
The guard opened a door and lightly pushed me inside. I breathed a little easier until I heard the door shut behind me and no grumbling of a certain male.
“Olezka?”
Still nothing. My panic ticked up. I stepped further into the room and noticed the unmade bed. I ran my fingers over the sheets, relieved to find them still warm. He had been there recently.
Breathing in, I looked down at my wrinkled tunic. The black shirt brushed my thighs and showed a little too much cleavage. I needed to change into something that fit better and would allow me to move. I had to focus on the things I could change at this moment. One small piece at a time.
I changed into one of the flowing dresses that were provided for me and stepped out of the closet, focusing my energy on breathing in and out. My instincts told me to be ready. Something about Olezka’s prolonged absence meant he’d found an escape route. Or else, the King was making good on his threat. Either way, I had to be ready.
I had just about paced a hole into the floor when the door opened again. My mouth opened to demand answers when a disheveled Tess stepped through. Her large eyes were even bigger as she panted, obviously in distress.
“We have to move quickly! Timur and Olezka are creating a distraction. They wanted me to get you and bring you to the edge of the orchard. From there, you will follow a trail into the Forest of the Lost. The males will be able to find their way through, though I will stay behind to try to find answers about the tear. But we have to move quickly.” Tess gestured me forward. I followed without question.
Stepping into a pair of slippers, I knew they wouldn’t do much to protect my feet, but at least, they would stifle the sound of my footsteps on the tile.
We sprinted out of the room, fleeing down hallways and racing around corners. I couldn’t believe this was happening so fast, but I’d rightly assumed Olezka and Timur had something up their sleeves. I needed to follow their lead and hope for the best. I wondered what the guys were doing as a distraction but decided I’d be better off not knowing.
We reached the ornate gate that led into the orchard and stepped through. The air was warm and calm. Nothing about it should have made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, but it did.
“Tess?”
“I feel it, too,” she said, searching the area carefully.
We moved at a slower pace in the orchard until I heard muffled yells come from farther away. When I heard a familiar roar, I couldn’t ignore it. I hurried recklessly toward my mate, my heartbeat pounding in my ears.
“Sixx, we need to head toward the Forest of the Lost. Your males have it handled,” Tess pleaded, trying to steer me in the opposite direction. While my instincts normally encouraged me away from danger, this time, I rushed heedlessly forward.
More sounds of a struggle came from the direction of the roar. I saw a body flung backward and crash into a tree just as we passed. I slowed my pace. Tess stopped completely to stare at the fae who was crumpled to the ground.
“He’s still breathing,” Tess said, but I kept trying to look through the thicket of trees that blocked our view. I saw arms, a tail, and legs but only flashes of them. A massive, spiky-haired beast burst through the trees. His molten gaze landed on Tess and me. He dropped his head low, his short, chopped ears pressed tightly against his skull.
“I believe that Timur is unimpressed with us,” Tess said with a hint of a smile in her voice.
With the deep grumble emanating from Timur’s beast, I knew that was an understatement. He shifted, his body morphing back into his half beastly side. “What are you two doing here? You should have been to the Forest of the Lost already!” Timur yelled as more grunts of pain and thumping of flesh on flesh sounded from behind him.
“Sixx heard you fighting and couldn’t be dissuaded.”
Timur urged us forward. “We have to leave now. The King quickly realized what Olezka was up to and has already called for reinforcements. He will probably send someone to your room to investigate if he hasn’t done so already.”
There was another thunderous crash beyond the trees, followed by a grunt, and Timur pressed his hand against our backs, forcing us to keep moving. The sound of feet thumping against the soft ground spooked us and compelled our feet to move a little faster. Another body rushed next to us. When a muzzle nudged my shoulder, I jumped and glanced over to see Olezka running beside me.
I grimaced. “Sorry.”
He just grunted, steering us in a different direction.
“They’re cutting us off. The entrance to the Forest of the Lost will be blockaded by the time we get there,” Timur surmised, peering forward with narrowed eyes. I looked up, but I couldn’t see through the thick trees.
“If we stay, you know what they’ll do to us…” I started to slow my steps. My breathing was ragged. Running through an orchard while still healing from a stab wound, which was currently throbbing with pain, probably wasn’t the smartest idea.
“There is one other option,” Timur said quietly, looking over at his brother, who was still in his hound form.
My mate’s head stood above mine. He lifted a lip to express his distaste for what Timur was about to propose.
“We don’t have time to debate. Choose!” Timur snapped.
Olezka shook his head and looked at Tess.
“I fear what it will do to the tear, but it is your decision,” she said sadly.
Olezka dropped his head, looking at me. If we stayed, they would separate us for sure. We wouldn’t get another chance to escape. Not together, and the King’s threat still lingered in my mind.
“We have to take a chance,” I finally said. “We’re screwed if we don’t. At least, we’ll have a chance.”
“Sixx…” Tess said with a bit of warning.
“She is strong; she will make it through,” Timur assured her.
Our small group rushed toward the tear. The pain in my side was getting worse, and my head spun from adrenaline and lack of oxygen. I felt the crackling in the air, and Tess tensed. We were close to the tear, but the Light fae were getting closer. We didn’t have time to second guess our decision or slow down.
Tess pulled back the branches. The tear looked bigger than when she first showed it to me. I saw it was the middle of the night in the human realm. I heard crickets chirping. In the distance, I even heard a car vroom by. With the sounds of normalcy and home reaching my ears, a bit of my stress about entering the unstable portal that held the very real ability to kill me started to fade.
“I will go first, Sixx after me, then Tess. Olezka will bring up the rear,” Timur instructed as he stared into the open gate.
“I will make sure our trail is hidden,” Olezka said.
I turned to watch as his body finished the change back into his human form. He and Timur were both naked, a sight to which I’d grown a little more accustomed. Tess weaved her hands in an intricate pattern, and two tunics formed on the ground. They appeared to have been woven from the grasses and sticks that littered the forest floor.
Timur and Olezka each grabbed a tunic and tugged them on. Then Timur hurriedly stepped f
orward. For a second, the portal resisted, like an invisible wall held him back, before he burst through and stepped into the human realm.
My fingers tingled. It was my turn next. We had to move fast. I stepped forward just as a tug on my hand pulled me back. I blinked slowly up at Olezka. He tipped my chin back.
“I love you, Sixx. Be safe.”
“You’re following right after me. Don’t make me come back through this portal,” I scolded. I reached up and kissed him quickly. The scruff of his beard brushed my skin. I savored the touch, but I vowed it wouldn’t be the last time I felt it. It couldn’t be. Not after I just got him back.
I turned toward the tear and breathed in slowly.
Timur stood on the other side, looking back at us, waiting for me. I had to do this so everyone else could get through. Even when we reached the human realm, we would have to haul butt out of there to prevent the Light fae from following.
I took another deep breath and stepped forward. The air around the tear felt charged, pressing uncomfortably against my skin. Fear crackled under my skin like I was stepping on thin ice. For a moment, I was afraid it wouldn’t support my body. My stomach plummeted as I took a step forward into the human realm.
Pain flared over my body, and I barely held back a scream as I stumbled forward.
“Sixx!”
Chapter 7
Anastasia
Agony didn’t come close to describing the depth of my emotions. My mind felt fried while my body burned with frustration and inactivity. I rolled off the bed where I was sitting and glared at the wall. I thought leaving with Key would mean motion – that we would be on the move, doing evil, dastardly things. Instead, we’d been sitting in the same place, doing nothing for days.
I needed to get out and do something.
Anxious energy pumped into my veins as I stood. The whole point of me coming with Key was to learn everything I could and to keep Sixx safe. Part of that was just being with Key, doing as he asked. Currently, he asked that I wait.
I bounced on the balls of my feet and paced the room for what felt like the hundredth time. I needed to get out of there. This room was half the size of the rest of the “rooms” I’d been staying in, i.e.: imprisoned within. I didn’t mind; growing up with Aunt Lola, we often rented smaller houses. With just the two of us, we didn’t need much. The room screamed trying too hard. The floors and walls were an unusual stone that sparkled, glittering in the moonlight and sunlight like diamonds. The windows were barred and warded. Someone wasn’t taking any chances.
Sixx Saves the World: The Sidekick Chronicles Page 4
