The Hallowed (The Scrying Trilogy Book 2) Page 4

  His head bowed. “Destiny.”

  She and Stevie smiled at one another. “Something like that.”

  He turned his attention to Rafe, looking him up and down, assessing the updated version of the ancient warrior that stood before him.

  He wore a dark pair of jeans, a long-sleeve white t-shirt, and black combat boots, loosely tied, all of which belonged to Mason, Dane’s ex, at one time. A green cargo jacket hung from a loop on his backpack and his sword was tied to the pack’s side. He had pulled the front of his hair back and tied it with an elastic she found in her junk drawer.

  Sebastian scowled. Shaking his head, he muttered something under his breath before turning his attention back to Gabby. “Gabriella, I am under the assumption you are able to release me from my light stasis. If you may, I would like to continue this journey with all of you in my regular form.”

  “You wish to give up the gift the Guardian so graciously afforded you?”

  Sebastian did not even flinch. “Unless the coming battle will be here in this clearing, I doubt my gift will do us much good.”

  A ripple flowed through her wings, the feathers quivered as her muscles and tendons stretched and contracted. Sebastian clearly knew how to handle Gabby better than Rafe. “Very well.” She strode forward laying her fingertips on his forehead. Closing her eyes, she began to recite an incantation. The light of the ether shimmered under her skin, its pulse matched the rhythm of the words she uttered.

  “Femon, Blaedome, Areventi.”

  As the incantation echoed through the clearing, the light stasis streamed from Sebastian’s body. Rivers of light swirled around him, their tendrils sweeping outward until they began to recede, the magical essence of the ether finding its way back into the Elder Oak. He stretched out his limbs as if the ache of a million years suddenly flowed through them. He took a deep cleansing breath, releasing it with a loud sigh.

  “Many thanks.”

  Gabby took a step back, her head lowered as she folded her wings in tight behind her. “There may be residual effects from the ether’s magic but soon you will once again feel like your old self.”

  “You are able to come with us now Sebastian. You are no longer tied to the Elder Oak,” Dane exclaimed.

  “Yes, but regrettably I am afraid this is yet another journey you must make without me. I think my presence here is still required. The dark witch has been active, and I suspect it will continue. I will stay and watch her.”

  Dane hadn’t thought about Lilith since she returned. It had been less than twenty-four hours and so much had happened that it hadn’t crossed her mind. “What has she been doing?”

  “She is creating a breach in the veil that surrounds that old mill, a kind of magical vortex. I can sense the emptiness associated with these types of anomalies. The magic she is practicing has gotten darker and there is something different about its essence. Something is lurking just behind the magical energy, but I cannot yet identify what it is.”

  “Maybe I should go to the mill before going to Kaizi.”

  Sebastian shook his head. “That is an unnecessary interruption. Until we understand her intentions, there is little any of us can do to impede her. Reactivating the Druidstones of the Five Realm’s must remain our focus.”

  Reluctantly she agreed. Grasping his hand, she whispered, “Please be careful.”

  “You do not need to worry, I have been in this world long enough to understand its workings. I will not be detected by any mortal or the dark witch. I shall only observe until your return.”

  “I will hold you to that promise,” Dane said. “Nothing more than observing. The dark witch is unknown to us and we are unaware of her capabilities.”

  He nodded. “Did you bring the portal stones for the fire and spirit realms?” He asked, changing the subject.

  “Yes.” She fished them from her backpack and held them out.

  “May I suggest you open both now; then use the portal in Kaizi to go directly to the spirit realm?”

  “That would be the most appropriate and efficient course,” Gabby agreed her voice monotone.

  Sebastian stepped toward the tree, coming to an abrupt halt as he sensed something that escaped him earlier. He turned, his face a mask of confusion as he stared at Diego who slept at Stevie’s feet.

  “Is that a Dragonwolf?” He exclaimed, disbelief and awe in his voice.

  Now it was Rafe’s turn to chuckle. “I had the same reaction.”

  “I was not aware any mystical creatures survived the Great War let alone traveled through the portal into this dimension. This is an interesting turn of events.” He walked over to Diego and crouched in front of him, rousing him from his slumber. Their eyes locked as both scrutinized the other. “He is magnificent.”

  “He is a beast,” Gabby retorted, unimpressed.

  “Gabriella, you have always pretended to be indifferent to the wondrous creatures of Thanissia but we both know different don’t we.”

  It was a rhetorical question and Sebastian did not wait for a response. He stood, his attention redirected to Stevie. “Dragonwolves are creatures of power, grace, and stamina, revered by the royals who led your people. If this one is meant for you, your bloodline is more than just a commoner. I will be interested to see how your journey unfolds and what truths are revealed.”

  Before Stevie could respond he turned and walked back to the Elder Oak. His long, black cloak swished as it skimmed over the frozen leaves scattered across the clearing floor. The wind swirled, and the upper branches swayed as he placed his palm flat against the bark of the trunk. He closed his eyes and muttered an incantation, a subtle glow seeped from his palm. The trunk morphed, the rough bark disappeared revealing the panel for the portal stones. The earth stone still sat silently in its slot, the surface cold and lifeless.

  Dane handed both Gabby and Stevie their corresponding portal stones. The stones sprang to life immediately as their surfaces touched skin. A low hum emanated from the spirit stone while the fire stone Stevie held, spit and crackled in her hand. Sebastian motioned toward the tree signifying that Stevie and Gabby should insert their portal stones into the corresponding spots in the panel.

  Gabby placed her stone in the slot first. The humming increased as a lilac light sprang from its center, growing until a perfect door of shimmering purple light wavered before them. Stevie was next, her hand shook as she attempted to place the stone in its place. She watched in horror as it fell from her palm and clattered down the side of the tree to its base. Giving everyone a half-smile apology, she bent, picked up the stone and tried again. It sputtered and crackled as she wedged it into the slot in the panel. Sparks spit erratically as a red gel-like substance flowed from its center and down the trunk. The substance bubbled and hissed, spitting out sparks as it moved, morphing to form a circle at their feet. Flames sprang up to dance defiantly as the circle grew into a burning ring of lava and fire.

  When the portal was complete, Dane took her hand.

  “Are you ready?”

  Stevie nodded, her wide eyes full of curiosity and dread. Dane glanced back at Rafe, ensuring he would follow. Gabby had already stepped through the portal, the red flames spit and hissed as she was engulfed in their fiery haze.

  “Let’s go,” Dane said, taking a step forward, never releasing Stevie’s hand as they moved into the red blaze of the Kaizi portal.

  Chapter 4

  Walking through the swirling red portal, Stevie’s anxious energy erupted. Her steps faltered, and she trembled uncontrollably. Dane sensed her hesitation and squeezed her hand in reassurance as they moved through time and space toward Stevie’s destiny. The moment they entered the portal the temperature skyrocketed. Dry heat from the other world scorched the portal’s interior. The darkness and heat closed in around them as she pulled Stevie forward.

&nbs
p; The portal dislodged them quickly, and they emerged into the ancient realm at the edge of a molten lava bed. Slow-moving streams of hissing orange magma slogged through crags of charred black rock. The magma flowed from a tall volcano in the distance; its throat spitting smoke and fresh lava up into the air in an angry fit of passion. The sky was tinged with a subtle red tone. A fiery moon blazed in the distance, casting an eerie flickering glow over the landscape. The black rock and the searing orange lava melded with the realm’s red hues. The entire color palate of Kaizi was monochromatic, a stark canvas that signified a forsaken land, void of any vibrant life. The breeze blowing across the land was hot, not humid, for there was no moisture in the air. It was heavy and dry, like the air that blows from a furnace on a cold winter night. It was an uncomfortable temperature that stifled the breath and caused one’s skin to sweat out the heat constantly building inside. A blistering heat that leaves skin damp with an itchy, thick, sticky perspiration.

  Dane had already peeled off her light sweater, thankful she had a tank underneath. Stevie also seemed uncomfortable but was too enthralled by the landscape that spread out in front of her, to care.

  Rafe pointed toward the imposing volcano in the distance.

  “We must head toward Saurimale Abyss. The road to the steel city of Embermire is just to its left. We will find the Druidstone underneath the royal citadel in the Temple of Fire. There is a portal located behind the royal quarters and when we are ready, we can use it to enter the ether into the spirit realm.”

  Beads of sweat were forming on Rafe’s forehead and his already damp shirt clung to his muscular form. Dane was immediately aroused, the sight of him caused an involuntary reaction which was now heightened by her ancestral magic. A side effect of their binding she was having a difficult time controlling. He glanced over, a knowing smile appeared on his face. She shook her head and looked away, but she could still feel his penetrating stare and the seductive energy as it wrapped mercilessly around her, igniting her skin with a different type of heat.

  Ignoring him as best she could, she evaluated the others. Gabby was the only one not affected by the suffocating heat of Kaizi’s environment and of course Diego, whose demeanor indicated he was relieved to be back in familiar surroundings. Stevie on the other hand, her awe now under control, looked miserable.

  As they trekked across the scorched earth, stepping over steaming pools and flowing rivulets of lava, an odd hollow sound whirled around them. A strange wind blew its stagnant heat across the molten land. It was difficult to breathe in this arid environment, but they trudged forward; a sense of curiosity and an understanding of the consequences of failure, spurring them on.

  They wound their way through the lava pit toward the base of the volcano until they found a road. It wasn’t much of a road, barely even visible, worn into the flat rock that surrounded the volcano’s base. It was a path, no wider than a sidewalk and littered with small stones and dirt. The surface was covered with large flakes of gray ash that floated down from the top of the angry mountain.

  They stopped to drink water, taking a moment to assess their surroundings. Stevie had been quiet for most of the trek, unaware that Dane was watching her. She took a sip from the canteen and wiped her sweaty face with the back of her hand.

  “Are you ok?” she asked, as Stevie surveyed the fiery landscape.

  “It’s unreal,” she responded, her voice taut. Her fingers absently stroked Diego’s neck. “This is the home of my ancient ancestors. A race ruled by fire and dragons. Dane, we are in another time, another dimension, surrounded by immortal beings.” She hesitated, a sheepish look on her face. “Sorry.”

  Dane shrugged. “Don’t be.” She understood the magnitude of the situation. It hadn’t been long since she stood looking across the vast expanse of Dywen, experiencing the same conflicted emotions and awe.

  They’d only been following the road for a short time before it snaked its way through a series of tall boulders. A thick, black crust scarred by deep crevices covered the rocks. As they passed through the maze of boulders, each taller than the last, she caught a glimpse of the steel city; its metal peaks reaching upward toward the flush red sky.

  Emerging from the maze they stood at the top of a precarious stone staircase. Steep steps, cracked, broken, and upheaved by time, descended into the barren valley below. The massive steel city was just to the north. A dominant iron structure surrounded by a moat of bubbling, fiery lava. From where they stood, most of the realm could be seen, a landscape of black-crusted lava rock besieged with cracks that oozed orange magma from its core. Behind them, the volcano rumbled, a palpable reminder of its visceral power. Other than the steel city there wasn’t much to see on the horizon. This realm, for the most part, seemed to be a massive expanse of magma rock.

  They followed Rafe as he descended the stone staircase. The sheer width and depth of the steps were intimidating. Their gratuitous size dwarfed them as they carefully moved from one to the next. When they finally reached the bottom, they were greeted by a welcome coolness as a transparent, wispy mist rolled languidly across the surface toward them. Emerging from the fog in the distance was a metal drawbridge. Its steel girders, thick cables, and iron decking were an imposing addition to the wrought iron entrance gate it was attached to. Thick walls, plated with sheets of iron and rivets, stretched for miles in either direction surrounding the metal city.

  As they crossed the drawbridge, they were stifled by the heat rising from the moat far below. Bubbles burst on the surface as the thick lava oozed around boulders, its sluggish flow meandering between the thick rock walls of the moat.

  Stevie stopped for a moment. Her hands gripped the iron rail so tight her knuckles turned white as she stood on her tiptoes to peer over the side. Dane could sense the awe even though the energy surrounding her was chaotic and tinged with uncertainty. Gently, she touched Stevie’s shoulder motioning toward the end of the drawbridge where a large wrought iron gate, its formidable bars fused with menacing spikes, blocked their path. At its middle was a thick, metal door and their only access to the steel city within.

  “Let’s keep going.”

  As they approached, Dane could see the courtyard beyond the gate was empty. The fog rolled methodically hovering just above the ground as a hollow wind swirled back and forth. She shivered as her skin prickled. She could feel the tendrils of an invisible, eerie solitude leech from the courtyard.

  Rafe moved to the gate. As he reached the door, he grasped the thick handle. The rusted iron screeched under the force, as metal grated against metal. The handle turned but the door would not budge. He tried again, this time pushing his shoulder and body weight into the door. Slowly, the door began to move. Hinges groaned in protest as it reluctantly swung inward. Gabby and Stevie followed him through the door, but Dane hesitated as a strange sensation prickled her skin and an uneasiness engulfed her. There was an unfamiliar essence floating in the warm air; a foreign energy she could not identify.

  Something is not right, she thought, her eyes searching the mist as it rose up to engulf the others. Sweat trickled down her bare skin, her head throbbed from the airless heat as she continued into the courtyard. She was only feet from the door when she sensed him, but it was too late. Her foresight was sluggish, altered by the extreme temperature of the realm. A powerful arm snaked around her waist, pulling her back into the body of an unseen assailant as a sharp blade pressed firmly against her neck.

  In front of her, Rafe yanked his sword from its sheath pointing the tip toward them. “Release her,” he hissed, a warning she knew he would not repeat a second time. She felt the uncontrolled rage begin to rise inside him as he stared at the stranger. Fury distorted his handsome features as he realized his demand was being ignored by her captor.

  The arm around her waist tightened as the blade dug deeper into her neck. She grimaced, leaning her head further back onto
his shoulder. From her peripheral vision, she could see part of his face. His skin was pale, a faded pallor of whitish-gray, thin blue capillaries visible just below the surface. His eyes were a strange color, a deep red that reminded her of the color of deoxygenated blood. His hair was unlike anything she had seen before. Its length blew haphazardly in the hot breeze, each strand a different shade of gray and white.

  Gabby’s voice penetrated the tension as she whispered loudly. “He’s a royal.”

  Rafe stiffened, his body leaning as he tried to get a better look at the man holding her captive. His body was flat against hers, hidden from Rafe’s prying eyes.

  “Has it really been so long that you no longer recognize a royal by their one categorizing feature—the white hair,” Gabby hissed in disgust. “Dragon Gypsies have black hair, the entire race, except the royals. It is the singular genetic trait related to the Velkia family bloodline.” She motioned dramatically at the stranger’s head.

  Subtle. Dane thought.

  Rafe’s fury diminished. His eyes scrutinized the man that peered out from behind Dane. Her captor pushed her forward but continued to use her as a human shield. He walked vigilantly toward the others who waited, unmoving, unsure of what he might do.

  Rafe tensed as he saw Dane grimace again. A small nick in her skin near the blade was bleeding, his eyes cold as it trickled down her neck. He did not care who he was, if he hurt her, he was going to die!

  I am fine! She communicated telepathically, imploring him not to do anything rash. His eyes locked on hers, but he did not advance or make any sudden moves to lash out at the stranger. Instead, he waited, allowing her captor to dictate the interactions.

  “Who are you?” The man’s voice was hoarse and deep-throated.