“Well, then, my apologies,” he says with a small smile, and hands me the knife and another of the journals.
“Dig in.”
We’ve been going through the journals for what feels like hours, and other than learning that Amantara was a very one track minded Angel, I’ve not learned much more than Levi was a douchebag as a boss. Even with their love affair. Soft when they were together alone, and then straight up asshole mode when they were with others.
I’ve rolled my eyes so hard I worried at one point they’d get stuck.
Nevin’s reading has been slightly more successful. He’s found a few mentions of the Shadow Realm, but nothing beyond how I opened and closed normal portals. Nothing about how to take people with me, and nothing about how people who aren’t Shadow Walkers would fare getting across.
I sigh and get back to reading, well scanning the pages. Angel life was boring without war apparently. I flick through a few more pages when I pause and skip back.
I managed it today, after so many tries, I managed to create the seal on the Shadow Realm. Luckily I’m immortal, because without me, that realm will be sealed completely, though if I were to die, the magic keeping it bound might fade. It’s not something I can find out, and this isn’t something I trust other people with. There’s been so much destruction in this war, so many lives lost, on both sides.
Such meaningless loss.
It hurts me to witness just how much devastation there has been. But now is not the time to focus on that. I need to seal the portal to the Shadow Realm. I’m meeting with Morganna tomorrow to make sure everything is ready. She is tired of the Demon foolishness, especially when she didn’t want this war either.
With her help, I’ll be able to finish the seal, linking it to her power and mine.
That was my final discovery, that it takes both sides to make it as strong as it needs to be. Thankfully she was willing to part with a vial of her blood for my experiment.
Who the fuck is Morganna?
I look up and find Nevin watching me, and I raise my eyebrows. “Everything okay?”
“You asked me who Morganna is?” He says, looking at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“Oh, I didn’t realize I’d said that out loud, sorry,” I tell him and he smiles.
“It’s okay, except, I have no clue who Morganna is. Can I see?” He asks and I pass the journal over to him, pointing out the part I’d just read.
“Interesting,” he hums just as the others enter the room, all in shorts, topless, sweaty, and excessively drool worthy.
“Earth to Remy,” Nevin snaps his fingers and laughs while I make sure I’m not actually drooling.
“Sorry, didn’t meant to distract you,” Levi smirks and the others snicker with him.
“Well, I’m glad you guys are all getting along at least.” I stick my tongue out at them. “Don’t suppose any of you know a Morganna do you?”
“This feels like a trick question,” Roman says, putting his hands up and I can’t help the laugh that falls out of me.
“Not a trick,” Nevin answers. “It would appear Amantara had help sealing the portal, and because she died, or at least, was reborn as a Hunter, that’s why the portal’s been able to be reopened. I’m sure whoever Morganna is, she’s pretty pissed about that little fact too since she apparently donated her blood to the cause.”
“Well, I guess your afternoon has been productive,” Levi says and I humph.
“I also learned you were a shitty boss.” I stick my tongue out at him again and he shakes his head.
“Keep sticking that tongue out, and I’ll find a better use for it,” he warns and I pull it back in my mouth and blush.
Fucking Angel.
“I was a fair boss. Anyway, I’ve heard of a Morganna, but it can’t be the same one.” Levi shrugs and grabs bottles of water from the fridge before handing them out to the guys. They all come and sit back with us at the table, and staying focused around this many abs is hard.
“Well, who?” Nevin asks and I pull my focus from the sweat running down the ink on Creek’s chest.
“Morganna is, well, essentially, the Queen of the Shadow Realm.” He drops his little bombshell and I lean back in my chair trying to take it in. A fucking queen.
“Well, surely that’s not the same Morganna. Why would she want the Shadow Realm sealed?” Creek asks and I nod in agreement.
“It could be she was sick of Demons causing havoc here, and she had to deal with the cleanup,” Nevin interjects. He could be right. “Regardless, whoever Morganna is, it says here blood of both sides, so I’d assume she’s a Demon of some sort.”
“Okay,” I say. “So she might be able to help us all get back across the seal when the time comes.”
“She might also be able to help us with Fallon,” Creek adds.
“If she’s still alive,” Roman says, and I groan. “Hey I’m just saying. This was written a hell of a long time ago. Who knows who she is, was, or if she’s still around?”
“Awesome, more questions than answers. Why is that always the fucking case with this bullshit,” I moan as Nevin keeps flicking through the pages of the journal.
“Well, there might be more questions, but I found a way to open the portal.” Nevin says and my gaze flicks to him. “But if this is right, you’re going to have a hell of a time working your way through over there. Is there any way of working out who exactly has the Witch before you cross over?”
“Not unless my brother has the information, but getting to him isn’t likely to be possible in the time we have,” I tell him.
“Well, I suggest you try, because according to this, the Shadow Realm is divided up into seven rings, and then the center. Huh, I guess it’s easy to see why the humans compare this place to hell. The seven rings are each run by a higher Demon, with the queen in the center ring with her army.”
“Why does everyone have a fucking army?” Roman grumbles and Kain agrees.
“Okay, well that sounds fun,” I sigh. “Any other awesome news from the rest of that entry?”
“I’m afraid not.” Nevin says, shaking his head.
“Then I guess it’s about time we call a Witch.”
Chapter Six
Remy
I called Marie and Colt first thing this morning, telling them we had an update. It didn’t take them long to get here after I called, and they’ve been talking Nevin’s ear off since they arrived. Apparently he’s less scary than Levi.
Less scary maybe, but way more of a dick bag—even if he did help us. The manners thing is still annoying me, I can’t help it. It’s the small things.
“So, you think you’ll be able to help us?” I ask Marie, and the others quieten down.
“I don’t see why not. Your blood is still the conduit, I’m just guiding the dormant magic in it. Fallon should be able to do the same for you from the other side to reopen it.” She smiles tightly, the unsaid words hanging thick in the air. “I brought you this.”
She hands me a necklace with a pendant on the end. “Fallon’s talisman?” I ask and she nods.
“It should help guide you to her once you’re down there, since you still don’t know where she is or who has her.” She looks pointedly at Colt who rubs the back of his neck under the piercing stare.
“We’ve tried to find Bauer, but Archer has gone to ground and it seems Bauer is with him. Willingly or not, we don’t know, but I’d assume not at this point. Not considering he came clean to Remy,” Colt says, pacing the kitchen floor. “We’ve gone over every piece of information we’ve collected a dozen times. No-one knows where they are.”
“Could they have gone to the Shadow Realm?” Nevin asks.
“I don’t think so,” I say. “I mean, Archer obviously has someone opening temporary portals for him, but why risk possibly not being able to come back? He’d know I wasn’t going to risk myself to bring him back.”
“It was just a thought,” Nevin replies.
“It wasn’t a bad o
ne. Archer’s just too narcissistic for it,” Levi adds. “I still think this is moving too quickly, we have too many unanswered questions.”
“I am not leaving Fallon down there a second longer than necessary,” I tell him straight, my tone brokering no argument. “Answers or not. We’ll work it out when we get there. I can still go alone, you guys can stay and help keep the peace here.”
“Not a chance, princess,” Roman grumbles.
“Remy. You know I don’t want Fallon left down there any longer than is necessary, but you need to be careful. What if you can’t get back? What if you don’t have the power to bring the others back, even if you can cross back?” Marie asks.
“Well, actually,” Nevin begins, “I think I have the answer to that. I kept reading after you went to bed last night, since there were so many journals left to go through, and I found some more stuff. I was going to mention it before you went, but now is as good a time as any.”
He takes a deep breath, and I try as hard as I can not to rush him. His brows furrow, as if he’s thinking deeply, and it’s like the rest of the room holds their breath, waiting for him to speak. “After reading, what I managed to piece together, is that Shadow Walkers could cross any realm portal without issue, because of the magic in their blood. Amantara managed to take someone across and back with her, as long as her blood was close to their heart. She used a long necklace with a vial of her blood, if we made these for everyone, there shouldn’t be a problem in everyone getting back. We can send you with a spare for Fallon. It’s your blood that stabilizes the portal, so rather than having to spill blood to open and close it, which is what you’d need to do to carry people across usually, as long as they have your blood, the portal just needs to be opened by you.”
I sit back in my chair, processing his words. It seems so simple, god knows I’ve bled for lesser things. “Okay, well let’s do it. We just need to get some vials.”
“Funnily, I have some in the car. I’m a Witch, I have all sorts. Colt, come and help me,” Marie says excitedly before they leave the room.
“Well, I guess I better donate some blood,” I sigh.
“I’ll get you some orange juice and a cookie. Blood sugar is important,” Everly says, and gets up from the table, bustling around the room. I don’t really need it, but I know she likes to feel useful, and with everything going on, if this helps her, then I’m not going to rain on her parade.
Colt and Marie reappear, Colt carrying a huge wooden trunk, and I can tell he’s straining, so god knows how bloody heavy that thing is. I’d offer to help if I didn’t know he’d turn it down anyway. He places it on the kitchen floor and stretches out his hands after, the only sign that carrying it affected him.
“Now then,” Marie starts, bending down to open the trunk and she begins pulling god knows what out. “These should do the job nicely.”
She stands back up and places a handful of small glass vials in metal housing on the table.
“That is one handy trunk,” Nevin comments with a raised eyebrow.
“You shouldn’t discuss a lady’s trunk,” Everly says and I laugh at how Nevin’s cheeks go pink.
“I didn’t mean…” he starts, getting flustered but Marie laughs.
“She knows that,” Marie reassures him and I stifle the rest of my laughter.
“So what happens now?” Kain asks having been mostly quiet and brooding this morning.
“Now, Remy needs to open a vein, and fill the vials, then once you guys have your new adornments, I can use Remy as a conduit and open the portal for you all,” Marie tells him, matter of factly.
“I guess I better open a vein then,” I smirk at Kain. Want to help?
You know I’d love to, mon amour. But I think your palm will be better than your neck for this.
He smiles back at me, smart ass.
“What happens after that?” Creek asks quietly.
“After that, Marie closes the portal, and the factions prepare themselves for the war that is no doubt to come,” Levi says grimly.
“Does anyone have any idea of what we can expect once we go through the portal?” Roman asks, but the room stays silent.
“It doesn’t matter. Whatever we find, we’ll deal,” I say with more confidence than I feel.
“Well, here’s hoping it’s not the fiery pits the humans dreamt up.” He laughs.
“On that uplifting note, I should be getting back. I don’t want to push my luck with Sef covering for me,” Nevin says, drinking the last of the tea in front of him.
“Thanks for coming, man,” Levi stands with him, and they do that weird bro hug thing that I’ll never understand.
“Thank you for all your help,” I tell him with a smile.
“No problem. Just maybe, keep my name out of things if it all goes to hell.” He smirks. “Oh look, I’m punny.”
“Oh my god,” I snort and roll my eyes while the others just laugh.
“Yep, I’m definitely out,” he says shaking his head. “Good luck all.”
He waves and heads out of the glass doors in the kitchen and then his wings unfurl. I try not to gawp. They’re blue, well, a blue black, so different from the endless black of Levi’s. He stretches them out and bends his knees before taking off into the skies.
“That is never going to not be weird,” Colt says, wide eyed, and I chuckle as Levi claps him on the shoulder making him jump slightly.
“You’ll get used to it eventually,” Levi tells him. “Okay, so Angel, I guess we better get these vials filled. You ready?”
I nod. “Ready as I’m going to be.”
The vials are filled, and the others head outside to get prepared. Marie found some leather strings in her box of tricks too, so we did as Amantara did, and made long necklaces for each of them. I’m in the kitchen tidying with Everly, trying to think of the words to say, to thank her for everything she’s done for me, just in case something goes wrong, and I don’t get another chance to.
“Everly...” I start and she shakes her head.
“Oh no, dear girl. No crazy goodbyes, we'll see each other again. You'll see. Things will work out the way that they're meant to. Now, you be safe, and do not let those stubborn boys try to tell you what to do. You've trusted yourself this far, and oh my, how far you have come,” she says, taking my hands and squeezing. The problem is, my gut is telling me that something is going to go horribly wrong. I just don't know what it is, and I know that I have to go, no matter what it is that goes wrong, because Fallon wouldn't have been taken if it wasn't for me.
“I won't,” I tell her with a small smile. “But please, if it gets too dangerous, get out of here. We'll come and find you after. Get your daughter, your granddaughter, and just get as far away from everything as possible. I left a map in your room. It has areas laid out for where we think the hot spots will be while we're gone. Just avoid those okay?”
“I promise. Now then, let’s get you guys off to save that beautiful Witch friend of yours shall we?” She hugs me tightly, and it takes everything I have not to let the tears in my eyes spill. If anything happens to this sweet old lady while I'm gone, I'll never forgive myself.
“Okay,” I give her a tight smile, and blink back the tears. She takes my hand and we head outside to where Marie and the guys are waiting for us.
“Are you ready, Remy?” Marie asks and I nod my head.
“Sure, let’s get this show on the road. Please look after yourselves while we're gone,” I say to her and Colt, hugging them in turn. “Please be as safe as you can be. I wish there was some way we could stay in contact while we're gone.”
“Don't sweat it little bit. We've got things covered up here, you go get our girl.” Colt hugs me tighter, and gives me a small smile when he pulls back. “I'll try and get our brother back amidst the chaos too.”
“Thank you, Colt,” I whisper, squeezing his hand. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Right, each of you take each other’s hands. You have Remy's blood, so it may not be n
ecessary, but being connected to the conduit can't hurt anything either. You should probably close your eyes too. And whatever you do, do not let go until you know you're there. Understand?”
We each tell her we understand, and stand in a circle, holding hands. “Perfect, you bring my girl home, Remy. No matter who you have to kill to do so.”
“I will do, Marie. I swear it.”
“Thank you. Right, here goes.”
I watch as she closes her eyes and makes symbols in the air. The symbols glow and hover, when each of us has a symbol behind us, I close my eyes as I feel a tug from deep inside of me. It feels like my insides are bottoming out and then I'm pulled down, my knees buckle, and Levi and Creek’s hands tighten on mine. My knees don't hit the ground, and I realize we're falling. My hair whips around my face and the temperature drops dramatically. The feeling fades, and then I feel weightless, right before I crash into something. I'm pulled away from the guys as I fall forward and I fall into whatever it is face first. The groans around me tell me the guys hit it too.
I push up and open my eyes, it takes a minute to adjust to the dim light. When I realize we're here, in the Shadow Realm, something inside of me just knows. I feel faint, and my vision blurs. I fall backwards and the world fades out.
“Amantara, what brings you here again?”
“Caleb, of course I found you first,” I roll my eyes, because why wouldn't Conquest be the first Demon I stumble across down here. Though I'm not sure he counts as a Demon. Are the Four Horsemen Demons? “I was just exploring, trying to see if the request Morganna asked of me is even possible. I need to know this place if I'm going to be able to complete it.”
“Well, then I guess it’s good you stumbled across me. You've only been here a few times. I can show you around.” He winks at me and I laugh.
“Yeah, sure. Is Morganna going to be okay with that?” I laugh and shake my head. “I'd really rather not piss off my only real ally down here you know. The Queen of the Shadow Realm isn't an enemy I want.”
A Crown of Shadows and Secrets Page 5