by Meg Xuemei X
Raven, Willow, Octavia, and Sebastian met us first. After one glance at the formidable form of the true King of Hell and my mates’ and my solemn faces, no one dared ask a question, not even Bas.
Alessandro had vanished from sight after he finally broke through my binding.
The women from the Desert Belle followed us in two organized lines, not chatting among themselves either.
We as one people moved quietly.
As soon as we crossed the courtyard, a staircase appeared, leading down to a vast, deep cave. At the bottom of the stone stairs waited seven large boats that the King of Hell called cruisers. On the deck of each boat stood a Guardian. I spotted Alessandro on the last boat and let out a breath of relief. Merlin would handle that Guardian if he pulled another stunt out of his ass.
“When you reach the end of this journey, you’ll see the leyline I promised,” Morgan said. “Each Guardian will man the cruiser for you. Tell your people to cover their eyes with a blindfold. Under no circumstances will they remove the blindfold or utter a sound, or they will risk the consequences.”
Max passed the warning onto Guy, and Guy and his men spread the order.
It took a while for everyone to settle down in one of the seven cruisers, but we finally got them all situated.
“My mate and my brothers don’t need to cover our eyes,” Max said.
Ash, the gray wolf, growled his agreement. He’d have to stay in his wolf form during the entire journey. My tiger had to give his spot by my side to the wolf as the wolf and Max flanked me in a protective formation.
“Of course. I expect no less,” said the King of Hell. “I’ll make this journey as comfortable as possible for you, Queen of the Flame.”
He was now playing the good guy. He got Merlin’s dragon, after all. I couldn’t even ask Merlin how he was holding up. He was keeping his distance now, especially from Morgan.
Raven, Willow, my brother, my women, my mates, my tiger, and I settled in the first cruiser, with the King of Hell as our guide. Just as the ship moved forward, the black owl that I hadn’t seen for a while shot toward us and landed on the rear rail of the boat.
My tiger snarled.
Sit, Killian, and be quiet, I ordered sternly. I’ll take you to hunt in the forests full of game when we reach the Upper Realm.
I flashed him the memories of the wolves and woods that belonged to the wolf girl, my mother.
His tongue lolled out in a grin, his attention moving away from the owl.
Will you let me eat the wolves, Calamity? They’re smaller than Ash.
I smiled down at him. Anything but the wolves, tiger. They’re my mom’s.
I love you. He showed me a picture of sharing his game’s heart with me.
Ew. No, thanks, I said.
Morgan stared at the black owl for a long moment before he turned away and manned the cruiser. The black owl didn’t cry out for once, as if he was also afraid of stirring the dead.
The boat sailed forward without wind, as Morgan maneuvered it merely with his thoughts. The cave was vaster than anything I’d ever seen. Gems and diamonds sparkled like stars on the high ceilings, casting bluish light and illuminating the path of the underground river.
For a moment, I was spellbound by the setting. It almost felt as if we were sailing through a darkly beautiful dream, if we could forget where we were.
And who would have thought so many riches were gathered in the Shades in the Underworld? Then again, who would dare to rob the Guardians of the dead?
The massive gray wolf stayed on guard, darting his eyes around, pricking his ears back to discern every suspicious sound and sniffing at potential danger.
I dug my fingers into his silky fur, and Ash turned to lick my jaw. Killian wiggled his tail, wanting me to scratch him. Whenever Ash turned into a wolf, my tiger always competed with him for my attention and affection.
Max shook his head at the two beasts before he leaned in and kissed the crown of my head.
“We’re going home, doll,” he said.
Morgan watched our interaction with regret and interest.
I shoved down a sudden foreboding feeling that the end of the trip wouldn’t be as smooth as this sail.
I looked back to check on my people. All seven cruisers sailed as one. All the clans from Nightingale and the slaves from the seven sections were on board.
We sailed quietly for a while until I broke the silence. The puzzles had been floating in my head, and I wanted answers before I left here forever.
“You and your Guardians are the most formidable force in the Underworld, King Morgan,” I said. “Why did you allow the Sváva demons to dominate this realm and Cain to claim to be the Emperor of the Underworld?”
Morgan shrugged.
“The usurper isn’t a threat to me. He amused me,” he said. “Besides, the demons and the living never came to the Shades, for they know once they’re in the land of the dead, they become one of the dead. So I allowed the living to cower at the edge of the Underworld. I liked to watch the show. I was getting tired of them lately. I waited for centuries for them to evolve, but they remain barbarians.”
“You watched how the Sváva oppressed the rest of the races and you never lifted a finger to help the helpless and those who can’t defend themselves?” I asked, anger searing me.
“Only the living judge,” he said, staring at me sharply, flames burning in his eyes. “I do not get into their affairs. Who do you think I am, girl? I do not see the world the way you see it, and I don’t care about the opinions of the living. I’m doing this today because I no longer want them in my realm. They’re noisy.”
My heart skipped a beat. What was he going to do with the rest of the living who hadn’t made it into the boats here?
A black, chilly wind rose from the depths of the cave, and our boats started rocking violently. Black waves sloshed onto the boats. Some water got into our boat.
“What the fuck is that, Morgan?” Max barked, drawing his angelblade, one of his wings coming around to shield me. “Are you going to go back on your word and harm us?”
Killian and Ash growled threateningly, moving closer to me in a protective pose.
“Against my best intentions, you’ve awoken the dead,” Morgan said. “There are too many of them, and the dead sensed the vibrant energy of the living. They want to feed on it. And do you know what the dead want the most?”
“What’s that?” Max asked roughly.
“To live again, to participate in the activities under the sun at all costs,” said the King of Hell.
“Where exactly do they dwell?” I asked, dread spiking in me. “Are they near us?”
“They dwell everywhere in the Shades—under the water beneath us, on the other side of the walls around us. This cave is warded, but the dead have grown to countless numbers. There are more dead than the sand on the desert and the stars in the sky.”
Fuck!
“This is bad!” I said, darting my wild eyes around.
“Why did you choose this path?” Max demanded.
The gray wolf snarled his displeasure, baring his fangs at Morgan.
The black waves hit us harder this time, nearly slamming all the boats into the far wall of the cave. The dark, rocky walls on either side vibrated, shadows moving across the surfaces. Dark, skeletal hands formed shapes, stretching to reach for us.
The dead made hissing, guttural sounds, creepier than anything I’d ever heard. Then they shrieked and wailed.
Icy coldness crawled over my skin, and my heart jumped into my throat in terror.
Killian bounced around and roared in fear and agitation, trying to keep the dead at bay.
Cries rose from the other boats. People feared the dead more than the living.
“Be still!” Max shouted at the people, his flaming sword aloft, ready to cut down any dead coming toward us. But how could the living defeat the dead, since they couldn’t be killed again? “Make no sound. Do not remove your blindfolds under any circumstances. Co
ver your eyes and huddle together. Be courageous. We’ll get past the land of the dead in no time!”
The panicked cries died out.
Our boat was tossed by the waves and black wind again, colliding with the wall.
My flame—Queen of the Flame—struck out, piercing the darkness and pushing back the dead.
At the same time, Merlin’s white light blasted out, forming a shield around all seven cruisers, and my blue flame merged with his light to enhance his shield. Yet I had a horrible feeling that our combined forces wouldn’t keep the desperate souls out for long. The pressure from the power of the dead bore down on me like a mountain.
Cold sweat broke out on my skin, and my knees buckled at the weight.
Max was right there to pick me up, and then he placed me on the back of the wolf. The gray wolf remained still to make me comfortable.
“Morgan, say the fucking spell,” Merlin called from the last boat. “Guarantee us a safe path through the Shades as you promised.”
The demigod hadn’t been his usual calm self since he agreed to give up his dragoness. And none of us had talked to him since, as his body language and behavior showed clearly that he’d prefer to be left alone, so we gave him his space.
I yearned to comfort him, but I didn’t exactly know how, and there was no time for that while we were constantly on the move, facing one crisis after another. So I let him nurse his wound alone, feeling helpless myself.
“Keep your flame up and never let it drop, Princess,” Morgan called. “The dead are too many and too hungry. This will require all of our efforts to keep them at bay. If they break the seal and the ward, we’re all done for. Now you know what I’ve risked for you.”
“Shut up and say your spells,” Merlin screamed.
He must have felt the unbearable pressure from the dead, too, even though he was incredibly powerful.
“You’re being rude, druid,” Morgan murmured, but he threw up his hands and started chanting.
The other Guardians joined him, strange, guttural, and esoteric words flowing out of their mouths in unison. The chanting grew louder until the black waves beneath calmed, and the walls around us morphed back to normal. No more skeleton hands stuck out.
Our boats shot ahead as the Guardians conjured up a brisk wind to speed the sailing. Merlin and I didn’t dare drop the shield over our people, despite the strain we felt.
The wailing and laments of the dead never ceased. The unbearable despair in the air would drive any weak-minded people to the brink of suicide. But as one people, we leaned on each other for strength and endured it.
At last, we spotted faint light from the end of the deep cave.
The haunting voices of the dead finally faded into the background, but I knew they’d haunt our nightmares for a long while.
The Guardians stopped chanting. Their voices had turned hoarse. Merlin and I withdrew our combined magical shield, and exhaustion seeped into my every cell, but a wave of relief also comforted me.
We’d made it. We were leaving this dark realm that was never meant for the living. We were going to the Upper Realm, to my kingdom, to start a new life.
They say hope is a dangerous thing.
I say it’s the brightest light in our souls.
Our boat exited the cave first, and I saw the gray light from the sky again. We reached the shore that the King of Hell had promised.
Hope swelled in my chest, and I saw the same hope and joy in my companions’ tired eyes.
Just as Max was ready to be the first to step off the boat, Morgan waved a hand.
“There’s no need,” the King of Hell said. “It’ll take forever for everyone to get off these cruisers. I don’t have a whole day to babysit them. I’ll teleport all of you to your destination at once.”
A black wind came out of nowhere, swirling around us with purple light inside. Before it could sweep me off, I stretched my hand toward Max just as he grabbed mine, so we wouldn’t be separated, no matter what happened. My other hand grabbed Ash’s fur, and Max seized my tiger.
When the spinning darkness withdrew from us and the vertigo vanished, I found that Ash, Max, and Killian were still with me, dark red sand beneath our feet and a broad expanse of dark water ahead of us. There was no end to the other side of the sea, and the black waves lapped at the shore.
It seemed we’d been transported into another nightmarish scene.
“The sea of Styx,” Morgan announced, gesturing at the ocean as if he were on a stage. “You’ve reached your destination.”
“Didn’t expect Hell to have a beach, too,” Max murmured.
“Is it the leyline?” Sebastian asked behind me, craning his neck.
The Guardian had indeed teleported everyone here from the ships all at once.
A cleft of light and fire floated above the middle of the black sea, nearly touching the waves.
“And that’s the leyline,” Max confirmed.
Morgan nodded. “The veil between the upper and lower worlds, guarded by the spell of flame. It’s open now.”
“Could you kindly lend us your cruisers to get to the leyline, King Morgan?” I asked nicely.
“No boats can cross the sea of Styx,” Morgan said.
I didn’t know if that was true or if he was being an ass again. I shouldn’t expect the King of Hell to be nice.
“We’ll cross the ocean by ourselves,” Max said. “I’ll fly us into the leyline. It’s going to take a while, though.” He gave Ash a hard look, since the Winter Prince had to stay in his wolf form in the Underworld, so he couldn’t use his wind to transport our people to the leyline.
As for Merlin and me, we’d nearly exhausted our magic reservoir by shielding our people from the attack of the dead in the boats, so we wouldn’t be of much help in transporting our people either.
No matter; we were here.
And no matter how long it took, we’d bring our people to our new home.
I swallowed my emotion as everyone pointed to the leyline, shouting in excitement and joy, tears brimming in my eyes at the prospect of seeing my mom and dad soon.
Merlin looked grim. He was with his dragoness, some distance away from everyone. He pressed his forehead to her scaled snout, murmuring something to her. He had to say goodbye to his long-time companion now.
I tore my gaze from them, unable to bear watching the heartbreaking farewell scene.
We’d also need the dragoness to transport our people, but it’d be extremely hard for me to ask for her help when she’d be the only one left behind.
No, she wasn’t the only one.
Elijah.
I was leaving him behind again.
My heart bled.
Yet I couldn’t save him. There wasn’t time or opportunity to turn him back into the archangel he’d once been.
Merlin and Max had sealed the path that would allow Elijah and his demon army to follow us. And if Elijah came, he’d hunt us all. He’d slaughter my people.
But how could I abandon my mate?
My tears now tasted bitter in my mouth.
Sensing my turmoil, Max wrapped an arm around my shoulder to keep me steady. Ash licked my chin to show that he was with me. Always.
Right now, I needed to take care of my people first.
And then I’d find a way to come back for Elijah. I vowed that I wouldn’t abandon him to a life of misery. He’d come to Hell for me with my other mates, knowing the peril. He didn’t choose to be turned into a demon.
I collected myself, drawing strength from my mates, and turned to face the crowd.
“Listen, free citizens of the Underworld and Nightingale,” I called.
Everyone stopped talking, and except for my mates, everyone dropped to their knees.
“Our queen, you talk and we listen,” they answered.
I sighed. I’d eventually get rid of this kneeling ritual.
“We leave the Underworld for good today,” I said, letting my voice boom over to reach every one of my people.
“We’ll start a new life in Atlantis, which is my kingdom since birth. But first, we need to cross half of the ocean to enter the leyline. My mate Max will fly a few at a time. The dragon will help, too, I think. I want you to remain disciplined and organized and wait for your turn, as you’ve done impressively well during this long journey. Follow your clan leaders—”
The flap of wings shrieked louder than millions of bats. Vast wings of black, red, white, and mixed colors blotted the gloomy sky.
The Sváva army had just caught up with us.
My people cried out in dismay and terror.
When an avalanche of wings settled down, a horde of demons positioned themselves before the sea of Styx, between the glimmering leyline and us.
CHAPTER 22
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“What the fuck is this?” Max roared at Morgan, his obsidian wings whooshing out and turning to steel, ready to attack.
The wolf and the tiger flanked Max, growling at the King of Hell, about to follow Max.
“They’re the demon army that you will have to fight to get to the leyline,” Morgan said casually.
“Did you summon them?” I asked, my voice promising violence as well, my knuckles white on the hilt of Dreamkiss.
“I teleported the entire horde here,” Morgan said. “It took some effort, but it was done. It must be done.”
“You betrayed us,” I said softly and lethally.
“Not exactly,” Morgan said. “Our agreement was to get you here, and the rest is up to you. I did not guarantee safe escort to the Upper Realm. I had to execute the last rule of the Underworld, regretfully. I gave you a free pass across the land of the dead and showed you the leyline to the realm above, despite it being forbidden. Now you’ll have to win the final battle to get what you want. Every living thing is on this shore now. They either leave or die. I do not want the living in my Underworld anymore. You started this, Princess Ayanna, and you’ll finish it.”
As they said, no one escaped Hell.
The King of Hell wanted all of us dead and our souls to be part of his collection. That was his end game. He was trying to achieve that by bringing all of us here to fight to the death. And that would be the final show for him.