by Leela Ash
Bit of an understatement.
Briggs pursed his lips, considering the gate. “What could they possibly want on the Other Side?”
“I’m assuming they don’t like Nemagorix,” Griffin replied, “considering what his Darkborn did to the Fangs.” Baxter, the Hare who’d kidnapped Maddie, said as much. Not that he wanted to confess that he’d agreed to work for the man, back when his Mate was in danger.
“With the Fangs, you never know,” Donnelly predicted gloomily. “The big question is, do we let them do what they want over there? Or do we follow them through?”
Walk into the Spirit World? That was an unnerving thought. Especially given how screwed up Nemagorix’s realm was. Hell, the Other Side was never safe, even at the best of times. Hadn’t Maddie said that Donnelly and his Mate barely got out alive?
What’s more unnerving, though? Traveling through that gate – or letting the Fangs do whatever the hell they want over there?
Sadly, the answer seemed clear to him. “Hate to say this, but I think we have to follow them.”
All three men jumped as a Hare came tearing up the path. At their feet she Shifted, revealing Maddie, dressed in a satin nightgown. The Witch glared at the lot of them. “I heard that! Tell me you are not serious!”
More Hares came pouring into the clearing and soon the Cauldron was surrounded by half-clad red heads. To their credit, the three men stayed focused on the problem.
“Mr. Davis is right.” Trust Briggs to insist on titles – even when everyone was standing around in their underclothes. “We cannot permit our enemies free rein.”
Shivering slightly in the cool night air, Danielle LePierre shook her head. “It’s too dangerous.”
“Which is why only Donnelly and I will go. Nothing less than a Dragon should take this risk.”
‘Less.’ Good thing the man’s Wolf Mate was sleeping out with her Pack. Lily King would kick him in the nads for implying she wasn’t his equal! The Hares all took that insult in stride, however.
Griffin didn’t. “Wrong. I’m going too. Yeah, yeah, I know: Dragons are big and bad. If we run into a fight, I’ll let you handle it. But remember this: not all problems can be solved by brute force. Stealth and deceit are my strengths. If we need to trick our enemies, I’m your Shifter.”
“He’s got a point,” Donnelly muttered. “It’s not like Dragons are subtle.”
Briggs’ nose wrinkled, but he nodded. “I concur. The three of us…”
“Four.”
Maddie stared at them, hands planted on her hips. “The four of us. None of you know anything about magic. You need a Witch – like me.”
Okay, now this was getting ridiculous! “Don’t be silly,” Griffin sputtered. “You’re far too delicate for this mission!”
“Oh, and you’re not delicate? Compared to a Dragon, that is.”
“No, I’m not!” he snarled. “I’m a warrior…”
“…who can’t see magic,” she countered.
“The Spirit Realms are incredibly dangerous…”
“…mainly because they’re full of magic, which you don’t understand.”
Dammit, she was infuriating! Why couldn’t she accept the truth? Griffin decided to abandon logic, since it clearly had no effect on her. “No. It’s too dangerous. I forbid you to go.”
“Oh really?” Maddie cocked an eyebrow. Around them, the other Hares snickered. “Well for your information, Mr. Davis, I wasn’t asking for permission. I was telling you what I’m going to do.”
With that, she stepped over the wards, careful not to brush the ring of salt. Before he could grab her she scrambled into the water.
And vanished. Leaving him staring in horror.
“Mates.” Both Briggs and Donnelly groaned the word at the same time.
Ignoring them, Griffin sprinted after her and plunged through the rift into Nemagorix’s realm.
Chapter 18.
The first thing Maddie saw on the Other Side was a corpse. Then another. Then more.
Three were human. Something had pierced their Kevlar body armor, tearing gaping holes in it – and them. Blood still spread from their bodies, seeping across dark, barren stone. Beside them lay their killer: a lion with a human face, splattered across the stones and riddled by countless bullets. Its fur, an ugly, rusty red, matted against its body. A curved tail like a scorpion’s still twitched, as if it was determined to kill its enemies even in death.
Is that a manticore, from Persian myth?
Did such things really exist?
Griffin barreled through the gate, the Dragons hot on his heels. Only then could she tear her eyes away from the dead and dying and look around.
Nemagorix’s realm was a blasted wasteland. Black stone stretched as far as the eye could see, unbroken by any signs of life. Smoke rose from fissures in its scarred, broken surface and the stench of sulfur filled the air. Only one thing stood out: a black tower, rising like an accusing finger about a quarter mile away.
Donnelly squinted at it. “Found them. One mercenary, injured. Two Hares – male and female. Entering that tower now.”
Boy, Dragon eyesight was as good as a Hare’s hearing! “Well, at least we know where to go.”
Briggs waved at the white Dragon. “I’ll grab Ms. Hunter. You and the Chimera can fly ahead and…”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” To her delight, she and her Mate both vetoed that plan at the same time. Griffin ducked his head, ceding the floor to her. “If we fly straight at them, Nemagorix will know we’re here.”
“Maddie and I can go in quietly.” With a flush of happiness, she noticed that her Mate accepted her help. Either he trusted her… or he’d given up in despair.
Both worked for her! However, neither Dragon looked pleased with that idea. “But if you get attacked…” Donnelly protested.
“We’ll run,” she promised.
“Ugh,” the white Dragon sighed. “We’re not talking you out of this, are we?”
“Not unless you suddenly learn to sneak.”
“Yeah, that’s not happening. Well, at least we can come flying if we see any problems.”
“Fair enough.” She drew a deep breath, settling her nerves. Anxious and unhappy, Griffin stewed. Yet he didn’t protest. “Thank you,” she told him, “for trusting me.”
“It’s got nothing to do with trust,” he grumbled. “I worry because this place is too dangerous for you.”
“But you’re not shooing me away?”
“I can’t.” His lip curled in disgust. “Because you’re right: I don’t know much about magic. I need your knowledge and vision.”
“Then let’s do this and get home as quickly as we can.”
In Hare form, the two of them ran for Nemagorix’s tower. Boulders and rocks offered some protection. Off in the distance shapes moved. Large, sinuous creatures that skulked throughout the land. More manticores? Between the distance and the smoky haze, Maddie couldn’t tell.
Dozens of smaller creatures – imps and twisted lizards about the size of an iguana – lay dead along the path. The Fangs had cleared a trail for them, one that led all the way to the tower. Maddie and Griffin ghosted in behind them without any trouble.
At its base, an arched doorway lined with unreadable runes gave access to the tower’s heart. Beyond it, Maddie saw a broad stone staircase curving up. Her keen ears caught a faint murmur of voices from somewhere above them.
Propped against the doorway, an armed man sat. His eyes, wide with horror, scanned the horizon for enemies – and passed over the two tiny animals that crept close. Blood dribbled out from under his body armor in a steady, lethal stream.
Griffin nosed her aside and Maddie fell back. Dispatching a wounded enemy was kinder than letting him die slowly. Perhaps it was cowardly of her, but she felt grateful when her Mate volunteered for the grim task. Still in animal form, he crept to side of the doorway. Then he Shifted into his human form and leaped upon the merc, clamping a hand over his mouth. She winced, expectin
g to hear the horrible crunch of a snapping neck.
Instead, the Chimera whispered an offer. “I’ll give you one chance. Drop your gun, walk back to the gate, and surrender to the Dragons you find there. Do that and you may survive this mess. Agreed?”
The gun slipped from the man’s bloody fingers as he gave a weak nod. Griffin released him and crouched, ready to pounce upon him if the Fangs’ minion betrayed them. But spirit worlds and man-eating monsters were more than the guy had signed up for. Morale broken, he knew the game was lost and so, with a soft moan, he staggered to his feet and tottered off.
Maddie Shifted human, a warm smile across her face. Even in the middle of battle, her Mate never lost his compassion. No time to talk about that now, but she hoped the love and approval in her eyes would tell him how much that meant to her.
He returned her smile with a sad one of his own. Raising an eyebrow, he pointed at the fleeing soldier.
Was he suggesting she leave? Hell no, she wasn’t letting him do this by himself! She rolled her eyes and stepped into the tower, drawing a sad, resigned sigh from her Mate.
After retrieving the merc’s gun, Griffin brushed past her and led the way up the stairs. Bare feet padded silently on cold stone. As they rose, the voice grew clearer.
One was Baxter. She couldn’t make out his words, but she’d recognize that voice anywhere. A grating whine sharpened his tone, as if he groveled before something terrible.
A second later, that ‘something’ spoke, its voice thundering clearly in the still tower.
“Do you think I do not see your trap?”
Nemagorix!
Cold and inhuman, that voice stopped her in her tracks. It was the voice of a thunder storm, echoing through a graveyard. A booming howl laced through with a harsh buzz, like the wings of a thousand locusts. Maddie’s heart beat faster and her lips grew dry. Eyes pleading, Griffin pointed at the exit once more, but she shook her head. They were in this together.
Now, as they neared the chamber at the top of the stairs, Baxter’s thin voice came clear. “Would I give you such a fine offering if I planned deceit? Magnificent Lord, I come before you unarmed, helpless. You can tear me apart with but a thought. Surely that is proof of my intentions?”
Nemagorix was free?
For a second, she couldn’t breathe. Fear washed over her, a tidal wave that swept away all rational thought. Torn between duty and terror she wobbled.
Once more, Griffin jabbed a finger at the gate. Golden eyes pleaded silently with her.
Which had the opposite effect of what he hoped. Faced with his love, his urge to protect her, she shook off the terrors that threatened to undo her. Maddie could not abandon him, no matter how horrifying their enemy. With a weak smile, she shook her head and edged up to the landing at the top of the stairs.
As she’d suspected, Baxter knelt in the tower’s central room. He clutched a beautiful wooden puzzle box to his chest and his ‘offering’ lay beside him: a red-headed woman, crumbled in a puddle of her own blood.
A Hare. Sacrificed to the demon lord.
Thankfully, Nemagorix was out of sight, just beyond the edge of the door. Shaken by this place and the dead woman, Maddie didn’t need to see the demon right now.
Its voice was bad enough. “This is true. It would be brazen – and foolish of you – to attempt such treachery.”
She and Griffin crouched, waiting to see where the conversation led. Unwilling to draw the demon’s attention to themselves.
“If I consent,” Nemagorix rumbled, “if I step into this coffer of yours, I will bind myself within it.”
“Until I open it, yes,” Baxter agreed. “It’s the only way to hide you from the wards that your enemies have placed around the gate.”
He planned to bring the demon lord into their world? Past their wards? Maddie clamped a hand over her own mouth to stifle a gasp. They couldn’t let that happen! Thousands of people would die! Even if it meant their deaths, she and Griffin had to keep the demon lord here.
Yet Nemagorix itself remained dubious of this offer. “If you release me. If you do not, I shall remain bound in that box.”
“Surely that is a risk worth taking? You’re bound here now, Majestic One, in this wasteland. Is a box truly any worse?”
“Over the centuries I have twisted the ground around that gate,” the creature answered. Maddie’s stomach dropped. So that was why their wards kept unraveling! Foundations mattered. You couldn’t build a solid house – or ward – on shaky ground. “I will break through. Soon.”
Put that way, Baxter’s offer was unappealing. But the Hare came prepared. “Alas, my lord, your enemies have acquired the Aegis. Soon they will discover its power and when they do, the doors to your realm will shut forever. You need to escape quickly, before they can unleash its power.”
Griffin gritted his teeth, hands balled into fists.
A pause, and then Nemagorix said the words she dreaded to hear. “An excellent point. You are wise – even if you are weak. Very well. I accept your offer. I will place myself in your coffer and allow you to carry me into the mortal world.”
Baxter raised his head, his pale eyes burning with fevered ambition. “And when I release you, you will make me the god of that world? You swear it?”
“I do. Bring me the box.”
Time slowed to a crawl as the Hare rose to his feet.
One bullet would stop this plan. They could kill Baxter and deny Nemagorix a path out of his prison.
Then the demon lord would tear them apart. Or, worse, capture them and spend the next thousand years torturing them for their audacity.
Was she willing to die to save the world?
Yes. Of that, Maddie had no doubt.
What froze her in place was Griffin. Could she sacrifice him, too? Her Mate? Her love?
But they needed to decide, now. In mere seconds it would be too late.
Griffin couldn’t make this choice. She saw that in his face. The thought of condemning her to a slow, tortured death was too much. His Chimera, his heart, wouldn’t let him take that option.
But she could. She could do the right thing and then, together, they would pay the price.
With a final sad smile, Maddie turned and walked into Nemagorix’s chamber.
Passing through the doorway brought her fully into the chamber. Bare, undecorated, its smooth stone walls vaulted thirty feet into the air. No furniture, no statues, no paintings adorned it. Only a dais of black stone. The room was completely unremarkable.
But the creature that stood upon the dais drove the breath from her lungs.
Nemagorix, Devourer of Worlds, towered above her. Twenty feet of smoky tendrils, a writhing, ghostly mass of rage and hatred. Two burning eyes smoldered in the midst of that chaos. Amusement, not surprise, glittered within them.
It knew we were out there. It let us listen!
Baxter, on the other hand, yelped in shock at her appearance and nearly dropped his wooden box. When Griffin joined her and raised his gun, that yelp rose into a terrified shriek.
“Stop! We’re on the same side! Let me explain, please!”
To her surprise, the Chimera hesitated. “Make it quick.”
Pink and soft, Baxter’s tongue darted out to wet his lips. “M-m-majestic One, may I speak to these interlopers in private?”
“As you wish.” The demon lord almost laughed out loud.
And Maddie knew why. “Whatever you have to say, say it now. I don’t think there’s any place in this realm where Nemagorix can’t hear us.”
Caught between the demon and Griffin’s gun, Baxter shivered. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, despite the chill of this unearthly place. “Listen, we’re not enemies, you and I. We… I…” The words caught in his throat until, with a sob of fear, he forced them out. “This is a trap. I don’t plan on freeing Nemagorix. I’m going to lock him up permanently so he can never harm the Fangs of Apophis again.”
The Chimera gave a bark of laughter. “You t
hink it’s going to walk into your little snare now that it knows you plan to betray it?”
“Yes.” Baxter’s fevered eyes flickered back to the abomination that towered above them. “Because the Undying One knows that I’m lying – to you. It’s the only way you’ll let me walk out of here with him.”
Lies upon lies upon lies. Maddie winced. Dammit, she hated the Fangs of Apophis! “You admit you’re lying. Now we have to decide if you’re lying to us or to Nemagorix.”
“Or we can take the third option.” The gold in Griffin’s eyes shined cold and hard. “Decide we don’t care who he’s lying to and just shoot the bastard.”
Maddie swallowed, queasy under the demon lord’s burning gaze. The Darkborn openly relished their squabbles. “We can. If we do, though, Nemagorix will kill us.”
“I’m willing to die.” Griffin’s finger tightened on the trigger.
“So am I… if it accomplishes something.”
“Which it doesn’t!” Baxter chirped. The sweat dripping down his forehead gave lie to his cheery tone “You need this creature bound.”
“Why?” she countered. “It’s already trapped in this realm by permanent wards.”
“Oh really?” the Hare sneered. “How well are those things working? If I recall, Nemagorix nearly devoured the entire town. Plus, did you hear the Magnificent One say that it’s corrupted the entire region around the gate? No ward your Warren erects will last.”
“Unless we use the Aegis.”
“Uh huh. And, uh, how close are you to cracking its mysteries?”
A long ways off, in her estimate. Baxter, damn him, had a point: Nemagorix was painfully close to breaking free.
If we could move the demon further away, to someplace that it hadn’t corrupted, we could make wards to last a millennium.
Only one catch: they would need to trust Baxter to do that.
Sensing her confusion, the Fang inched closer – until, with a wave of his gun, Griffin froze him in place. “Listen, you know what the Darkborn have done to the Fangs of Apophis. You can guess how I feel about their leader. Don’t trust me: trust my hatred.”