He winked at me.
“That’s not as charming as you think it is,” I spat.
Casteel laughed. “Liar.”
“Anyway,” Kieran cut in before I could respond, and the conversation spiraled further. “Is anyone going to tell me what happened earlier?”
“Going to need more details to answer that,” Casteel replied.
“It happened the night before—or maybe early in the morning yesterday,” Kieran said with a frown. “I woke up and could’ve sworn you were awake.” His stare shifted to me. “But then I felt something else. Something powerful. It reminded me of when we were at the Bone Temple and the realm opened. But every time I thought to come check, I was deterred.”
“Deterred?”
“That’s the best way I can explain it.” A look of confusion crossed his face. “I would start to make my way here and then just…turn away. This was the first time since that I wasn’t…hindered.”
“Poppy did wake, but I thought that was last night,” Casteel said with a frown.
“No, it was the night before,” Kieran insisted.
“Fucking Aydun,” Casteel muttered. “I knew he messed with the time.”
Kieran glanced at me and then back at him. “Who is Aydun, and what do you mean he messed with the time?”
“Aydun is likely what you felt. Either that or you felt when she…” Casteel paused and looked in my direction. “Crossed the Veil.”
“The what?”
“The Veil between the realms,” I said. As I explained what that meant, Kieran’s posture became stiffer and stiffer until I feared his spine might break.
“The reason why you were deterred and time got messed up was likely Aydun’s doing,” Casteel told him. “He’s a Fate—”
“AFatewas here?” Kieran exclaimed.
“Yes,” I said. “He came to stop Cas from following me.”
“Following you into a different realm?” Kieran looked dumbfounded. “You,” he said, speaking softly—toosoftly, “entered another realm? By yourself?”
“Uh, yes. I shadowstepped—”
“What the fuck is shadowstepping?” Kieran exploded.
“I don’t know what that is either,” Cas said.
“It’s so nice not being the one asking questions,” I murmured.
“Disagree,” Kieran grunted.
I fought a grin. “Shadowstepping is using the eather to either move really fast or will yourself where you want to go. You’re kind of…opening a doorway in the realm. Or—” I noticed Kieran actually looked a little pale. “Why do you look like I’m suggesting we fly instead of taking a few steps?”
Kieran’s brows rose. “That isnottaking a few steps, Poppy. That’s opening the realm and steppingthroughit.”
“Yes.” I drew out the word. “Then, taking a few steps.”
“Andweshould be able to do this?” Casteel asked while more tension bracketed Kieran’s mouth.
I nodded and eyed Kieran. “I had to do it, Kieran. I felt…” I dragged my teeth over my lower lip as the incredulous look on his face grew. “I felt so many deaths. I had to go.”
“Okay. Just to make sure I’m clear on this,” Kieran began, moving his hands to his waist as he glanced between us. “You felt the deaths of a large number of people and decided to shadowstep—which isnotlike taking a few steps—into a different realm? All by yourself?”
