“Mushroom rings are not portals. That’s a myth. Dragons created portals thousands of years ago to travel between worlds. They appear like rings of fire in the sky. Humans think they’re fallstreak holes happening simultaneously as circumhorizontal arcs—an optical illusion caused by the sunlight refracting through ice crystals in the clouds. You wouldn’t believe how many planes simply vanish through them and end up crashing in Faerie. The altitude, too, makes them difficult to access, but some open on mountain peaks, which is how we can travel through them without dragons.”
“I have a plane, so you only have to worry about finding a portal.”
Rhett reels back at Kaiden’s words. “You have a fucking plane?”
He smirks. “Being the head of the Obsidian Conclave has its perks.”
34
Iris
“We’re really going somewhere where there are giant, fire-breathing dragons?” Sam asks Rhett in a high-pitched squeal when he finishes explaining how the portals to Faerie work. We landed in Ashville about half an hour ago, and we’re on the tarmac stretching our legs while waiting for Malik to arrive. I didn’t want to put anyone else in danger, but Kaiden made a good point in saying that Malik is our best shot at surviving if we’re attacked along the way. And then Sam went ballistic on my ass when I told her she couldn’t come.
“Dragons are extinct. No one has seen one in hundreds ofyears, so you don’t have to worry about them. But trust me, there are many other creatures that can kill you. Especially in the Wasting Woods,” Rhett answers.
She throws me a sidelong glance, laying on the sarcasm thickly when she mutters, “Great. This trip is going to be so fun.”
“You didn’t have to come, Sam. I still think it’s a bad idea.”
“Ha, like I would let you travel to another realm by yourself.”
Kaiden huffs. “What am I, chopped liver?”
“What you are is number one on my shit list, demon boy,” she bristles.
“I know. You made it pretty clear when you defiled all twenty-five of my cars,” he drawls, arching an eyebrow.
She gives Kaiden a saccharine smile. “That’s because you hurt my bestie. What about your pristine floors? Are you still scrubbing glitter off them?”
He only grunts in response, but his twitching eye tells me he’s on the verge of throttling her. My eyebrows draw together. “What are you talking about?”
“Your best friend thought it would be funny to send me a package containing a glitter bomb. It exploded right in my face,” Kaiden grits out as a black SUV approaches us.
Rhett whistles. “Remind me not to get on her bad side on this trip.”
No, shedidn’t. The laughter bubbling up my throat morphs into a hearty howl. Sam joins in, and we both struggle to breathe at the mental image of Kaiden covered in glitter and still finding specks on the floors days later. My best friend is a freakin’ menace.
“That’s what I call a welcoming party. What’s so funny? I want in on the joke,” Malik says, getting out of the car and sauntering toward us.
All the levity in the air is shot to pieces, as a crestfallen look takes over Sam’s features. Their gazes clash—both flashing withpure shock. There’s a wheezing sound as if someone punched Sam in the gut before she bellows a heart-wrenching scream. She lifts her palms. A blinding green light hits Malik square in the chest. But the look of equal parts resignation and sorrow on his face as he takes the blow is the most confusing part. He flies back a few feet, narrowly missing the car and landing with a sickeningthudon the asphalt.
“YOU MOTHERFUCKER! Where is it?” Sam screeches, spittle flying out of her mouth. Her legs eat the distance between her and Malik faster than I thought possible. She looks possessed as the same green light from before encompasses her body. Thick, leafy vines sprout from the ground, cracking the concrete before lifting Malik upright and immobilizing his limbs.
“Whoa, Sam! What the fuck? This is Malik. What are you doing?” My question falls on deaf ears. I throw a confused look at Kaiden, but he shakes his head as if he has no idea what’s going on, either.
“I said, where the fuck is my family’s grimoire, you filthy, lying, murderous thief?” Sam seethes.
“Nice to see you too, freckles.” Malik flashes her a grin, but it’s a poor imitation of his usual rakish smile. He flicks his gaze to Kaiden, nostrils flaring. “You didn’t tell me anyone else was joining us.”
“Answer. My. Question.” When Sam flexes her fingers, the vines climb upward to squeeze Malik’s throat. Still, he sits there and takes it, even though I know he is strong enough to counter Sam’s attack with dark magic. Or simply shift into a panther.
“Sam, this is Malik, Kaiden’s friend. He’s here to help us. What are you doing?” I try again, this time placing a hand on her shoulder. As if sticking a wire into an electrical socket, the second I touch Sam, I’m thrown back by an invisible force.
Kaiden catches me before I fall. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I mumble.
A bitter laugh leaves Sam. “So, is that your real name? And here I thought I was speaking to Ian,” she spits the words out as if they’re poisonous. “This is the last time I’m asking. Where the fuck is my family’s grimoire?”
