“Fuck . . . Kai,” I whimper.
Kai growls against my breast, the vibrations setting off a string of fireworks as I come. Wave after wave crashes through my body, causing my fingers to tighten in his hair as I tremble.
“You’re welcome,” he says, getting up with a cocky grin.
He stretches out his hand toward me, offering his help. Instead, I evaporate into a swirling mist and materialize silently behind him, running my hand along the waistband of his jeans, my fingers dancing over his warm skin. With a graceful spin, Kai seizes my wrist and brings it to his mouth, leaving a soft, lingering kiss on my palm.
“I will fuck you until you are incoherent when we get home, baby. But for now, let’s find what we came here for and get the fuck out of here. This place gives me the creeps.”
I grin, giving him a wink. “Okay, and thank you.”
“What for?”
“For bringing me back.”
Chapter twenty-seven
Ashwiyaa
“Sky above, earth below, fire within.”
Leaving the rocky coastline behind, we set our course toward the jagged mountains that loom ominously to the east. The further we venture from the shore, the more the landscape seems to shift, as if the very air grows heavier with each passing mile. Nero gave me a detailed overview of the Outlands before our journey, outlining the layout and the distinct regions that make up this forsaken place.
The Outlands are divided into three sections, each more desolate than the last. The first is the Forest, the very place where I first crossed into this cursed land. This is where the magic veil is located, an invisible barrier that keeps the imprisoned souls from escaping. The Forest, if it can even be called that, is a bleak and lifeless expanse. It’s as if the land has been drained of all color, all vitality, leaving behind only a barren wasteland. The trees are twisted and gnarled, their bark a sickly shade of brown that matches the damp, muddy earth below. The leaves, clinging desperately to their branches, are a dull, lifeless hue, blending in with the landscape.
Then there is the dry, desolate expanse of the Deadlands, a place where life seems to have withered away under an unrelenting sun. The land stretches out in a bleak, empty plain, its surface cracked and parched. Nothing grows there, the soil is devoid of nutrients, and the air hangs heavy with the stench of decay. Silence pervades the area, broken only by the occasional whisper of a hot, dry wind that stirs the dust into small, swirling whirlwinds.
Surrounding the Deadlands are mountains that cast long, dooming shadows over the plains, adding to the sense of foreboding that hangs over the Deadlands. These shadows move with the sun, creeping slowly across the landscape as if trying to engulf it in darkness.
The mountains themselves are a stark contrast to the flat plains. Their slopes are steep and treacherous, covered in sharp rocks and loose debris that makes any attempt to traverse them perilous.
The Valley of the Dead, our destination, is a place of stark beauty and harsh realities. It’s a land that tests the limits of endurance and will, a proving ground for those who dare to venture into its heart.
This whole place is home to those who were banished for their heinous crimes against the realms and condemned to a life of exile and isolation.
The thought of encountering more creatures like Abchanchu sends a shiver down my spine, but part of me welcomes the challenge.
“Is it just me, or has it gotten colder?” Kai says, looking around.
Frowning, I firmly grasp his arm and forcefully bring him to a stop. “You never get cold.”
“Everything feels different here,” he replies.
I tilt my head, smelling something off about him. “Kai, are you injured?”
“I don’t think so.”
Inhaling deeply, I’m assaulted by the sharp smell of dark magic and blood. With a quick motion, I tug on his shirt, lifting it off and over his head.
“Hey—”
“Shut up,” I snap, my fingertips trailing along the contours of his abs, caressing his velvety skin as I circle around him. My blood runs cold as I catch sight of four puncture wounds on his lower back.
“Ash?”
“Fuck!” I curse, sinking my hands into my hair.
Unlike me, Kai won’t be able to withstand the poisonous effects that Abchanchu inflicts on his targets. A rush of adrenaline floods me, and my heart quickens its pace. The erratic beats resound through my entire body, a physical manifestation of the fear and desperation that begins to consume me. I need to find a way to stop the poison.
