He snapped out of it, shaking his head before turning to me. “Nice place they’ve got here,” he said, trying—and failing—to sound casual. “Welcome committee isn’t bad either.”
Reaching out, I rested my hand on his arm. “Are you wondering if your family is here?”
I could think of no other explanation for that expression he’d worn.
“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “I should not see them though. There’s a reason that we don’t cross here until we die. A very important reason. We must wait until our time is done, but it’s just so…”
“Tempting.”
And it really was. A land where you would be safe and protected. None of the fear and pain and loss we’d had on Earth. Fuck...
“Why doesn’t everyone want to die?” It was a horrible, morbid thought, especially considering a lot of people did want to die, and actively chose it to end their pain and suffering.
Asher took his time in answering. Not a surprise considering the context of my question. I mean, it was one of those very deep, possibly painful introspective questions. Getting to the true nature of life and death.
“I think … that our time on Earth is filled with so much more than this land holds. New experiences; true, strong love; emotions that take your breath away; and yes, fear and worry and sorrow. But if we didn’t have the lows, would we truly feel the highs?”
Unease slithered through my chest, replacing an iota of the peace I was feeling. I mulled his words over. “Yes, you might be right. Everything here is peaceful, but it’s also the same, forever. It’s a nice retirement, but we’re too young for that now.”
Asher pressed his lips to mine. A brief, perfect kiss. “Exactly. Here there are no babies. No new life. No change. As you said, this is the perfect retirement for souls to be at peace. We’re not ready for that yet, but it helps to know it’s there.”
It did help. My heart was just a tiny bit lighter than it had been before I stepped into this world. A sliver of hope and light was sometimes all anyone needed. Unfortunately, the real world still awaited us … and it still needed saving.
Turning back to the veil, I reached forward, parting it with my hands, like a waterfall broken by a rocky ledge. On the other side, a dragon head appeared. Braxton was waiting right where we’d disappeared.
He pushed through my gap, having no issue making it to the sunny side. They’d just needed someone to make the first part.
“I can’t break through it,” Asher said, trying again. “It’s not an Atlantean power that allowed you entry.”
“Draconis,” I said drily. “My parents might be crazy, power hungry bastards, but at least they left me with some wickedly useful skills.”
Asher’s chest rumbled. “Heptashia shouldn’t have had power over you in those fucking trials.”
I shrugged. “When I first arrived here, my power was locked down by that land of nothing. I’m assuming that’s standard practice. If I’d tried even a small amount, I would have broken the lock long ago. I played the game like a sucker.”
He nodded. “Your father’s energy is probably the reason you could open a path for us as well. This land should respond to you, if you can just figure out how to tap into it.”
Braxton, back in human form, dressed head to toe in black, heard the end of our conversation. “How is Draconis locked away in the underworld, if technically he’s the god of it?”
“Sonaris trapped them,” I said with a shrug. “To be honest, I never asked him how he managed that, but whatever he did, it kept them there for a few months.”
Asher shook his head. “If they didn’t have Draconis with them, they would have been locked in there for an eternity. None, except maybe the Mother of All and the god of the underworld, can manipulate the power of the underworld. It stands alone. Draconis is how they got out so quickly.”
The other two dragons approached us, both back in their human form. Rayge was pulling a shirt over his head and I wondered if he was the one to magic them their clothing. Seriously, dragons were as ripped as Atlanteans. But I wasn’t tempted—I barely gave them more than a glance—Asher fucking eclipsed all other dudes.
But … I still had to glance, right?
I’d go with Axl and call that one research.
Strong hands wrapped around me, throwing me up and over a broad shoulder. “I should smack your damn ass, Maddison James,” Asher grumbled, and I snorted, threading my fingers through his hair, mostly because I liked doing it.
“Have some respect. We’re in the … afterlife.”
Asher shook me gently, before he walked us over to the other guys. None of them blinked an eye to see me up on his shoulder, but I felt uncomfortable. Wanting to stand on my own feet, I wiggled to get down.
Braxton’s face was grim, his eyes sad pools of blue. “Jessa got used to being carried around,” he murmured. “It still pissed her off at times.” The pain on his features was the sort that crumbled lesser people. “We’re men who love our women, and we have dumb fucking ways of showing it.”
“We’ll find them,” I said, solemnly. “Nothing is going to take your mates down. They’re strong.”
