He shrugged, uncaring. “An image in your brain is better than real life.” He turned then to Angel, who was standing on his right. “Hop on my back,” he told her. “Take advantage of my natural immunity to fire.”
Angel wasted no time, leaping onto his back, and he ran like he was in a race. Across the swaying bridge, he dropped her off and was back in record time. A few beads of sweat dotted his forehead, which was all we needed to know about how hot it was to cross above the swirling lava.
“If it’s not designed for anyone to make it across, why have the bridge at all?” I wondered.
Len’s expression was grim. “It’s a trap. This land wants you to believe you can cross safely. By the time you realize your mistake…”
“You’re toast,” Simone finished grimly.
Thankfully, we had Shadow, and he made quick work of ferrying all the ladies across first. As we stood on the other side, where the heat was a little less intense, we peered over the cavernous pit together.
“I can’t wait to see him giving those godlike males a piggyback,” Simone said with a snort of laughter. “I wish I had a camera to capture this moment.”
Mera groaned. “There must be a way to convert our memories into images. I know I willneverforget it.”
First across was Reece, and the look on his and Shadow’s faces implied that ifanyone ever mentioned this again, they would destroy them.If only that shit worked on their mates. Even Angel was smiling, her eyes brighter than usually, the pinkish sheen glowing. “I love when they play together so nicely,” she said with a chuckle.
Shadow dropped Reece as soon as they were safe, the desert warrior landing gracefully on his feet. He straightened to his full height of giant, and Shadow was already gone to get the others. Reece spent his next few minutes tickling Angel, who kept smirking at him. “Don’t make me punish you later,” he groaned when she burst into laughter once more.
“Just the look on your face,” she choked out. “I’ve seen you tortured and happier than that.”
The banter continued as one by one Shadow brought the others across. Most of them wore a similar expression to Reece, but Lucien did make agiddyap horsejoke which almost got him dumped into the lava.
“Safe,” Mera breathed. “Now on to the next part of this run.”
If Len was right, then that was one down and one more to go. We were so close. I just had to hope that together we would be enough to make it through.
41
SAMANTHA
Beyond the flaming bridge, there was another long plain. This one was dark, appearing to be made from fine pebbles of coal, and we paused on the edge to determine the dangers. “It feels the way the sand rivers do back home,” Reece said, leaning down and running his hands over it. “This is not a stable surface. If you step one foot on here, you’ll be yanked under faster than it takes to move your other foot.”
Angel leaned down with him, placing her hands on the coal too. “Yep, calm on the surface,” she said, “but there’s power running under these depths. Possibly some creatures down there as well. More guardians.”
Great, so if we were lost in the depths, we would be lost forever. Or at least long enough to get eaten.
“Can you manipulate a path for us?” Shadow asked Reece. “I know it’s not the sands of the Desert Lands, but often you can work with other crushed, earthy material.”
Reece slid more of his hand into the black pebbles. “I’m not sure this could be classified as an earthy material at all, but I can give it a shot.”
Galleli’s wings extended in wide arcs beside him and he flapped and lifted into the air, attempting to fly out across the black grains. He made it two feet before he was knocked back.
They won’t allow us to fly this path.
This time I jumped because I hadn’t been expecting it. The deep rumble of his voice was filled with so much power that it caused a visceral reaction within me.
“Whatever we do,” Angel said shortly. “We need to do it now. There’s a building of energy deep in this land. They’re becoming more aware of intruders being here, and I fear our time is running out.” She placed a hand on Reece’s shoulder. “I’ll help in whatever way you need. But let’s get it done.”
Len leaned down to place his hands on top of the black expanse. “Angel is right,” he said. “We’re working on borrowed time. Soon, not even our strengths will be enough.” He looked up at Reece. “You cannot manipulate this river of power. It’s all Faerie magic.”
Disappointment and worry barely had time to set in before Len straightened, multiple gems already in his hands. I only caught a glimpse, but they looked red and white, along with a few of those grey ones he’d used to give us privacy earlier. Len flicked his hand out in that familiar way and the stones arced in a beautiful rainbow across the darkness, lighting up the sky, before they settled against the black ground. As the final one dropped so far into the distance that it was barely visible, a light bridge formed between them.
“I’m going to see if this connection holds,” Len said. “These stones are not the most stable against power like this, but we’re out of time and options. It’s this or we’re dead.”
My stomach sank as my chest clenched. “I’ll go,” I said quickly. “I’m lighter and have the Great Queen’s energy. Her line might be severed, but the remnants are there, and that has to help.”
“Not a chance in hell,” Len bit out shortly. “You’re too fucking important to risk. I have ancient Faerie power beyond any here. Even yours, Storm. This is my risk to take.”
