As she speaks, her words hit me so hard I almost stagger backwards. I think I’m in shock, but I can’t focus on that now. The light begins to fade and Theia’s form breaks apart before I can speak.
The world rips apart and I stumble forward, hitting the ground hard. The glow is gone, swallowed by shadow. Voices echo around me, and it takes a moment to realize I’m no longer in the portal. A line of warriors surrounds something in the dust. I push myself up, blinking grit from my eyes.
“Zarreth!” I scream.
His wings are spread, fire alive in his hands. He’s ready to kill. His head snaps in my direction, flames flaring brighter when he sees me. Jess stands frozen behind him, fingers digging into Graven’s arm while he crouches, one hand near his sword.
“Stand down!” someone shouts when he takes a step forward. The voice belongs to one of the females who have them surrounded. They all wear breast plates made of gold, their spears pointed directly at my friends.
Zarreth takes another step forward, voice low and dangerous. “You won’t keep me from my mate.”
The female nearest him steadies her spear, but her expression falters as she inhales “Wait,” she says, almost to herself. “That scent…”
Another glances at me, eyes narrowing. “She’s not human…and not demon either.”
The first one’s gaze sharpens. “Light and dark, both. I can smell it in her blood.”
Zarreth freezes mid-step, fire pulsing under his skin. The warriors exchange wary glances, eyes like cut jewels as they lower their spears a notch.
My pulse hammers as I edge closer, careful not to startle anyone. “What are you talking about?”
No one speaks. It feels like hours before the one with golden hair finally answers. “You’re the one Theia spoke of.”
The others murmur, lowering their spears a little more. “The one who can restore the balance.”
I freeze, forcing myself not to react. How do they know what I am? The last thing I need is to let strangers in on something even I don’t understand yet.
One warrior shifts toward me and Zarreth shoves past her, taking advantage of the opening. He’s at my side in a heartbeat, his hands cupping my face. They’re trembling like he’s terrified to let go. His forehead presses to mine. “Melita! I thought I lost you.” His voice cracks, and the sound wrecks me.
His breath sharpens, confusion shifting across his face. His gaze settles on me with a searching expression I know too well, the kind that means he senses something.There’s no way he knows already.His eyes flick to the female warriors. Whatever thought crosses his mind, he keeps it to himself.
“I’m okay,” I manage, thankful he’s not questioning what they said. I just need a little time to process it all.
His eyes sweep over me again, searching for injury. “Sure you’re not hurt?”
“I’m fine, I promise,” I reassure him, but he doesn’t look convinced. “What’s going on?”
The one with silver hair steps forward, her voice cool and even. “That’s what we’d like to know. Why are you here?”
“You could’ve led with that question,” Jess mumbles, one hand braced on Graven’s arm. She’s pale and taking shallow breaths, but it doesn’t look like the portal affected the potion at all.
“We’re looking for a healer,” Zarreth says, his wings finally tucked back in. “One who can remove poison from the bloodstream.”
“Don’t you have healers in your realm, demon?” Her sapphire eyes burn into his. A thick silver braid runs down the center of her head like amohawk, flanked by two smaller braids. The rest of her head is completely shaved.
“Not one who carries the light,” he says as everyone comes down from the initial confrontation.
I finally look around, wondering where we are. The ground’s scorched, split open in places where faint light seeps through the cracks. The trees are twisted and black, their branches sagging with ash. A hot wind whips through, scattering black dust across the ground. “Are we…” I swallow. “Are we in the Light Realm?”
The silver-haired one nods once. “You are,” she says sadly. “What’s left of it.”
“It looks like the same thing that’s happening in the Dark Realm near the portal,” Zarreth says.
Another female frowns, this one with golden hair. She also has braids, but hers are on both sides of her head, giving way to a mix of long waves, beaded knots, and more braids. “We wondered if it reached the other side. All we know is it’s spreading faster every day.”
Graven mutters, “Guess we picked a great time for a visit.”
Her gaze snaps to him, but she doesn’t bother replying. She just secures her spear behind her shoulders. “Come. The Queen will want to see you.”
