Sin’s arms tighten around me, and I lean back into his touch. “Then what do we do? Need could attack any minute.”
“We wait,” Morgana answers with a shrug.
My frustration mounts.
Waiting isn’t a strategy; it’s having an anxiety attack in slow motion.
“We cannot fight her in the Fae Realm. They have defenses there, and any attempt would leave the Otherworld unprotected,” Ragna notes, her voice hard. “Many of my soldiers cannot apparate and will rely on others who can. It will slow us down. Our best chance would be to meet her in the Mortal Realm, where we won’t be impeded by wards.”
“The longer Need waits, the better our chances,” Morgana adds.
I look between them, feeling completely out of my depth. “Why?”
Morgana folds her hands on the table, and I almost miss the faintest hint of a tremor that rolls through them. “Because we are vastly outnumbered. I don’t believe the Angelic Realm will truly stay neutral. If they plan to join Need, then we will be outnumbered at least three to one.”
The moment she finishes, the air feels heavier.
Those are terrible odds.
I always knew math would be the death of me.
Sin draws reassuring circles on my back, even as my mind races to look for a solution. The thoughts don’t come quickly, weariness making everything feel muddled.
The numbers might not be as big an issue if we outmatched them in power. Sin and Leon will probably be busy fighting each other. We have other powerful magic users, but I’m assuming Need’s army has some, too. My power might be helpful, but what if I accidentally lose control and take out everyone, including our own armies?
Ideally, I’d like to deal with only one apocalypse at a time.
Or none.
None would be great.
My mind circles back to why I wanted to find Irena in the first place. “Having a literal god on our side might help,” I mutter, more to myself than anything.
Morgana hums in agreement. “It certainly wouldn’t hurt. But the flow of souls has been completely staunched. Almost no Forsaken have arrived in my forest since you freed the others.”
Rosie stares blankly at the wall, barely registering our words.
Seriously, though, there’s definitely something wrong with her. I’m starting to wonder if it isn’t just that Irena was moved. But I can’t help her if we’re obliterated in a war.
I sigh. “They’re missing here, too. Maybe we could ask around to see if anyone in the Otherworld knows where they’re going?”
It’s a long shot, but it beats sitting on our hands and waiting.
“You’ll have better luck in my realm,” Ragna says. “You’re less likely to run into one of Need’s spies, and our souls have only just gone missing. They disappeared the same day Need held court.”
My eyes widen. I thought this was a gradual process. “All of them? How?”
Ragna places her palms on the table, looking grim. “Souls in my realm don’t enter slavery. Collectors bring the wisps to the Ever Fields, where they remain until their decay. Only then do we send them to the Shadow Realm. But that day, I returned home to find my collectors slaughtered, and the field had gone dark. My people are furious and want answers. They will speak to you.”
“Perfect, let’s go ask them now.” I nearly bounce off Sin’s lap, ignoring the cramps in my legs.
“Wait,” Ragna orders, striding my way.
Immediately, Sin stands behind me, curling a protective arm around my waist. Even without the mate bond, I can feel his distrust.
She reaches into a small satchel on her leather belt. “Only shifters can apparate others into my realm. My wards ensure it. Take this. It will be enough to get you through, without needing to rely on others.”
She holds out an ivory-colored ring to Sin. I’m ninety-nine percent sure it’s made of bone.
