“If we’re right and this traces back to the enemy, they used Thayden as a tool,” I said. “Which means he’s still a tool. If they plan to move through him, they’ll try again. Especially if he thinks nothing’s changed.”
“If they know you’re alive, their sights will be turned back to you. As long as you’re alive, you’re a threat.” Alaric spoke with a firmness I’d never heard. “That makes Galaythia the most dangerous for Elariya.”
I glanced at Bastian, who’d gone quiet. As had Garrick.
They agreed with Alaric, my brother, who was probably making more sense than me right now. My brother, who hadn’t fucked up by being blindsided and nearly got himself killed.
“Let’s stop pretending this was only about Elariya.” Alaric’s voice cut through the tension. “They didn’t bind dragons and breach the Southern Isles just to snatch a girl whose magic hasn’t even fully awakened. They went to that trouble to remove you.” His gaze locked on me.
I nodded once. Because it was true.
“You are the threat. You have dragons. Bloodsworn. Authority. Intelligence. Experience. Elariya is potential. They know she’s only just coming into her power, and that the ring won’t be easy to find.” The words settled like iron. “If they’d succeeded in killing you, they could have taken their time shaping her into whatever they needed. Now you’re alive. That complicates things. As long as you stand, you’re in their way.”
I thought back to Zyrra. She’d wanted me to up and die. She could have only wanted that if everything Alaric said was right.
“Why don’t we push this conversation aside for the moment,” Bastian suggested with a curt nod. I didn’t answer. Because if I did, it would be no.
“It’sa lotto deal with,” he continued. “Right now, we have bigger problems to maneuver. We don’t know where we are.”
It was wise to rest the conversation, but everything was tearing me apart from the inside out.
Right and wrong felt like the same thing to me. And I couldn’t think straight.
So, yeah. We needed to rest the conversation. And we needed to get home. Fast.
I gazed outside at the strange metal color of the moon. I’d known where we were from the moment I breathed the air.
“We’re in Boerläch, one of the gateways to the underworld. It has passage to the first hell and the first heaven.”
They looked at each other again.
“How did you know and we didn’t?” Garrick asked.
“My powers. Death calls to death.” I spoke in a low voice, wondering just how close I’d gone to the edge. “You wouldn’t have been able to use a locator spell here because you don’t have death magic. And you’re not supposed to be able to leave here. My Deathwalker magic forced entry. Being here is different from the ethereal planes like the ghost roads.Everythinghere thrives on death.”
“If we’re not supposed to be here, how can we get back?” Bastian asked.
“Our host will allow us to leave.”
His stare thinned. “Host? There is no one else here but us and the girls.”
“That’s what he allowed you to think.” I raised my brows.
“Who are we talking about, Wolfe?” Garrick asked nervously.
“A Reaper. This one ferries lost souls who die at sea. The house is a working illusion. Probably borrowed from the mortal land because Elariya is half human.”
“How do you know all this?” Alaric asked, his voice wavering.
I met his worried gaze. “Let’s just say my Deathwalker powers have introduced me to a few interesting beings over the years.” I paused for a beat. “Our host is not a threat at the moment, but it would not be wise to overstay our welcome.”
He blew out a ragged breath. “Can you portal?”
“No. You can portal in but not out. The only way to leave is by ship.”
Bastian raised his brows. “Is there a way to summon the ship here?”
I thought for a moment, and an idea came to me. “I can’t summon the ship, but I can contact someone who can.” The one guy I knew who was crazy enough to sail the dead seas.
