Ulric rubbed his eye. “You’re next, Lock.”
Thunder rolled across the bizarre ocean. The blue moon shifted toward the orange.
Ulric paused.
Wind lashed up, spinning sand in every direction. Dessie lifted her good arm to protect her eyes.
The creatures in the muck went into a frenzy, spitting the oozing goo in every direction. Rocks began to fall from high up in the cliffs, landing in the muck, making them squeal in an unholy cacophony.
Hope ducked a flying rock. “What is happening?”
Ulric stared at the spray of blood across the rocks. “What did you do?”
Dessie looked at the bloody sand by her feet. It was bubbling. The sky began to fade to an impossible gray, and then it shattered. Spikes and shards rained down all around them. She moved to cover Hope with her body, but Ulric grabbed her good arm.
He leaned down and sniffed her, his nose touching her shoulder. She tried to shove him, but he was immovable.
Both of his nostrils widened, and he leaned back, his gaze wide. “You did it. You combined the blood of the Keys and the Lock.” The rocks began to tumble away. “The world is breaking.”
Her mouth opened. Despite the pain buzzing through her, more agony tormented her. She’d caused this?
The wind rose to an unbearable keening.
Ulric grabbed for Hope. “You’re coming with us.”
“No,” Dessie yelled, her mind taking over. She read the symbols on his chest. They were so deep they must’ve been cut centuries ago. She knew them, knew how to combine these symbols with the others she’d studied. She pushed Hope away. Then she lifted her good hand to the still-shattering sky and gave the last order. A portal opened.
“Dessie,” Hope screamed, scrambling to get to her.
Dessie flicked her wrist, and the young woman flew up into the air and through the portal. It closed with a loud snap.
Ulric yanked her to her feet. “You’ll pay for that,” he bellowed over the storm.
The cliffs blew in every direction. The blue and orange moons collided, and they exploded just like a supernova.
Ulric clamped her to him.
Then they were falling.
* * * *
Garrett double-tested his weapon, fully dressed in tactical gear. One second Dessie had been next to him in bed and the next she was gone. There hadn’t been a damn thing he could do.
Talen stalked into the armory, already drawing on a bulletproof vest.
“How is Hope?” Garrett asked grimly.
Talen scrubbed both hands down his face. “She’s bruised but alive. Everyone’s ready in the control room.” He planted a hand on his son’s shoulder. “We’ll get her back.”
She was in a fucking hell world they couldn’t reach. Or had she and Ulric dropped out of that world and gone who knew where?
Garrett preceded his father through the labyrinthine, fourth-level underground of the main lodge, reaching the control room, where his family and members of the Seven awaited. Several demon soldiers, including all three Kyllwoods, were also present, as were many of their shifter friends. More soldiers geared up throughout the Realm in preparation for a raid. The control room held computers on every surface and screens on every rock wall. Everyone remained standing, filled with too much energy to sit.
Ivar brought up a map on the far wall. “Based on the position of Ulric’s world relative to the other two created worlds, we can estimate where Ulric will land if his world also breaks.” Ten places lit up on the map. “When Quade’s world crumbled, he fell here.” A blue dot showed up. “When Ronan’s exploded, he fell here.” Another blue dot. “So we can surmise that Ulric will land here, here, here, or here.” Bright yellow dots lit up.
Garrett studied the map. “Those are known Kurjan holdings.”
Ivar nodded. “Yeah. They have the same intel we do, so no doubt they’ve been preparing.”
