Caius hit the ground first with a sickening thud, and a heartbeat later, I landed on top of him, the impact knocking the wind from both of us. We lay there, unmoving, trying to catch our breath. My vision spun, and I cringed away from the brightness burning my eyes.
Someone pulled me off Caius, and I toppled sideways. Their steady grip caught me and held me firmly in place, intensifying the dizzying sensation as if my body wasn’t quite ready to be tethered to the planet just yet. Searching hands ran over me, checking for injuries.
Caius groaned as someone helped him up.
Still dizzy, I risked a glance up and found Tarrin’s eyes locked onto mine, wide with shock. I stumbled past him, my momentum carrying me straight into Caius’ steady, oil-splattered arms. We stared at each other in shock.
“Uh, Nyleeria?” Tarrin asked, looking between the high lord and me.
Caius continued to hold my gaze as he said, “Amos’ wisp is no longer an issue.”
The two males who’d valenned us to the Summer Court appeared behind Caius—although, for the life of me, I couldn’t remember their names.
I suddenly realized that we’d returned to the same grove we’d left from, and the sky had begun to darken as dusk approached.Stars, had we truly been gone that long?
“Caius,” one of the males said. There was enough concern in his voice that we all turned toward him.
“What is it?” Caius said, the words delivered like a command.
“Sir, you’ve been gone for nearly two days,” the other male answered.
My knees nearly buckled, and I looked to Tarrin and Nevander, whonodded in confirmation.
Caius faced me. “You’ll excuse me, Nyleeria,” he said, and the three of them disappeared.
I stared at the empty space, the grass beginning to unfurl where their feet had been a blink before.
Tarrin pulled me into his side, giving me a half-hug. “Gods above, Nyleeria. You understand we’re five centuries old, don’t you? You gotta stop doing this to us.”
I smiled and leaned into the hug. “I should really stop hanging around old geezers. Or maybe you should find a new vocation,” I said, winking at him.
They laughed.
Smiling down at me, Nevander said, “I’m glad you’re okay, Nyleeria.”
“Me too.” I looked around. “Where’s Thaddeus?”
“He’s back in the human realm, trying to use spellcraft to find you,” Nevander answered.
“He’s not here?” Dread tore through me, feeling vulnerable without him in this strange land.
“We’ll send word as soon as we’re back, if Caius hasn’t done so already,” Nevander said.
I gave him a nod of thanks.
“You look like hell, Ny,” Tarrin said as he looked me over. “Where the fuck have you been?”
I scowled at him but softened my expression when his words echoed in my mind—Ny. The familiarity and casualness of the nickname warmed me.
“I honestly have no idea,” I said. There was no way I could begin to untangle where we’d gone or if it was an actual place.
They raised their brows. “Truly,” I said, putting my hands up in surrender.
“You were gone for nearly two days, and you don’t know where you were?” Nevander asked calmly.
“That’s the thing, it wasn’t two days for us. It was an hour—at most.”
“And Amos’ power is gone?” Tarrin asked, skepticism furrowing his brows.
