“But what comes after that, because we have to find a way out of here.” I pointed out, but he didn’t respond immediately.
Wye’s expression tightened, as though the weight of it sat just as heavily on him. Then his hand came to my waist, pulling me closer into him in a way that felt instinctive. As though keeping me there mattered more than the answer itself. One he gave me regardless.
“I don’t know,” he admitted at last, his voice strained, the words clearly costing him more than he would ever willingly show.
My breath caught slightly at that, my gaze lifting to his.
“You don’t know a way out of here?”
His jaw tightened, and then he shook his head once.
“No. There is no way out of here… that’s the point of the Null.”
“Well, that’s not entirely true.” Bo’s voice cut in, drawing both of our attention toward him as he stepped forward. He brushed ash from his clothes, as though the end of the world wasn’t quite enough to dampen his usual attitude.
“Explain.” Wye’s gaze narrowed, and Bo lifted a hand, gesturing between him and me.
“I made it out of here.”
“No, you were forced from this place, there is a difference,” Wye countered immediately, his tone flat, cutting.
“Yes, and lucky for us, that difference is standing right there,” he said, nodding to me and making me jerk back a little.
“Erh, what now?” I asked.
“You summoned me,” Bo stated, and I frowned.
“I thought we already established that you were tethered to me,” I blurted out before looking warily at Wye, who was looking around as if there might be something in this vast wasteland that could magically aid us. Naturally, I wasn’t holding my breath at this point.
“He was being used as a pawn.”
The response came from Wye, and I couldn’t help but shoot him a surprised look. His gaze softened when it returned to me, though the tension didn’t leave him entirely. Not considering that we were still up shit creek without a paddle… and, from the looks of it, the creek was on fire and trying to kill us.
“What I also know is that he tried to save you,” he said, his voice holding a certainty that hadn’t ever been there before when talking about Bo. But he surprised me further by going on to say,
“Even when he was losing his grip, even when it would have been easier to let you go and save himself by climbing higher… he didn’t. Which means that I’ve seen enough to know he wasn’t aware of what was being done to him.”
Bo snorted lightly,
“Wow, that almost sounded like a compliment.” Wye scoffed,
“Let’s not go that far.”
“But he’s right,” I said, my voice steadier now as something began to piece itself together in my mind.
“You did get out… and you said it wasn’t planned.” Bo nodded, throwing his hands up and declaring,
“That’s what I have been trying to tell you!”
“What are you talking about?” Wye asked, as clearly his mind had been elsewhere.
“Think about it, she summoned me… from this place, which means it’s possible she could do it again, only this time in reverse,” Bo pointed out.
“It’s most likely through her connection to me, as that’s the only explanation as to why she was able to access this place long enough to get you out,” Wye said, making me frown.
“What do you mean?” I asked, confused.
“Only those who control the Null are able to create portals into it. But taking Dantalion’s place has now stripped me of that ability, as he knew it would.”
