She dematerialized back to the garage.
The moment she reformed inside the workshop, Aba appeared in the doorway of his home. He took in her changed appearance, the little bag, and nodded. “Make sure to keep the angelic allure locked down. And be aware, time also moves differently in the Dark Realm. A day there could be a week or more passed on Earth.”
“I know.”
With a wave of his hands, Aba opened a gateway in the ground between the two vehicles, and fell through. Ely followed, falling into darkness.
CHAPTER25
Ely landed in a crouch,her bone-jarring arrival in the Dark Realm stirring up dust from the arid ground, making her sneeze. Ugh. She rubbed her twitching nose and pushed to her feet, adjusting her sight to the darkness blanketing them.
Despite her shallow breaths, the stringent stench of sulfur seeped through. She grimaced, then ignored the stink, taking in her surroundings. In this infernally hot realm, unable to lower her body temperature, she removed her jacket and tied the sleeves around her hips, her sleeveless top barely giving her any relief.
“It’s twilight,” Aba said.
Right. Her attention settled on the borders of a massive, medieval-like city some distance away. Everything appeared dark and grungy. And at the far side, an enormous fortress built on a hill rose above the town, with menacing spires and towers lording over the territory.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“On the outskirts of Ys,” Aba murmured. “Let’s head to the house first before searching the town.” He flashed, and Ely followed. A few minutes later, she reformed amidst craggy foothills and looming cliffs.
In this place where nothing moved stood a tall, dark, solitary two-story building with domed windows and a steep, slate roof, reminding her of Nate’s scales. A few ash-colored trees, sprouting a few branches with knotted, washed-out, root-like tops, grew at the edge of the property, breaking the severity of the dark land.
Shrieks echoed, startling her.
Beyond the vast stretch of barren lands and where the distant mountains meandered, a volcano spewing flames every so often, two winged creatures with long tails flew around the craggy peaks.
“Wyverns,” Aba said.
Her heart hammered like a war drum. “Like Nate’s symbiont?”
His features tightened. “Aye. Most demons stay away from them. They’re usually no match for the creatures unless they outnumber the wyvern by a lot. Then they feast on its blood and flesh but not before many die in the skirmish.”
The brutality of this world had her stomach roiling. Much as she disliked the Dark Realm, this was also Nate’s home.
Thanks to me.
Rubbing her tight chest, Ely glanced up as the twilight sky deepened to a deep purplish black.
“The nights can become dead black,” Aba said as he made his way to the front door. “There are no stars here, only the moon, which comes out every quarter or so. The day is just a shade lighter than evening.”
Thank the heavens then for her keen sight, or she’d have tripped on the uneven, granite ground.
She followed Aba into the foyer of the manor. Small opaque orbs set in the walls lit up, casting a warm glow inside, revealing the almost utilitarian front entrance with a sideboard and nothing else. Light gray marble floors polished to a soft hue flowed out in front of her, and gray pillars and black girders supported the soaring ceiling.
A passage branched in opposite directions. Aba banked right. The left probably led to bedrooms. He opened a door into a roomy kitchen, much like those on Earth, and the orb lights came on.
“He’s not here,” Aba said, but she already knew that. “He stopped by, though.” Aba lifted a black fabric from the chair, and a coppery whiff flooded her nose.
She grabbed the garment, heart racing. Nate’s t-shirt was ripped in places and wet with blood. “He’s already taken part in the fight?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t sense any frenzied excitement these fights usually cause in the town.” Aba’s brow furrowed. “He did say he had something to take care of.”
Ely carefully placed the ruined shirt on the chair’s back, her jaw tensing. “I know what it is. Someone from this world put a price on my head to abduct me—”
“What? Why didn’t you tell me?” Aba demanded. “Now, I brought you right into the fray.”
“It wouldn’t have changed my decision to come here.” She cast him a flat look, concealing the rioting mess inside her. “Besides, who in their right mind would think I’d simply walk into this realm without coercion?”
