The brothers leaned in for quick hugs, their mercury eyes betraying their emotions.
I stepped away from my friends, exhaling and dropping them a nod. “I’ll see you soon.”
Priti took my hand and offered C’ael her other one. “That’s two now, Pashim,” she said.
“I know.”
Two what? Two calls? He’d called her twice, right?
The world melted away, taking me and my train of thoughts with it. All that was left was the burgeoning feeling that we were finally headed toward something significant.
We materializedon a beach that was more pebble than sand. Cliffs rose around us, creating an inlet for the sea to roll in. It was obvious from the tide marks on the rock face that this area wasall ocean once the tide came in, but right now, we had land, and a single ship bobbed in the water ahead.
My heart lifted at the sight. I recognized that purple sail.
We’d traveled to this world on that same ship.
Rathor’s ship.
“Well,” Priti said. “Serendipity strikes.”
“You know the captain of that ship?” C’ael asked.
“We came to this world on that ship,” Priti said softly, a faraway look in her eyes. “So long ago. It’s the only ship here, so let’s get you on it.”
I took her hand, and the world shifted, stabilizing into a deck beneath my boots.
“What the fuck!” Rathor stared at us in shock. I’d thought him strange the first time I’d seen him, with his sharp features, glittering ruby eyes, and green-tinged skin. But now he was a welcome, almost mundane sight.
“We need your help.” I let go of Priti’s hand and stepped forward.
The crew materialized around us, small men with too wide mouths and large feet. They closed in, but Rathor held up a hand to stall them.
“How did you get on my ship?” he asked us.
Priti’s staff materialized in her hand.
Rathor tensed. “Fuck…”
“Yeah,” she said. “That pretty much sums it up.”
“I sensed something had shifted. A change in the ether. It’s thicker, less…accommodating. Almost as if it’s protecting itself.”
“The primordial evil is free,” C’ael said bluntly.
“Not a myth, then,” Rathor replied. “And you…” He looked to Priti. “You’re instrumental in stopping it, I assume?”
“Not me,” Priti said. “I have other obligations. But Leela needs a ride.”
He arched a brow and shifted his gaze to me. “And this ride will help stop the evil from taking over our world?”
The primordial evil already had the seat of power, but there was hope. There was Araz. “Yes. I can help stop it. I just need to get to Shantivan.”
His brows shot up. “That’s a week’s worth of sailing.”
“You got something better to do than save the world?” Priti asked dryly.
Rathor’s lips tugged in a smile. “I suppose not.”
