Shadow tsked at him. “Careful, Veles. Been a long time since I’ve seen this side of you.”
“Yeah, and I haven’t forgotten what a mercenary bastard you are. As you said, shadows are deceitful things, indeed. Ever more likely to lie than to tell the truth.”
Unabashed, he smirked at Falcyn. “We do what we have to, to survive, isn’t that right, brother?”
Something dark and vile passed between them in a single look. An acknowledgment of their pasts that they each knew about one another, and yet didn’t want shared with anyone else. It was so intense that for a few seconds she expected Falcyn to attack him.
Finally, it settled down to be nothing more than a tic in Falcyn’s jaw. “Why don’t you go hug a wall?”
“That’s my plan.”
Falcyn rolled his eyes.
As Shadow turned away to double-check everyone’s knots, Falcyn caught a strange image at the sight of Shadow’s profile. It was so peculiar. His mind transposed a memory of Maxis over Shadow’s face. But not a current one. It was of Maxis from the ancient world when he’d been adorned in furs and paint.
Strange… he’d never realized before how much Shadow and Max favored.
Even the way the demon moved.
Shadow paused as he caught Falcyn staring at him. “Please tell me that you’re not thinking of asking me out, dragon. Or worse, for a booty call.”
Falcyn sneered at the mere thought of being intimate with someone as treacherous as Shadow. “I think I just threw up in my mouth. Trust me, if I were to bend my tastes in that direction, it wouldn’t beyou.”
Medea arched a brow. “Why do you hate him so?” she asked Falcyn.
“Ever wonder how Jared was able to switch out the swords for his army?”
Shadow froze as an agony so profound even she could feel it darkened his eyes. “You knownothingof what happened that day, dragon.” His breathing ragged, he glared at Falcyn. “You judge me, you bastard… yet you know nothing of my past.”
“I know enough.”
“That’s what they all say right before they pick up the stones to slay a victim for being a part of a crime they never wanted any part of. Wallow in your misery. Whine and bitch, dragon. It’s what you’re good at. Some of us were never allowed a haven where we could give in to such tantrums.”
And with that, Shadow moved to tie in Beau.
Beau stopped him. “I can walk in the front gates of Camelot and no one will notice or be the wiser.” He winked at Shadow. “No offense, gargoyles don’t do well in the Nithing. I’ll be waiting for you in the South Tower.”
“Be safe.” Shadow patted him on the arm.
Beau spread his wings. “And you.” He launched himself into flight and vanished quickly into the dark, gray clouds.
His expression grim, Shadow turned back to them. “Remember to avoid the SODs. Don’t listen to anything and stay focused on your goal. Let nothing distract you.”
Yeah, that tone wasn’t creepy at all.
Medea was about to ask Falcyn about it when Shadow lifted his arm and drew a series of symbols. He reminded her of an orchestra conductor, directing a band only he could hear. Then he began a melancholic humming from deep inside his chest. Haunting and thrumming, he picked up the crescendo, and as he did so, the air around them stirred.
One moment they were standing outside, and in the next they were in a blurry, swirling world of dark sepia. It was like being trapped inside an old nickelodeon machine. Everything had a jerky, surreal feel to it. One that left her disoriented, and a bit queasy.
Medea stumbled. Falcyn caught her and held her against his side.
“It’ll take a few minutes to get your bearings.” Shadow’s voice sounded as distorted as the scenery.
“Why is everything so weird here?”
“You’re in the lining of the worlds. Think of it like a hollow realm.” Shadow held his left hand up and a small porthole appeared to show them a bright sunny park where children played a game of chase. “From here, you can venture anywhere. Past. Present. Future. In all the worlds.” He closed the porthole and opened one on his right that showed a storming sea.
It was both beautiful and terrifying.
