He kissed my forehead. “Do you think I would have come out of the Void and put up with your darkness if I wasn't absolutely certain that your goodness would win? I know you. That's why I love you so damn much.”
“I love you too.” I snuggled into his arms.
“Well, I guess he is good for something,” Odin drawled.
I looked up.
“I will go,” Odin continued. “But Kirill and Azrael will stay behind.”
“I am going!” Kirill growled.
“Thank you, brother.” Ty clasped Kirill's shoulder. “But, please, stay with our children. I need you here.”
Kirill grimaced.
“Don't worry. We'll be okay. We know to be careful this time. If things go bad, we'll leave.”
Trevor's phone dinged.
Trevor picked it up and read the message. “Torrent's on his way.”
Chapter Ten
Torrent came alone. Usually, Artemis, his girlfriend, accompanied him. This time, he asked her to stay behind. That, above all, proved how dangerous this was. He became even more wary when we told him about the Inter Realm theory.
We didn't trace to Naraka. Instead, Torrent opened a vein of Inter Realm—yes, there was danger in that as well—and pushed it through the Aether to Naraka. Re, Viper, Odin, Trevor, and I waited behind Torrent in the vein as he worked his Unmaking Magic on Naraka's ward.
“What the hell?” Torrent lowered his hands.
“What is it?” I asked.
He looked at me. “There isn't a ward. The territory is open.”
“Oh, I don't like this,” Viper muttered.
“We go in.” Trevor motioned to Torrent. “Please.”
Torrent glanced at me and then nodded. He pushed the vein of Internet into Naraka and then released it. The realm looked much the same as it had the last time we were there. Naraka is a hell with levels—very Dante. But instead of the levels lying atop each other, they extended horizontally with barriers between them. In the first section was the palace of Naraka.
When I was there last, the palace had been very Indian in architecture, with golden domes and the like. Now, it was like the original Pride Palace, with a single level spread across the top of a hill. The white walls held a thatched roof, and open windows let in the breeze, unhindered by glass. Around the home, grassland spread, spotted with trees.
Down the hill and across the grassland was the first layer of Naraka's hell—the Childless. The wails of childless women carried to us over the waving grass like the cries of ghosts. It was enough for me to know that it was the same. I didn't have to explore it. Instead, I headed for the palace.
“Remember,” I looked at my husbands, “we come in peace.”
Trevor nodded.
Torr raised his pale eyebrows.
“We just want to see Ty and make sure he's okay,” I explained.
“We're not here to rescue him?” Torrent's brilliant green eyes widened.
“Only if he wants to be rescued.”
“Or if he is being controlled and doesn't know what he wants,” Trevor added.
We climbed the slight rise and went to the front door. I knocked on the pale wood. The sound echoed, making me wince. We waited. I knocked again. Still nothing.
