I ignored his question about the tunnel; I’d already said too much about it. “Hold on to my arms. I’m hoping this gets us out of here the same way I got out of the cell. I’m pretty sure it will work.”
My idea was to stand in the same spot I’d reappeared so that we’d land on the walkway I’d been on. Then we would head straight forward in the direction I was facing. I knew how long the passageway was out to the forest, and if we walked a little longer than necessary, we would end up a safedistance from the castle and the village that was frequently swarming with guards.
At least, I hoped that was what would happen.
“Samara, if that’s angel blood, we are not going to—” Val stopped, his head turning. “Someone’s coming.”
They grabbed onto my arms, and whatever protest Val had disappeared. I pinched the feather where the dried blood was, and the same sensation came over me, but I was ready for it. When we landed on the sidewalk, I was facing a building.
This time, instead of a deranged carriage driver yelling at me, gasps came from the two men holding onto my arms.
“What the—” Amari went silent, freezing in place.
Before I could react to Amari turning to stone, Val let out a shriek that was so unlike him my heart dropped. “I’m burning!” His face was a mask of pain, and his skin was turning red.
I yanked him toward the building in front of us. There was a glass door, and I pushed it open, a bell ringing as we entered.
Val panted, bending at the waist and putting his hands on his knees. He gasped for air as smoke began rolling off him like he was on fire.
I looked back at the door, hoping Amari had moved, but a man and woman were standing near him, eyeing him curiously.
Shit. This was bad.
I rushed out the door, ignoring the two people, and tugged on his stone arm. He was heavy as fuck, but I managed to drag him closer to the door and out of the path.
Amari instantly regained mobility and rushed into the shop on his own.
The man who had been watching clapped. “Whoa! Give that man an Academy Award!”
A what?
I let the door shut behind me and leaned against it, trying to catch my breath. I had no reaction to being on Earth and assumed they wouldn’t either. What if the shop hadn’t been right in front of us?
I shuddered at the thought of Val exploding into flames or Amari being hit by a carriage.
A woman made her way toward us. “You can’t smoke in here.” She appeared to be about my age and was dressed in a long dress that swirled with color.
I glanced around the large room we were in. It was some kind of shop, and nearly everything was colorful. Was everyone on Earth powerful, or were they witches?
“Val, are you okay?” Amari put his hand on Val’s back, but he shook it off.
“Don’t. Touch. Me.” Val’s voice was pained, and his teeth were clenched. His hands were still on his knees, and wisps of smoke continued coming off him, but he wasn’t screaming or panting anymore.
“Ma’am.”
Amari stepped in front of me and Val to stop the woman from gawking at Val and getting closer.
She backed up several steps. “I will call the police if you three don’t leave immediately.”
Val took a deep inhale. Before we could stop him, he lunged at the woman and grabbed her by the arms. She let out a small screech but then stopped and stared into his eyes.
“You will not call the police. You will close your shop and go home.” His voice was calm and deadly. It made goosebumps spread across my skin.
He let her go and then collapsed onto the floor as if that had taken all his energy. Amari crouched down next to him.
“Don’t let me bite her,” Val muttered to Amari.
Did he mean me or the woman?
