Silence wrapped around us like a heavy cloud, each of us exchanging looks that were equal measures of relief andwhat the fuck is happening?Sylvia’s guidance may have gotten us through the barrier, but an unnerving sensation settled in my bones as a reminder that we were intruders.
As though to confirm this, the GPS spoke up in its usual cheerful voice:You have arrived. Your blood will water these grounds.
“Jesus,” I muttered, closing the app.
I threw my door open and braced myself to face the bite of winter air. Except, it wasn’t cold. Sharing a bewildered look with Sylvia, I climbed out of the car.
The gentle breeze that swept between the trees was more like the first brush of spring. The entire forest surrounding the hotel seemed affected by a gem’s influence, the same way we’d seen outside of Veloria. Proud firs were choked by colorful flowers. Vines snaked over the ground, cutting over parts of the road. Several clusters of brush grew in strange patterns like they were trying to take on a humanoid form as they climbed toward the sky.
Painfully beautiful. Wonderfully unsettling.
But the guests we could glimpse between the trees paid it no mind. The staff gladly loaded their luggage onto gilded carts, waving them into the vast lobby. Either they couldn’t see theinsanemarvels of nature right across from them, or they didn’t care. Neither sat well.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Cliff groaned, leaning down to inspect the long gouges penetrating the car’s paint on the passenger’s side. He pushed his hands through his hair,expression tightening with the frustration of wanting to kick something, with no viable target in reach. “Look at this. Hannah’s gonna kill us, and we’ll deserve it. Fuck.”
“At least we’re alive,” Sylvia offered, shooting him a look.
Cliff only grunted, still touching the scratches like he might be able to will the car to repair itself if he stared long enough.
I walked around to see for myself, crouching to trace the scratches delicately. A chill crept down my spine as I thought about how tempted I’d been to send us right into the valley. Any glamour wards that threatened to overpower my fear of heights couldn’t be taken lightly.
“You good?” Cliff asked, eyeing me with concern.
I pushed back to my feet, facing him. “I’m fine,” I muttered. “Any longer, and we might’ve…”
“It’shere.” Sylvia’s soft voice was as jarring as if she’d screamed.
We paused, regarding her. Her flight was eerily still, her shoulders tensed under her long-sleeved blouse. She hovered a few feet above us as though her mind was far away from the act of controlling her wings.
I’d seen that distant look on her face before. The gem was calling to her. No longer miles away. I couldn’t fathom how potent its beckon must be. She started to tremble like she had her finger on a trigger. I took a tentative step closer, glancing between her and the brightly lit entryway that yawned a few hundred feet above.
There were fewer guests now. Valets were busy driving cars away. Bellhops were occupied with luggage.
The opening was painted before her like a gift—and she was tense, as though knowing she had seconds before the opportunity was lost.
“Sylv,” I whispered, taking another slow step closer, worried I’d spook her into action.
She looked over her shoulder at me, her pretty face a mask of pleading.
“Find me inside,” she said.
My stomach dropped. I lunged forward, not sure if I meant to grab her or only to block her path, but it didn’t matter. My fingers closed around empty air. She shot away in a blur of iridescent wings, making a rapid arc toward the wide doors as she dodged any eyes that might notice her.
Cursing, I tore after her.
3
Sylvia
Whatever enchantment was deterring outsiders from this place, it appeared to be selective. A few dozen guests milled about the sprawling lobby—all of them lacking the wide-eyed glaze and cold sweat of adrenaline that the hunters and I no doubt wore. After our perilous entry, it was difficult to imagine anyone journeying here peacefully—yet these people looked entirely at ease.
The gemstone’s aura still hummed in my veins and desperately beckoned me forward, but I retained enough self-preservation to keep my flight high, away from wandering eyes.
I weaved among the chandeliers, nearly blinded by the refractions of the warm electric light. Perched on a brass rung of the central fixture, I peered down between dangling strands of crystals. As I caught my breath, I placed a hand over my still-hammering heart and reeled from our graze with death in just getting here. No one else here seemed to have experienced the same harrowing journey.
It was nearing midnight, but the lobby still hummed with activity. Employees moved with purpose, hauling luggagetoward the elevators. Well-dressed men and women lounged on various seating arrangements, each centralized to their own stone fireplace. The warmthdidlook enticing, even if the winter freeze seemed to have evaporated outside. The largest crowd hung around the well-stocked bar, which boasted floor-to-ceiling views of the mountain range stretching across the horizon beneath the stars. The viewwithinwas nearly as stunning. No less than twelve Christmas trees decorated the chamber, and festive garlands with twinkling white lights appointed every stone column.
Despite the grandeur, there was an undeniable charm to it all—the antithesis to the grungy motels Cliff and Jon opted to stay in. I’d never seen a more beautiful interior in my life, or rather, a more expensive one. This wasnotthe place for travelers trying to spread meager savings over the span of years; these people were here for careless luxuries,indulgence.
