Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 147891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 739(@200wpm)___ 592(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 739(@200wpm)___ 592(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
“Is this where you create portals?” I ask.
“It is. If you must go back, there is a possibility I can send you to Hassha. Like I said, my energy is weaker now that I’m on Earth. I’m not sure my blood will help you defeat him, but Hassha has never left Vakeeli, so her blood is potent. She can find a way to protect you from Decius while you’re in Vakeeli, and even find a way to get the wood from a Trench tree. Only thing about her now is she has a family now, and she does not like intrusions. She and her warriors will kill you first then ask questions later. I don’t know if that’s a risk you’re willing to take.”
“Is it possible for you to give us some blood and send us to The Council?” I ask. “That way we won’t have to bother Hassha.”
“I can’t get you all the way to Luxor. The Council have energy blockers around their borders. If they sense mine, they’ll put up a guard, prevent visitors. That’ll only delay you. I’ve never liked The Council, and they most certainly don’t like me.” Korah blows a breath. “I’ll get you to Hassha, or as close to her as I can, and you tell her everything you told me. And take this.” She turns for the brown chest again, withdrawing something. She places the object in Willow’s palm, and Willow looks down at it before closing her hand around it. I get a glimpse of it, something small and gold.
“Show her this, and she won’t deny you,” Korah says, clutching Willow’s wrist. “She’ll know I sent you personally.”
Chapter 39
WILLOW
There’s a hum in the air as Korah stands in front of the grand mirror. Her hands are raised, eyes closed, and Caz and I stand behind her hand in hand.
He grabs my hand when Korah begins chanting in a language I don’t understand, and the mere action, though simple, makes me feel safe.
The atmosphere becomes charged, the hairs at the nape of my neck rising, a dallop of unease swimming through me. A neon purple light appears on the center of the mirror. Korah breathes deeply, tips her chin, and the purple dot grows in size. It stretches along the wall, bright and blinding, and Korah steps backward, closing her hands to fists.
“Move toward the portal,” she instructs us. “You must go through one at a time.”
With Caz’s hand in mine, we move forward. A wind rips around the room, whipping at my hair and Caz’s. Caz looks to me, the purple glow bathing half his face.
We can do this.
I gasp when I hear his voice in my head. Oh, that precious voice. I haven’t heard it within me in days, and I’ve missed it. My lips part as I focus on him.
I can hear you.
He smiles. Must mean it’s working, eh? You ready?
I think so.
Good. His faces the portal again. I’ll go first.
He releases my hand, but my heart sinks when I feel that itch on the back of my neck again. When he takes a step closer to the portal, something thuds behind us, and the portal immediately closes.
I spin around to find Korah still there, but she’s not alone. Someone familiar stands behind her with a knife to her throat.
And that someone is Garrett.
Chapter 40
WILLOW
“I can’t let you go through that portal,” Garrett snarls.
“Garrett? What the hell are you doing?” I shout. “Let her go!”
Caz steps in front of me with his gun drawn. When I glance at him, his eyes are narrowed as he looks Garrett over from head to toe.
“Not a scratch on you,” Caz mumbles. “Impossible, considering I broke several of your limbs.”
“Fuck you,” Garrett spits at him.
“He’s been touched by Decius,” Korah says raggedly. “I feel it!” Her eyes flash purple, and she vanishes from his arms. She appears on the opposite side of the room, near the mirror again, and when she does, Caz raises his gun at Garrett and shoots him in the head.
I cup my mouth after the ring of the gunshot and the thud of Garrett’s body on the floor. It’s so eerily quiet afterward that all I hear is the beating of my heart, my pulse pounding in my ears.
I expect him to be dead, for that gunshot to have ended it all, but then Garrett’s hand twitches. He sits upright, and when he staggers to a stand, the bullet in his head pops right out and clinks to the ground. Not a wound is in sight.
What the hell? How is he not dead? The snaked died with one slice!
“Fuck,” Caz curses, and with a smirk, Garrett charges toward Caz, slamming him down on Korah’s table. The table smashes to bits on the floor, and Caz grunts as he manages to shove Garrett onto his back and wrap his hands around his throat and squeeze.