I glanced over my shoulder, but Clover had vanished—gone so completely it was as if she’d never existed at all. The clang of metal hitting the floor echoed through the room, then faded away as the neck cuff collapsed, breaking apart and scattering into a pile of gray ash.
Jinx’s eyes flew open, shock flashing across her face. She was suddenly wide awake, crawling out of bed and hurrying over to me. “We can leave now?”she asked. She noticed my tear-filled eyes.
“Talk to me? Are you upset because of what War did to Blair?” she whispered, gently taking my hand. Quickly, I wiped away the tears on my cheeks—I wasn’t ready to talk about Sin, not yet.
“No, it’s just these dreams. They keep coming back, and they always leave me feeling… unsettled. But I’m okay now,” I said, forcing a crooked smile.
I summoned my wand. It appeared before me, swirling with thick black smoke that curled around the wood, shadows flickering across the walls. Jinx watched, her face tense. “What are you about to do?” she asked quietly.
“I need to check on War. I’ll be back soon. Someone needs to stay with Blair—she’s still not well.”
My clothes shifted, weaving themselves over my body in a heartbeat. Black fishnet tights, patterned with winding roses, hugged my legs. A knee-length, hooded cloak draped over my shoulders, its fabric soft but sturdy. My feet slid into black lace-up boots, ballerina-inspired but reinforced for battle.
“I hope you’re coming right back,” Jinx said, worry flickering in her eyes.
“I will. You’re safe here, so try not to worry,” I told her, squeezing her hand.
I gripped my wand, pointed it at the pool, and commanded, “Take me to War.” The water rippled, then churned, swirlinginto a vortex of silver and shadow. The pool vanished, replaced by a glowing portal.
“Your magic has improved so much. We can take over the world now,” Jinx said, and I chuckled.
“I told you, War has taught me a lot in a short period of time,” I replied.
Through the portal, I glimpsed what looked like an ancient temple, its stone walls half-swallowed by thick, twisting vines. The hallway beyond was littered with scattered skeletons, their bones bleached and tangled as if left undisturbed for centuries. Shadows clung to every corner, carrying a ghostly chill. I had a bad feeling about this place, but I needed to know if War was safe—and not still lost in self-punishment. The temple looked haunted, as if the past itself refused to let go.
“I’ll see you soon,” I told Jinx before leaping into the portal.
I landed lightly on the cold, cracked stone floor, the impact barely a whisper. The roof above was long gone, exposing the night sky. Moonlight poured in, illuminating the intricate carvings that spiraled up the remaining pillars—designs of thorny roses and crescent moons. Out of a glassless window, I could see a dark forest with black trees, the same as what I saw in my dream of Hoax. The portal closed behind me with a soft hiss, sealing me in. The heavy scent of earth and decay hung in the air.
“STOPPPPPPPP! NOOOOOOOOOO! I WON’T ASK AGAIN!”A young woman shouted at the top of her lungs. Her scream ripped through the ruined temple.
I pressed myself against the crumbling wall, heart pounding, and crept toward the sound, letting the shadows swallow me. When I reached the corner, I peered around it—and froze.
In the center of the vast, ruined hall, a circle of female fairies and Hoax’s warriors stood watching. Two of the warriors had a fairy pinned to the cold stone floor, their faces twisted in delight. With a sickening crack, they wrenched her wings backward, splintering her bones. Her screams tore through the air, as blood spattered across the ancient carvings beneath her.
My nails scraped furiously at the stone, rage prickling beneath my skin, but I couldn’t look away.
“This is what happens when you disobey our rules!” one of the warriors barked, voice booming off the broken pillars. “Hoax doesn’t need whiny bitches in his army! During training, you only get two water breaks—remember that!”
The warriors released her, letting her battered, naked body slump to the floor, wings twisted and bloodied. The crowd didn’t move. Some looked away; others stared with cold, empty eyes.
I scanned the faces, searching for War. My gaze landed on Lune, standing behind one of the warriors. Her face was expressionless; she felt nothing for the wounded fairy. The grief over her deceased baby was eating away at her heart.
That dream I had was a warning. You really sided with Hoax.
Suddenly, a hand clamped over my mouth, yanking me back into the shadows. My body tensed—wings and horns sprouted from my fairy form, ready to fight—until a familiar voice hissed in my ear, “It’s me, Grim.”
He released me, then appeared in front of me as a shadow—like a ghostly masked assassin.
“What the hell is going on? Where is this place?” I demanded.
“How did you get out of your cuff? And you aren’t supposed to be here. Crash Out and whoever else was supposed to be guarding you will be punished for letting you out,” he whispered, eyes darting around.
“My wand released me. We’ll worry about that later. Right now, what realm is this?”
“It’s Charmden. Azarion’s temple.”
“I’ve never seen this place before,” I replied.
