“Anything broken?”
“I don’t think so.” She paused, moving her legs and placing a hand on her stomach. “You?”
“I’ll live.”
I swallowed hard, throat dry, as I heaved myself up into a sitting position. We were in a small cave. One that had been recently inhabited, by the looks of it. The remains of a makeshift fire sat near the mouth. In the distance, rust-colored sand whipped around, twisting midair. My chest tightened at the sight of the wide-open, peach-colored sky.
Please, for the love of Faerie ...
I got to my feet, untying my cloak. It dropped to the ground, sending a plume of dust everywhere. My swords were secured in their sheaths at my side. I adjusted them, repositioning the halter so they sat crossed over my back.
Meera sat up and frowned, taking off her outer layers before pulling her hair back in an attempt to tame it with the elastic band around her wrist. When she finished, I held my hand out to help her stand. Despite the dire situation we’d found ourselves in, sparks still lit up my skin when we touched.
“Thanks,” she murmured, reluctantly pulling her attention from me to the entrance. My footsteps were leaden as I went to confirm what I already knew.
Twin suns sat high in the sky, one yellow, the other red.
There was only one realm with two suns.
We were fucked.
“Where are we?” Meera asked, shielding her eyes as she came to stand beside me.
“Eversus.”
“As in the hell realm?ThatEversus?” She motioned around us.
“That’s the one.”
Her head whipped around, copper strands tangling in the wind, slapping at her skin with every gust. “How do you know?”
“The two suns are a dead giveaway.” I sighed and cursed under my breath. “Are you familiar with it at all?”
“Well, considering a hell realm isn’t exactly a vacation destination, I’m going to have to go with no. From the looks of it, I can see why.”
I hadn’t expected her to know much. Eversus and its twin realm, Evorsus, were nigh impossible to get to. Few had the poor luck to visit it, and even fewer survived the journey.
I hummed in acknowledgment. “I’ve been here once. Never thought I’d come back.” I adjusted the swords on my back, squinting as the wind billowed the gritty substance around. Everything about this place reeked of scorched air and death.
“You’ve been here?” she asked incredulously.
“Why does that seem so surprising?”
“It’s a hell realm and you’re the king of Faerie. Not exactly the safest move, especially when Damon is your only heir.” Her tone indicated that it should be obvious.
I snorted. “Point made. But royalty aside, I’m also a fury.”
Meera tilted her head, teeth sinking into her bottom lip in thought. “I thought it was just a rumor that furies originated from a hell realm, you know, because your father ...” She trailed off. “So they came from this one? Is that why you came here? To learn more about your fury side?”
I hesitated, thinking about the best way to answer her question. I didn’t want to lie, but I wasn’t keen on talking about it either. “Not here, no. They technically came from Evorsus, its sister realm.” Her eyes narrowed a fraction, very much aware that I didn’t answer her question as to why I had been here. She thankfully didn’t push it. I cleared my throat, though it did nothing for the dryness that was beginning to coat it. “You should see if your powers work here. Some fae lose abilities in different realms.”
“Do you?”
I shook my head. “Certain magics are less effective in some realms, though. You said you felt a tug leading you toward here when we were at the Witching Hour. Do you still?”
Her eyes brightened a second later, changing from hazel to a sparkling and vibrant green. The green faded almost as fast as it came and a small smile tugged at her lips. “Even better, I see the thread. Sadie’s here.” She took a step outside the cave, and I caught her arm, pulling her to a halt.
“Can you tell how far away she is?”
