“Take care, milord,” Niall said.
Cole clasped Niall’s shoulder and squeezed it. “You know better than to call me that.”
Niall smiled, and the others gathered close to say goodbye before he and Lexi entered the portal.
CHAPTERFORTY-EIGHT
When they exited this portal,it at least wasn’t into the complete chaos and death of Verdan, but this new realm was still hectic. Occasionally, someone would cry out in pain, and sobs drifted on the air.
Lexi inwardly recoiled from the suffering while outwardly keeping herself as composed as possible. The wounded were spread across the grass on makeshift stretchers and beds as other witches tended to them.
Could she help heal them? Should she?
They were still trying to keep some secrets from the Lord, and if she walked around here trying to heal everyone, it would get out and probably drain her. And that wasifshe could heal them. She had no idea how the ability worked, how often she could use it, or if she could pull it up to heal those here.
When Cole glanced at her, she saw he was aware of her thoughts. “Not here and not now,” he said.
“What if I can save someone’s life?”
“And what if it drains you to the point you can’t travel from here and have to return to rest? More will die if we don’t move swiftly.”
He was right, but… “I’m not making any promises.”
Silver flared through his eyes before he managed to suppress it. “Let’s see if we can find Kaylia and find out how much damage the witches sustained.”
He kept his hand on her waist while they strode through the scattered bodies. The acrid scent of smoke, the fresh odor of wood burning, and the potent aroma of many herbs and potions mixed on the air. It wasn’t an unpleasant aroma, but it was strong.
Pixies whizzed past, but this wasn’t the pixie realm. Unicorns, pegasuses, phoenixes, and sasquatches roamed through the injured, but none of them would have typically called this place home.
Though there was green grass, little other life marked this place. This place was far different from Verdan.
She’d never been to the witches’ realm before the Lord destroyed it, but Sahira had told her stories about the few times she went there. Sahira had said it was a beautiful place full of trees, rolling green fields, and magical creatures from all the realms.
The witches made their potions, worshipped the land, and danced naked beneath the moon as they celebrated life. All of that had been ripped away from them. Now, they were scrambling to save their own.
They were so busy trying to heal the survivors that, at first, they didn’t notice her and Cole, but eventually, their presence caught the witches’ attention. Murmurs started to run through the crowd, and heads turned their way, but Cole didn’t stop until he was near the center of the makeshift encampment.
“Does anyone know where Kaylia is?” he asked.
A woman pointed to the right, and as Lexi followed her finger, she spotted Kaylia kneeling on the ground fifty yards away. Her silvery blonde hair flowed around her as she applied a healing poultice to a woman lying before her.
Kaylia hadn’t noticed their presence yet, but it was only a matter of time before she heard the whispers of the arach and Shadow Reaver rolling through the crowd.
“How did you find us?” a woman asked defensively as they started toward Kaylia.
“Beatrix opened a portal for us,” Cole replied.
“Beatrix is alive!” another blurted, and someone else started sobbing and whispering, “Thank you,” repeatedly.
“She is,” Lexi said.
She almost said, so is her daughter, but caught herself in time. Someone here might have seen the child stabbed; there would be too many questions if they learned the child lived.
They’d only taken a few steps toward Kaylia when the whispers reached her. Kaylia rested her hand on the ground as she turned toward them.
Blood smeared her beautiful face. A bruise the size of an apple and a lump nearly as big marred her right cheek. The swelling in her eye was so bad Lexi doubted she could see out of it.
Blood plastered her clothes to her, and as she rose, she swayed a little before steadying herself. Lexi rushed to close the distance between them. She stretched out a hand to grab her friend as Kaylia sank to her knees.
