I couldn’t think about what it would soon smell like with all those animals and amsirah down there. We’d known it would be awful when we chose this place, but it had also been the safest option.
“Go back to the others,” I said. “I’ll be back soon.”
“And what if you don’t come back? What if we lose you too?” Scarlet asked.
“You won’t lose me. Even if this goes wrong, I’ll return. Those gargoyles won’t take me down.”
“Do you think you could fight them off?” Ianto asked.
“A lightning bearer did before, and I will too.”
Scarlet and Ianto exchanged a look before Scarlet squeezed my arm. “Be safe.”
I hugged her before turning to Ianto. “I have to go.”
He looked as though he was about to argue further but decided against it. “Don’t be gone long.”
“I won’t.”
Luna stepped forward and rested her hand on my arm. “I don’t know exactly what’s happening, but Iwillgo with you.”
“Thank you, but I have to do this alone.”
“Okay. Good luck.”
“Thank you.”
I smiled at all of them before stepping back to open a portal. I didn’t look back as I walked into it.
CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
Ellery
My lightning crackledbetween my fingers when I emerged from the portal. I doubted any of the duke’s guards had made it to this section of the forest yet, but I’d destroy anyone close by.
My eyes darted around as I lifted my hands to unleash hell. The only things greeting me were the distant hoots of an owl, the trees, and a set of yellow eyes that vanished behind a wall of briars.
I braced myself while I waited for something to attack, but the fading snap of twigs told me the creature was moving away. I still didn’t lower my guard as I waved my portal closed and turned in a circle to survey the woods once more.
Nothing stirred nearby, and the sounds of the forest remained the same. If the duke’s soldiers were nearby, those sounds would have ceased or increased into an angry frenzy.
When I was certain I was safe for at least a little bit, I shifted my attention to the massive, intertwined trees. The space beneath their connected boughs was darker than the rest of the forest as little moonlight penetrated their thick canopy.
I stood at the edge of the aisle they’d created as I waited for something to happen, but nothing did. The black dog didn’t return, the trees didn’t rustle as they sometimes did, and no roots poked out of the earth to beckon me forth.
The stillness unnerved me more than their movement. I didn’t know what would happen when I walked beneath them again.
They could be done with me after what happened earlier. They could decide they wouldn’t take me down to the tunnel, or maybe they’d choose to crush me instead.
I gulped at the idea and resisted tugging at the collar of the cloak Ruby had given me. My heart raced, and my palms were unnaturally sweaty for the wintry night, but these trees couldn’t know how shaken I was.
I suspected they didn’t appreciate weakness, and while they had no eyes to see—at least I didn’t think they did—they sensed things. I eyed the knots in some of their trunks and branches, maybe they could somehow see out of those.
And then I decided I didn’t want to know anything more about these unnatural creations. I only needed them to take me to the gargoyles.
They wouldn’t harm me if I was here to do what the forest asked. I just hoped the woods were on our side; the last thing we needed wasmoreenemies.
Taking a steadying breath, I threw back my shoulders and strode out beneath the canopy of branches. I kept waiting for the roots to start emerging, but nothing happened as I walked toward the middle of the aisle.
