But I still sensed extra magic coming to me from Crispin, maybe a lingering effect of my focus on him. Either way, as I released the magic, the cool light of a portal erupted. I squinted my eyes at its brightness, waiting for it to settle into place like in the goblin realm. But instead ittuggedat me. I wasn’t creating a proper pathway, I wastraveling.
Crispin grabbed on to me last minute, making the magic flare brighter. The other guys reached for me too, but their hands seemed to pass right through me.
Then we were gone, in a suspended state for several heartbeats before touching down on lush green grass. My knees gave out and I slumped to the ground. I could feel the energy in the place, like Emerald Heights, only more. So much more. We must have come to a different place than the pocket realm because I didn’t recognize the trees.
My pulse kicked up, but I willed it to slow. We were fine. I had the Realm Breaker in my hand. I hadn’t stabbed myself with it when I fell. We could make it back to Emerald Heights as soon as we recovered.
Crispin stood, then offered me a hand up.
I took it, my vision clouding then returning. Whatever we’d done, it had required a lot of energy. Even with the help of the guys, I felt totally drained, so maybe we wouldn’t be returningright away. “What the hells happened?” I asked.
Crispin’s eyes were narrowed, gazing out toward the horizon. The sun, just one sun, was at its full height in the sky, but it was a cool day. Cooler than it had been in Emerald Heights. A lone bird sang an unusual, melancholy song from one of the nearby trees. The tree looked like a sycamore, but its bark was a more perfect white, and its large leaves were vibrant yellow.
“I could feel you tugging on my magic,” Crispin said. “I think you placed a little too much intent on me, and not on creating the pathway.”
“Vain much?” I glanced around again, trying to get my bearings.
“Eva, you brought us all the way to my home realm.”
I whipped around, my eyes wide.
He lifted a hand and roots shot out of the ground, then writhed around him like giant worms, dripping clods of dirt.
“You can do that on earth too,” I accused.
“With great effort, and at great cost to myself.” He wiggled his fingers, and the roots danced. “This costs me next to nothing. The magic here is in my blood.”
I studied Crispin, who should be excited, but was frowning. That frown alone let me know this was not the best thing that could have happened.
13
We started walking. I was going to need a place to rest before I could attempt bringing us back, so hopefully the other guys wouldn’t worry too much.
Oh, who was I kidding? Gabriel was probably tearing his hair out. Mistral would be worried but not showing it. And Sebastian… Well he at least would probably give me decent odds and not concern himself too much.
Either way I needed a moment, so we might as well investigate and see if there were any shadow creatures around, or if the realm was safe and secure for a fresh pathway.
“How do you know where to go?” I asked. Crispin was leading the way, and he seemed to not need to think on which direction we went, even though the lush grass dampening his pant legs showed no path.
“Because this is where I’m from.”
I stopped walking and stared at his back for a moment, then hurried to catch up. “Wait, didn’t you like, live at the royal court?”
He glanced at me as I caught up to his side, then turned away, his expression guarded. “Not the place I left. This is the place Igrew up. I told you, you were thinking too much of me when you tried to make the pathway.”
I crossed my arms and stopped walking, this time waiting long enough that he stopped too. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“In this case, it is.” He still wasn’t facing me, but he wasn’t walking away either.
“Why are you so cranky? You would think you’d be happy to be back.”
He finally spun on me, panic flashing in his eyes. “You had all of our magic to get us here, Eva. To get us back, you only have me.”
Taken aback, I lifted my brows. “And are you not enough?” He had already proven his magic was stronger here. And he had traveled to earth on his own before, without me or the Realm Breaker.
Jaw tense, he looked away again.
“You’re not upset about us being here alone,” I said. “You’re just upset about us beinghere.” I gestured vaguely at the surrounding trees.
