“What realm is that? There’s no label,” I ask.
“No one knows. None who have gone through the portal have ever returned. It’s why we have contained the humans until you succeed in your latest mission. We are not comfortable sending powerless humans into an unknown realm.”
“How close is the next portal that will lead us back?” Jayden asks.
“The problem with that is it’s a two-day trek to the next closest portal that goes here to the realm of dragon shifters. Time works differently here, though, so what may be two daysfor you could be two months for your realm.” Rosaline wrings her hands.
“Wait, did you say dragons?” Raven perks up, bouncing in her seat. “I want to see a dragon.”
“We don’t have time and they might not even help us get home. The unknown realm touches ours so it probably has a portal.” I shake my head at her.
“But B, there are dragons,” Raven pouts.
“We can explore other realms after we win a war.” I pat her shoulder.
“Fine, we’re going into the unknown, again. Yay,” she says, sarcasm dripping from her tone.
“I know, I get it. I want to see dragon shifters too but we’re on a never-ending time crunch.” I roll my shoulders back.
“I know. We just have to survive a war, and then I’m finding a way to realm hop to see all the things.” Raven grins.
“How far is the portal to the unknown realm?” Jayden asks, bringing the conversation back on track.
“A couple hours walk at most, but the guardians may not even let you through. They are particular about which beings enter into the unknown realm as no one ever to returns,” Rosaline says.
“We can handle some guardians. Do they know what you know?” I ask.
“Yes, they understand the stakes. With a show of power or force, they should let you through.”
“Why does this all feel too easy?” Jayden runs a hand through his hair.
“It won’t be easy. We have no idea what you will face on the other side of the portal. No one has ever returned.”
“Yes, you have said that multiple times. Reiterating it again and again isn’t productive,” I say.
“I don’t think you understand the gravity of this. What if we send you to this portal and you’re lost forever like the others? The realms will fall. All of them.”
“Seriously, I get it, okay? But if we take the chance on the farther portal, we may never make it to the actual portal before the realms fall because we will be gone for two months and Hermes will be unmade long before that. We have options but no great options.” I clench my hands into fists at my sides.
Jayden reaches over and wraps his hand around my closed fist. “Breathe, baby. We’re making the right choice.”
“I’m just tired of everyone trying to dictate to me all the time even as they all rely on me not to fuck up. Don’t make the wrong choice or the consequences will be dire, not just for me but the world. I’m fucking tired.” I lean my head back and stare at the ceiling to keep the tears at bay.
The pressure is too much. If one more person tells me what to do to save them, I may just do what Nereus is so scared of. I may just take off and say to hell with the realms.
“We’re going to the unknown realm. Talking about it isn’t helping matters,” Jayden says. “It’s the only way we can maybe make it back in time to save the world.”
“Thank you,” I say. “We just need to go and get this done. I’m done hearing everyone else’s opinions on what needs to be done. I’m doing what I think is best and fuck everything else.”
“I’m here for that plan. This shit is too much,” Raven says. “I just want to kill some monsters and win a damn war so we can take a long break.”
“That sounds like a perfect plan to me.” I nod.
“Okay, no more advice, just a map to get there, but be careful. You may encounter dires on your way through that forest.”
“Dires?” I ask.
“Wolves bigger than even your shifter wolves. They hunt in packs and can be vicious.” Rosaline shudders. “They don’t come this far south but they roam the lands around the portal.”
