Page 190 of Volik

Not a flicker of gold. No hint of the rectangle of doom.

Nothing.

“What happens if something accidentally walked through it from the back?”

“Nothing would happen.”

I look up at Volik, who is now at my side. “Are you sure?”

Rustling comes from the tree beside us.

We both turn our heads, and I step back, bumping into Volik.

But all that appears is a squirrel.

It clings to the tree trunk as it lets out a string of rodent shouts at us.

Volik hisses at it.

Before the squirrel, or I, can react to that, Volik lifts his hand, and the squirrel goes flying through the air.

I watch, mouth agape, as the furry creature flies through the blank space that should be the back side of the portal.

Nothing happens to it.

It doesn’t make a special sound as it passes through the invisible barrier. Doesn’t bounce off. Doesn’t disappear. Just floats through.

Then, on the other side, it slowly lowers to the ground as Volik, thankfully, sets it down gently.

I turn to the man beside me. “Did you just hiss at that poor thing before flinging him from his tree?”

“Da.” Volik looks down to where the squirrel is now trying to bite through the toe of his shoe. “Can I kill him now?”

“No.” I shake my head but can’t stop my smile. “He might not be smart, but he’s got guts.”

Volik takes a step.

The squirrel clings to the top of his shoe.

Another step. The creature doesn’t let go.

Volik lifts his foot and shakes it.

The squirrel chitters his displeasure, still hanging on.

Volik sighs as he looks at me.

I shake my head.

He lifts his foot higher, grips the squirrel, looks at me again, then tosses the fur ball through the front side of the portal.

“Volik!”

“He is fine.” Volik takes my hand. “Dread can deal with him.”

I side-eye my mate as we start to walk again. “Does Dread just stand on the other side the whole time?”

There’s a squeak, then the sound of something small landing in the grass behind us.