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I had a hard time believing this was random. But then again, I had a hard time guessing who else might’ve sent a shadow creature for me with one exception: Sylas.
“Give him my regards,” I said as I pulled tight on the magic binding the shadow creature. I’d done nothing like this before. The shadowed flames I’d wielded in Cassius’s manor were wild and nearly uncontrollable. This was precise, with specific intent. “Tell him to stay the hell away from my king.”
I squeezed hard on the magic, and the shadow creature froze for a split second before exploding in shadowy ectoplasm that spewed everywhere. Not quite blood, not quite shadow, and yet and dark and messy as both. All that remained was its head.
Bile slicked the back of my throat. I swallowed it down and tried not to heave or move too quickly.
I was about to curse the creature out when a pinprick of crimson light caught my eye. The light expanded into a thin ring until a portal appeared with Kithonia beyond.
I picked up the head of the shadow demon creature with a bit of magic—I was absolutelynotgoing to touch this thing with my bare hands—and chucked it through the portal before getting ready to walk through it.
As I got close to the churning crimson magic, the hair on my arms stood up. A chill ran down my spine. I narrowed my eyes and glanced over my shoulder, scanning the streets behind me. It felt like something was watching me. Like something wasclose, too.
I listened. Several long moments passed, but I heard nothing. Not even normal city sounds. Silence like this was unnatural.
“Hello?” I asked, honestly not expecting something hidden and watching to respond. But I at least wanted it—whatever it was—to know I knew it was there.
Because somethingwashere, right? Somewhere?
I kept scanning the streets. The feeling of being watched didn’t go away.
A shiver coursed down my spine again, shaking my whole body. That was enough of a confirmation for me.
I hopped through the portal before whatever was there watching me appeared. A few minutes ago, I might have assumed Sylas had somehow gotten here to Earth at the same time as me. That he’d have sent that creature after me, but stayed around to watch. But that feeling… it wasn’t like a shadow demon’s aura, or even a normal magic aura.
It was otherworldly. Higher, a much different sort of powerful entity just… watching.
“Aisling?” Karn asked as I made it back to Kithonia.
Both he and Mrak were waiting on the other side, both looking happy and ready to welcome me home. The happiness faded as Karn studied me closer, concern in his eyes. Then Mrak saw the head I’d dropped and me covered in shadowy viscera.
Mrak growled deep in his throat. He charged toward me. “What happened? Are you hurt?”
I tossed the head closer to their feet and dispersed my magic as the portal snapped shut behind me. I met Karn’s gaze and raised my chin. “You can tell your people that your future queen is a warrior.” Then to Mrak, “Sylas is getting ready to move. He took Willa. He sent thisthingafter me. It’s only a matter of time.”
