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"Chaos," Lucian muttered under his breath, and I felt a pang of shame as if I were responsible.
When we got to the barrier, we could see empty streets littered with debris from damaged buildings beyond it. It looked like a storm had passed through the city. And there wasn’t a soul in sight.
“There,” Rehema said, pointing, and I caught a glimpse of the black cloak of a Kruard before he vanished.
I wondered how long it had taken to get the riots under control and everyone home for the lockdown.
“Zeus said they’d be making the announcement at dawn in the remaining two cities,” I said, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone. Just then, a man in a green robe decorated with gold patterns came walking quickly towards us. “I wonder how that’s going.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t turn out like this,” Rumir said, “especially in the City of Souls, where there are far more people.”
I assumed the god approaching us was Cuznir—at least, I hoped he was. He held his hands high above his head, and a rip appeared in the barrier, opening wide enough for us to slip through. We moved quickly before it closed.
Almost immediately, the strong smell of smoke and the horrible scent of the infected hit me like a bat to the head. It was as if the city was swarming with them.
As for Cuznir, he was as tall as the other gods and had gray eyes and curly ash-brown hair with a few curls that fell over his forehead.
He eyed me for a second before looking at the others. "Follow me. We must move quickly."
“What’s the state of things?” Rumir asked as we walked briskly to keep up with him.
“We got the upper city under control just three hours ago, when several infected animals went on a rampage. Only then did the rioting souls realize something was wrong. They returned home quickly after that,” Cuznir answered.
I frowned, seeing a patch on the ground that looked suspiciously like dried blood.
“The underground is still being searched for any infected, but for now, things are under control."
We continued in silence, and as we walked briskly through the empty streets, I caught sight of a Kruard now and then.
Urgron City looked very plain, though not in a bad way. The buildings were simple yet beautiful, and because the city had been built around the trees, it felt like part of the land.
As we walked, a door opened, and a fae woman with a child clinging to her leg, both with beige clothes thrown over their heads, paused when they saw us. Cuznir shook his head at the woman.
“I’m sorry,” Cuznir said. “You’ll have to remain indoors for now. It’s safer.”
The little boy stepped back and tugged on his mother’s hand.
There was fear in their eyes, and it ate away at me. They were both wearing gold bracelets that signified that they had been born in this realm and were, therefore, new to this type of horror.
Back when I was alive on Earth, everyone—humans and supernaturals alike—were taken off-guard by the vampire attacks. Supernaturals had believed vampires were extinct, and the humans never thought they had existed at all.
So I was intimately familiar with what it felt like to have the impossible suddenly become possible.
This might be the afterlife, but I felt like I was on Earth right now.
We continued on our way until we came to two golden pillars, each guarded by a Kruard. The pillars were joined by a singular gold wall between them, making the structure appear like a shrine of sorts.
“This is the entrance to the underground,” Cuznir said before turning to me. "Best of luck, Natalie. I hope you find the help you need."
I nodded, not sure what to say, and he held his hand out, signaling me forward. “Hydum’s a Dextura, tall and thin with a straight face and a voice that sounds like nails dragging across a chalkboard. You'll know him when you see him."
Lucian nodded his thanks to Cuznir and moved to walk ahead of me. He stepped through the wall as if it wasn't there, and Rehema followed.
I went next with Rumir resting a hand on my back.
I appreciated the support. Because I had a feeling I’d be totally unprepared for what I’d find on the other side.
