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The demons converged on Ferguson, who raised an eyebrow then disappeared into the pathway. Two-thirds of the demons disappeared before Deruthel yelled. “Stop! The rest must protect the king.”
The wolf clan regrouped and moved to one side of the cavern, and the demons regrouped on the other. Deruthel moved to the front of the demon horde, while Colton and Riley stood between them at the portal wall.
Deruthel approached warily. “This shadow is not a viable vessel. What are you planning?”
Colton smiled. “You will see soon enough. The ties to this world will take time to sever. I will take my woman in this body, but don’t worry, my son. I will be back for you soon.”
Deruthel’s face paled. He looked uncertain for the first time since Riley had met him. His father was the only thing he feared. The fact that he feared him in Colton’s body was concerning. “I will be ready.”
Colton grabbed Riley’s arm roughly. “Come with me.” They began to walk toward a tunnel. She winked at a wolf clan member who held his arm out to his fellow shadows, ensuring they didn’t interfere.
They had almost made it to the tunnel when the light from the portal flickered and went out. She turned as Deruthel growled. “That is not the king. He is an imposter!”
The demons attacked as the wolf clan rushed to meet the Horde. Colton pushed Riley behind him, grabbing his blade as a demon swiped at him with a clawed hand. His alpha emerged with his reaper blade in hand and he beheaded the startled jackal before turning to his next attacker.
Riley noticed how easily Colton killed the demon before surveying the remaining horde. They were composed of jackals and a few sicklings that had survived Deruthel’s purge. Had the king ordered the first generation to flee? Were they all chasing Ferguson? Something was off, but she couldn’t figure out what it was.
She noticed Deruthel, backing away. The demon general loved to fight. There was no shadow that could take him in combat, yet he looked panicked. He dissolved and entered a pathway before the remaining demons dissolved one by one and the shadows were left in the cavern alone with their fallen comrades.
Her shoulders sagged. She had done what she set out to do. The portal had closed permanently, but the realization of her actions hit her. “Dear god.”
Colton’s arms slipped around her waist. “What is it? Are you hurt?”
She shook her head. “I severed the portal ties. The demons are stuck here. I think there was more to it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ashkara was shocked. I said some words that I have never heard before. They popped into my mind as I closed the portal. I think I severed our world from all the realms.”
Colton touched her face. “That’s a good thing. We aren’t meant to travel to other worlds.”
She licked her lips. “I agree, but the demons are trapped here. They can’t move on even if they wanted to.”
“We knew this was a war.”
She clutched his arm. “It’s more than that now. Deruthel has plans to restructure this ecosystem to support both species. We will be food for the soldiers. The jackals will feed on the vorla and the vorla on our animal species. He plans to enslave us and breed us. We will be paired based on strengths and sustainable traits. It will be a dictatorship, unlike anything we could imagine.”
Colton rubbed his chin. “We have to annihilate the demons. This war will go on until their entire species is wiped from the earth.”
“It has to be soon. As soon as Deruthel can create sustainable breeders, it’s over for us. That is our only advantage right now. He can’t replenish his forces.”
He held her face in his hands. “You did the right thing. We have a chance against Deruthel. We didn’t against Ashkara.”
She swallowed hard, wanting to believe him. “Time will tell.”
