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Volkan pulled the shrine away as Tania told us what the plant looked like. Volkan wore his armor proudly and he was adorned with weapons. I had nothing because there was no time. We walked towards the doorway, Volkan by my side. The door was there, shimmering in the air, a barrier that seemed impossible to pass. I hadn’t been able to get through it the last time, so I wasn’t sure how this was going to work now. I closed my eyes and reached out, trying to think of Gonshu as Tania said, even though the image of that beast filled my heart with terror. I felt the warm tingling sensation against my palm and tried to press forward, but when I did, I could feel the resistance. The more I concentrated the harder it seemed to be able to break through, and in the end, I pulled my hand away and cursed in frustration.
“I can’t do it,” I said bitterly.
“Try again,” Volkan said.
“Isn’t there another way?”
“There is no other way! I know you have no fondness for him, but he is like a brother to me. Please, have pity, please try. This pride will not be the same without him. I am not ready to say goodbye to him yet,” he said. I looked into his eyes, and I saw the raw emotion within them. It reminded me of the way I felt when I had to run from my parents. Sorrow bloomed within my heart, and I nodded quietly, knowing that I owed him this much because, if it was within my power to help, then I should help. I repositioned myself and raised both hands to the door. I closed my eyes again and I thought of Gonshu, fighting back against the grim dread that laced my heart. I thought of Axanar as well. I thought of him lying on the branch above me, telling me how he had to kill his father. I thought of him rushing into battle against a beast like Gonshu without any hesitation, purely because it was the duty of the Alpha. I thought about him putting himself in danger to save me. I thought about what he had whispered to me.
Then, suddenly, I felt something shift in the air. The tingling sensation spread up my arm and a warm light bathed me. I opened my eyes to see that instead of a murky space shimmering in front of me there was another world, one made of dark mountains and a black sky, with a sun that burned like coal.
“You’ve done it,” Volkan gasped.
“Let’s go while it’s there,” I said. He stepped through first, and then I went after him.
We were then in another world.
*
I coughed as we left the shrine behind. I looked behind me and the door faded into nothingness.
“I hope you can open it again so we can get back,” Volkan said. I nodded. I think I was beginning to understand now. The doorway was linked to my emotions. When I had first gone through the shrine, I had been so afraid and I wanted to go somewhere that was safe. Deep in my mind, I must have remembered the stories Mom told me about a place where lions could live without fear of being hunted by humans, and that’s what had made me able to find a way to Orestes. It was as though I could reach through the universe and find the place I needed to go.
And here we were, in this bleak world. The sky was dark, the air was thick. The ground was devoid of vegetation, at least from what we could see. Mountains rose, jagged in the air, almost as though they wanted to tear a hole through the sky.
“Let’s find this plant and get the hell out of here,” Volkan said.
“I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as we think,” I said, looking up. It seemed as though a black mass was coming towards us along the ground, but when I peered closer, I could see that it was actually a swarm of spiders crawling along the rocks, heading right into our direction. Volkan cursed and nocked an arrow. He started firing at them, but there were so many it didn’t seem to make a difference.
“Find that plant. Now,” he said.
I looked around in panic, worried that we might be in a part of this world that was far from a plant. However, my subconscious had brought me to a place where we were close to the plant. I turned around and saw one behind us. It was a large flower with orange petals, and it was stark against the bleak backdrop of Gonshu’s world. I ran towards it and went to pluck it from the ground, although it was more difficult than I imagined. I had to use two hands. My flagging muscles had been drained of strength and I had to find more than I ever knew I had to pull it from the ground, roots and all, but eventually I managed to tear them from the cold stone. If I had more time then I might have been amazed at how life could grow even in this barren place, but I knew we had to get back.
“I’ve got it!” I cried out, and Volkan breathed with relief. He moved backwards as the onrushing swarm of spiders continued towards him.
“You’d better get that door open now,” he said.
I breathed slowly and calmed my mind. I thought of the tower and the shrine. I thought of the sense of safety that had taken me there in the first place, and I thought of Axanar laying prone in bed awaiting the cure.
“We need to go now!” Volkan cried out. I felt the urgency in his voice, and then my eyes snapped open again. The door opened and we ran through, but some of the spiders scuttled in with us. They rushed out into the shrine and Tania screamed. Marrin was there though, and he squished them, doing his duty as protector of the shrine. I ran through to her and handed her the flower. She thanked me and rushed away, ready to make it into the antidote.
Devoid of strength, I then fell into Volkan’s arms and felt ready to sleep for a thousand years.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Volkan
I carried Kara back to my chambers, which were more comfortable than her own. I laid her on the bed and then fetched some food and drink. By the time I returned she had stirred, although she seemed half asleep.
“I should not be awake right now,” she said.
“I think your body hungers. Here, have something to eat,” I said, offering her food. She rose into a sitting position, although she slumped against the wall. I sat beside her.
“I think I’m just worried about Axanar. I might be needed to walk through worlds again.”
“What you did was impressive. To see that was to see a miracle,” I said, unable to hide the awe from my voice. She seemed a little abashed by it, and turned away, blushing.
“Kara, you just opened a doorway to another world. Do you see now why Axanar valued you so highly?” I asked.
