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Auryn tugged on my ankle. “I don’t like this. I’m afraid you’ve taken too much damage. I’m afraid you’ve been stripped down to the nerves and everything hurts so much your judgement is clouded. You’re dauntless, and that’s what I love and fear most about you.”
“Someone’s going to get hurt either way if I don’t do something.”
“Exactly. And I’m afraid that you’re dangerously close tonothing to loseand don’t realize it.”
“Iamdesperate, and my judgementisfucked. But whatreallyscares me, I’m afraid Immoalen’s clients were on the other side of the war. If they were, we canneverlet them know we’re here.”
The throb of the echoes of pure fear from the blue dragon—the blue dragon had wanted no part of the clients. He’d only gone along with it because he’d trusted Immoalen to manage it. And Immoalen’s crew was the worst of the worst of theworst.
“You don’t know that,” Auryn said softly.
Desperation crawled at my throat. “But it’s possible, isn’t it? The Wyrms admit that there’s a real risk to who will answer the call. I’ve had a glimpse of who that might be. K’Dol knew what I was beforeweknew. Isn’t that something we should investigate?”
“I don’t like this,” Auryn said softly.
“Is your ego bruised the big mean portal knocked your human form off for attention?” Akoni asked.
“Promise me you will be careful,” Auryn said to me. “And that you willnotget drawn into a fight with it.”
“I havenointention of becoming the literal incarnation of #PangeaPandora,” I said. “But Iamgoing to tell Dekka what I’m going to do.”
Twenty-Three
Dekka took my informing her that I was going to go have a talk with the darkness better than expected.
“I do not want to have to explain to Mayriel why you’ve suddenly gotten over your fear of the portal,” Dekka said dryly.
“I’m still scared of it, but I figure I owe it to civilization to stick my head in there for one last look around.”
“And if after that there’s nothing?” She raised an expectant brow.
“I give up on the Gate,” I said.
She nodded. “Correct. And stasis remains an option.”
“No. Not on the table.” If human civilization was getting torched, I wasn’t sayingwake me when it’s over. I was going to watch in all its horrific glory until the feeds from topside went dark and silent.
“Be wary, little one, when the darkness smiles back,” Dekka said.
I wanted to ask if Dekka had sensed the presence in K’Dol, but decided against it. “I will be. I don’t want to get trapped in there. Or worse.”
I couldn’t imagine whatworse than trappedwould be, but the cosmos (and K’Dol) would probably have some ideas.
The portal hissed.Had it always hissed? It hissed. And the edges seemed to sizzle and tear at the rock as it formed and re-formed.
“Remember,” Keon said. When I didn’t immediately look at him, he turned me to face him. “Remember. Don’t linger. The longer you talk, the more risk you’re inviting. The better the chance you’re going to get lost,” he bent and whispered, “or manipulated.”
“Heard,” I whispered back. I held onto his hands.
“You can back out.”
“No.”
Akoni and Auryn, who had hung back so Keon could give me the last-minute low-magic pep talk, joined our huddle. Auryn held me close. He didn’t speak, but tendrils of magic caressed my cheek, his jade eyes distant and bright.
I brushed my own fingertips along his cheek, tendrils of chaotic gossamer brushing his skin. He smiled and leaned into it, even though the gossamer sank into the seething plasma. One of us consumed the other.
And we liked it that way.
