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My eyes adjusted slowly to the bright light that seemed to beam down on me from all angles. Squinting, I could make out that the floor was no longer marble. Instead, it was dusty and dry and grainy.
Sand.
My body temperature was quickly rising, sweat gathering on my forehead as the sun, or suns, as I noticed when I looked around, were blazing, burning me.
I stood slowly and looked around for my gods or a familiar face or place. I couldn’t see anything I recognized. However, I could see the disgust on the faces of the populace, people with shimmering skin, like scales, yellow, and they all stared at me.
A different realm.
Someone yelled in the distance. That was something I recognized. The sound of a slave getting a beating.
I ran toward it, and the crowd parted as though I were diseased. It unsettled me, but I was also grateful, as it made my sprint to the voices much easier.
In the distance, I saw a human female cowering beneath the whip of her owner.
Humans don’t travel the dimensions. How is there one here? Is this one of those missing people?
“Leave her alone, Creath.” The booming voice drew my attention, and there he was—Thos.
He was bigger than I remembered, as scarred as I was, and his voice was deeper. But there was no mistaking the chip in his front tooth—my fault for playing too rough with him—and the same golden skin, the same white hair as I had, marking us from the same family. His was shorter and had a curl to it as he raced toward the human to protect her.
He’s alive.
“Thos!” I called out, and when his eyes met mine, I smiled. I was so thankful he was alive and well, so glad to see him grown, that I hadn’t thought about the consequences of my actions.
He was distracted and therefore open to attack. I opened my mouth to warn him as Creath moved to strike him with a collection of thin wires, but I was suddenly jerked away and back to see the gods in front of me.
“No! Thos! Is he all right?” I demanded.
“He has suffered worse.” Charos shrugged.
My poor little brother.My heart cried out for him, but I needed to save my soul pair before I added anyone else to the list, even if doing so would mark my spirit.
I tried to reorganize my thoughts. “There was a human. Why was there a human?”
Charos shrugged again. “Weak people from all dimensions are being picked off and sold for slavery.”
“We showed you your brother so that you will train quickly and save your people, your brother included.” Riseir narrowed his eyes at me as though expecting me to refuse. But I could only see how this would benefit me. I would save all the people I loved, be a hero, have power, and be the hands of the gods.
I couldn’t see a trap or trick or any repercussions.
They are alive? All of them? I can save them.
Hope and happiness filled my heart and lifted me to my feet. “I will. I’ll do anything and everything in my power to save them,” I swore.
“Then we have a deal,” they said unanimously. Ominously. I shuddered.
With a flash of light, I was back in the human realm in the pool of blood, which now surrounded my soul pair and her witch.
Clawdia was cold when I touched her. I tried not to let that panic me.
“Charlie!” I screamed.
I focused my attention back on Clawdia.
“Little Cat, don’t worry. We are going to save you. Just hold on to me.”
CHAPTER29
