AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His grin expands. “You really are unique. I don’t know how you’ve managed to stay hidden from everyone for so long.”
“What do you mean,stay hidden? I haven’t been hiding. Well, other than from those wolves, but for a good reason.”
He simply shrugs then nudges me toward my bedroom. “Go get changed into something that will help you blend in. Most of your outfits will probably work, but make sure not to wear bright colors. And pack a few extra outfits and whatever else you think you’ll need. Don’t pack too much, though, or the guards might get suspicious.”
I clutch the pass in my hand as I back toward my bedroom door. “While I’m really glad you got me one of these, you do know it’s only a twenty-four-hour pass, right?”
He flops down on the sofa and kicks his feet up onto the coffee table. “Yeah, but I want you to bring some extra stuff, just in case.”
“Just in case, what?” He’s acting strange. Well, stranger than normal.
He dithers. “Will you just trust me on this one?”
I nod. “But I am coming back, right?” I don’t know why, but I feel strangely disappointed by the idea. For all I know, the Midnight Realm is an awful place. Although, from the way Legend talks about it, it sounds like a lovely realm. Still, I’d be a human living in a land of night creatures, which is not only dangerous, but illegal. It’s the reason traveling passes are only granted for twenty-four access and why most people who travel can afford bringing their own bodyguards.
He glances at his watch. “Just hurry and go get dressed. We need to leave in half an hour.”
My stomach bubbles with nerves at his lack of an answer. Still, I walk into my room and get ready, hoping whatever we’re about to do doesn’t get me in trouble.
Or worse, he gets stuck in the Common Realm.
CHAPTER5
“Are you sure I look okay?” I fiddle with the hem of my short, black skirt as we make our way through the security line at the Midnight Realm portal.
My outfit is topped off with an off-the-shoulder, black velvet top; a choker; knee-high socks; and clunky heels. I also framed my teal eyes with kohl eyeliner and pinned one side of my hair back in braids and added hair rings. The look is a little over the top for me, unless I’m going out to a club, but Legend insisted I’d blend right in with everyone in the Midnight Realm. I doubted him at first, but now that we’re standing in line with a bunch of other moonlight creatures, I realize he was right.
Almost everyone is dressed in black, studded clothing, and most have inked skin or piercings, except for a few. I’m guessing those might be other travelers.
“Will you chill? You look lovely.” He tugs me with him as the line moves forward.
I continue to fidget all the way until we arrive at the glass window at the front of the line. Perched behind the glass is a giant of a man with startling blue hair and a jagged scar carves down his cheek. At first, I wonder if he’s an ogre, but then he plasters a fangy grin across his face.
“Legend, long time, no see, man.” He glides open the window and sticks out his hand for a fist bump.
“Yes, it has been a long fucking time.” Legend taps his knuckles against the big guy’s. “Too long.”
“I see you survived your sentence,” big guy jokes, pushing a few buttons on a massive translucent screen.
“Barely,” Legend quips, handing him his identification card. “Almost lost my sanity a few times.”
Big guy laughs as he scans the card through a metallic square box. “Yeah, I heard living in the Common Realm can do that to you.” He punches a few buttons on the screen. “I can’t wait until I get stationed at a different realm.”
Legend rests an arm on the countertop. “How long have you been here?”
“A few months,” the big guy replies, giving Legend back his card. “Usually, they stick most of the newbies at this portal entrance, but I was asked if I could come down for a few months because a few paranormals snuck in and they needed to up security. I don’t know why anything would sneak in. Most paranormals hate the Common Realm. There’s a reason we use it as a prison.”
Legend nods, his face set in concern. “Do you know what kind of paranormals they were?”
“I think it was werewolves,” big guy replies, adjusting his ID tag fastened to his shirt pocket.
A lump wedges in my throat. Werewolves snuck into the Common Realm?
No, there’s no way that has anything to do with me. Well, unless the werewolves hunting me were sent away from the Common Realm and needed to sneak back in to attack me.
Legend’s brows dip, but then his expression turns neutral as he stuffs his card into his pocket. “Is my entrance cleared?” he asks the big guy. “I’m more than ready to get the hell out of here.”
Big guy nods, pointing to our right at an object that reminds me of a full body scanner at the airport. The only difference is the inside of this scanner is glowing with a shimmering iridescent light that matches the traveling pass in my hand.
