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I look up at him incredulously, wondering why the hell he won’t turn back to warn my mate about the enormous swarm of Malev demons headed his way, but I know deep down he’s right. They’ve been patrolling every day for weeks, and this isn’t the first mob of Malevs they’ve seen. Azarius wouldn’t run straight into them.
But it doesn’t help my nerves.
“You are my priority, Princess,” He says, changing course and taking us left to keep plenty of space between us and the Malevs. “Azarius would agree with me. I need to get you to the mansion and out of sight. If I was worried about him, I promise I’d turn back, but he can handle himself.”
I frown, but there’s no arguing with him. I could kick and scream and demand he turn around, but what good would it do? We’re already putting me in danger by leaving the mansion in the first place. Landing when there are Malevolents in the area is stupid on all counts.
“Fine.” I concede, not that it matters. He’s going to do whatever he wants anyway. I just have to go along with it.
My curiosity trumps my fear of heights, and I keep my eyes glued to the Malevs as we make our way around them. From this height it’s impossible to make out details, but I swear I can almost hear snarling and the cacophony of them shuffling together on the wind. That, or I’m imagining it. Either way, it makes my heart race.
I’ve seen Malevolent demons. When I stumbled through the portal and landed in this realm the first time, I got my first glance of one and it tried its best to kill me. If it weren’t for Azarius, it would have succeeded. Then, when they broke into Rafe’s mansion to kidnap me, I got my first glimpse of them working together, intent on kidnapping me. But this is completely different. The realness and severity of the war raging in this realm suddenly weighs on me, and I’m unable to escape the fear.
If this is just one group of Malevs, and there are countless more to come, this fight is bigger than I could have even imagined.
How can the monsters possibly win this fight?
Finally, the group fades into the distance and the gnarled woods surrounding Rafe’s mansion appear on the opposite horizon. As grateful as I am to escape the confines of my home for a while, the familiar scene is a relief. It brings with it a sense of security, even though I know it isn’t unbreachable. The enemy did it once, and they could do it again.
But still, as we soar over the twisted canopy of the trees and the pointed spires of the mansion come into view, I breathe a slight sigh of relief.
We touch down near the garden at the back of the mansion, which seems to be the guys’ favorite place to reconvene. It’s close to the secret entrance at the corner and also gives us a wide view of the trees.
Now, we just have to wait for Azarius to find his way home. If we have to wait too long, I’ll send Elio back out to look for him. My nerves can’t handle not knowing if he’s alright.
“Why don’t you go bathe and get that nesda juice off you?” Elio asks, cocking his head to the side as he watches me stare into the tree line.
I shake my head. “I’m too nervous to do anything but wait.”
He sighs and places a comforting arm around me. “I promise he’ll be fine, Princess. It shouldn’t take him very long to catch up.”
Despite the reassurance, I can’t move. My feet are rooted to the ground, as firmly planted as any of the trees surrounding Rafe’s mansion. My eyes slowly scan the dark gaps between the tree trunks, desperately searching for any sign of chalky white skin or movement.
The minutes crawl by, and my heart gallops steadily in my chest. Elio stands close by, refusing to leave me outside alone even though I know he’s desperate for a shower.
“You should go look for him, Elio,” I say, swallowing hard. “Hasn’t it been long enough? Surely he would have been here by now.”
“Not necessarily,” he argues. “If he went around them, that would have at least doubled his travel time. Or he might have stopped to investigate. Don’t worry.”
Don’t worry. That’s a lot easier said than done when it feels like a piece of your heart has been ripped out and tossed to the enemy as an appetizer. My fingers tremble and I wring my hands to steady them.
“Can’t you just fly up high enough to see if you see him?” I plead, turning to stare up at his stern expression.
“Yes, but it might just be a beacon to any Malevs in the area. If I’m spotted, it’ll lead them straight here,” he explains, reaching to brush his fingers along my jawline.
Shit. I hadn’t thought of it that way. It’s true, they could have seen us arriving, but reemerging would be an easy way to tell them exactly where we are.
“He shouldn’t be much longer,” Elio assures me, and I try hard to believe him. I do.
But the nagging feeling clawing through my limbs, bubbling beneath my skin like acid won’t stop. I can’t stand the incessant anxiety, and I know that if Azarius doesn’t show up soon, I’ll explode.
More minutes crawl by.
It’s hard to keep track of time in this realm, but I know the twin suns overhead have fallen lower in the sickly green sky. Waiting is like watching paint dry–excruciating with no end in sight. I’m finally considering heading inside to distract myself from the unending worry when a sound erupts from the woods.
A rustling in the underbrush and the sharp cracking and snapping of branches makes my heart jump into my throat, and I look up nervously at Elio who hasn’t budged.
“Is it Az?” I ask breathlessly.
