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“We haven’t incurred their wrath, but we respect the boundaries between what is ours and what belongs to the gods and goddesses. We try to preserve peace.”
Witches don’t like violence. That fits the whole boho-hippie vibe. Peace and love and magic.
“Then there’s the vampire territory.”
“They sound terrifying.”
She smirks. “The vampires aren’t so bad, at least not when they’re feeding off of pleasure instead of blood.”
My stomach quivers. I don’t know why these creatures frighten me given who I’m mated to, but blood makes me queasy.
“Monster, vampire, folk, magic… wolves?” I’m pretty sure Orcus mentioned something about Hecate and shifters, but I’ve been processing a lot of new information.
“The Weres. Werewolves. Werebears.”
“Werebirds?”
She grimaces. “The birds don’t survive long there.”
I was kidding, but damn. Poor things.
“How do you know all this?”
She lifts a shoulder. “School. Magic.”
“Right,” I say with an embarrassed laugh. “I forgot about the mind-reading stuff.”
“We call it scouring, but yes. That and the occasional Hecate-blessed prophecy are how I know so much. There’s also an inter-territory council that works to maintain peace.”
“Like NATO?”
“Never heard of him.” She adjusts her flower crown.
I brush my toes over the grass which is shaded by the giant tree with broad Kelly-green leaves in Zyla’s yard. The shadows move and I frown. The wind isn’t blowing, but the shadows converge, shaping into an arm that reaches out of the grass and grabs for my toes.
My heart stutters and my breath catches in my throat. I yank my foot up, barely dodging the hand.
Zyla hisses and mutters something in what sounds like Latin. Gold magic shoots out of the tip of her finger, hitting the shadow arm. The fingers contort as the hand convulses, writhing in pain. Threads of magic wrap around the darkness, criss-crossing until the shape bursts apart and the shadows dissipate.
Releasing a harsh exhale, Zyla searches me for any sign of injury. “There is another realm you should know about. The Nether Realm. Do not flirt with the unknown or it will come for you before your time.”
“I wasn’t flirting! I was just running my toes through the grass.”
Her gaze narrows on me, reprimanding. “You admired the shade so much that you wanted to touch it?”
I pause. “Okay, yes, but I didn’t wink at it or anything.”
“It would be wise for you to ignore the unknown when you see it. Once the Nether Realm claims you, there is no coming back.”
Like death? I definitely wasn’t trying to die. I side-eye the shadows but look away after a second, fearing the shadows might come back for me. My pulse flutters. A comforting heat wraps around me. My gaze finds Orcus’ and he nods, letting me know he’s here if I need him. I send a shot of sunshine down the bond in thanks.
“How will I know it’s unknown when I see it?” I ask Zyla.
Forehead wrinkling, she shakes her head. “Your world doesn’t teach you these things?”
“It’s a lot different. There is no magic, at least not like this, and the only monsters are human.”
“Hmm. Interesting.” Zyla considers this before continuing. “The unknown is the shimmer of something in the corner of your vision. It’s the darkness forming into shadow creatures. It’s the invisible hand trailing over your back. When the unknown takes an interest before your time, you ignore it. Erebus’ creatures might be curious, but they don’t claim souls unless they’re beckoned.”
