The cool night air was gone, replaced by the warm breeze of spring carrying hints of blooming flowers and something sweetly elusive. The stars that once dotted the sky had vanished, replaced by a brilliant sun and two faint moons. Sunlight filtered into the clearing where I stood, casting a soft glow through trees that seemed far larger here than in my own world. These trees wore a lush canopy of leaves in vibrant emerald hues, with shapes and textures that were both foreign and mesmerizing, like the colors themselves had been dialed up and saturated. This place, so vividly alive, seemed touched by magic.
As I stood there, the tug in my stomach finally quieted. It took a moment to process what I’d just done. Portals, fleeting and unpredictable, never lingered in one place for long. Carlo had tracked them by following the mysterious attacks they left in their wake, popping up sporadically across the country-one on the East coast, only to close and reappear three years later in Valle d’Aosta. There was no way to predict a portal’s next location, and yet here I was, stepping through one like it was as simple as crossing a street.
I reached out mentally, hoping to find Chiara and Enrico through the mind-link, but the connection wasn’t there. My wolf, still active and stirring, reassured me, yet the link to my pack was lost. And, strangely, the mate-bond with Leonardo remained, though I couldn’t sense him directly. Theories spun in my mind, each one wilder than the last.
The frustration brewing inside me shifted as I eyed the portal behind me. Its shimmering edges still fluttered in the warm breeze, inviting me to turn back. I could race through, return to Leonardo before it closed, take the safe path back home. Yet something deep inside resisted; the pull that had brought me here urged me to stay. Just a quick look, I told myself. It couldn’t hurt.
All I knew of the Fae came from myths and half-told tales. Some said the Fae couldn’t lie, though no one had ever truly confirmed that. Of all the stories, one truth remained: creatures from this realm-some wielding magic, others with claws, fangs, or poison-were dangerous. This was the birthplace of the monsters that haunted my world, slipping through the portals to leave chaos and death. Suddenly, the forest felt stifling, and I scanned the trees with wary eyes, expecting something lurking within their depths.
A soft, ethereal song floated on the air, sweet and rich like thick date syrup. The sound was captivating, beautiful, yet hauntingly sharp beneath its delicate notes. I turned from the portal, drawn toward the melody that seemed to fill the forest around me. It felt as if every creature had stilled, leaving just the song and me. Near a small river, I spotted her-a woman crouched over the water, gathering stones into a woven basket. I kept my distance, hidden behind a thick tree. The woman’s hair, shimmering silver, cascaded down her back, and her robe clung to her figure, hinting at graceful curves beneath. Her song, both mesmerizing and dangerous, filled the space.
The woman turned slightly, her face partially visible in the dappled light. Radiant from within, her skin seemed to glow, and her eyes, veiled by a milky haze, told me she was blind. For all their otherworldly beauty, her features-a heart-shaped face, full lips, pointed ears-felt unsettling.
I shifted my weight, and the soft crack of a twig snapped beneath me. I froze. Her singing continued undisturbed, and she turned back to the water. I let out a silent sigh of relief.
“Enough exploring.” Blue’s voice echoed in my mind, caution in every word. “We’ve been gone long enough. Let’s go back while the portal’s still there.”
I knew she was right, but just as I prepared to leave, the song stopped. A sudden silence blanketed the forest, and dread tightened in my chest. The woman’s back was still turned, yet her posture had gone rigid. I watched as she let a stone drop into the river with a soft splash, and every nerve in my body screamed at me to run.
“Hello, dear,” she rasped. Her voice, once melodic, now grated like cracked glass. “You’re far from home.”
She turned, and I stumbled back. Her once-smooth skin sagged, aging before my eyes, her silver hair dulling to a lifeless gray. Her hands, gnarled and claw-like, curled with long, sharp nails. Her teeth, yellowed and decaying, spread in a grim smile as her milky eyes fixed on me. The sweet scent had soured, replaced by something metallic and rancid.
I turned and bolted, Blue’s voice thundering in my mind. “Get to the portal! Now, Isabella!”
I didn’t look back, even as I heard the crunch of footsteps close behind. The branches lashed at me, the once-bright leaves now feeling sharp and menacing, as though the forest itself was trying to trap me. The ground seemed to pull at my feet, or maybe it was the sheer terror that slowed me.
Just as I burst into the clearing, the portal shimmered ahead, fragile and flickering. I lunged toward it, feeling gnarled fingers brush my hair as I threw myself through. I tumbled through, my body crashing into icy water on the other side. The shock jolted me, numbing me back to reality. Soaked and shivering, I scrambled out of the river and collapsed onto dry ground, gasping.
My eyes scanned the area, half-expecting the woman’s twisted figure to emerge from the portal. But the shimmering fabric was gone, and relief washed over me. I’d escaped. The portal had lingered just long enough to close behind me. But as I caught my breath, I realized the sun was high, the air thick with midday warmth.
Night had only just fallen when I left. My heart sank. How much time had passed since I entered the Fae realm?