“There’s Fae coming through,” I said to Leonardo, urgency thick in my voice. “I think the invasion has begun.”
“Get back here, kitten. We’re stronger together.” His gravelly voice carried a worried edge, but the connection abruptly cut off as the portal nearest to us shimmered ominously.
There wasn’t time to waste. Our bodies shifted instinctively, shirts ripping apart as we transformed, plunging into the forest on all fours. The second our paws hit the earth, we sprinted.
Behind us came the shouts of the Fae, their voices sharp and foreign. The buzz of magic sliced the air near my head-too close. They had spotted us. Running was our only option.
“Slight problem-they’ve seen us,” I warned Leonardo through our bond. But fear didn’t slow my resolve. If anything, it sharpened my focus. I had a plan-one as reckless as it was desperate-but it just might work. “Don’t worry. We’ll make it.”
I severed our mental link, knowing I needed clarity to pull this off. If I let worry for him creep in-worry about what might already be happening in town-I wouldn’t be able to focus.
Sofia and Chiara’s minds were out of reach now, a result of completing the bond with Leonardo. I had only been able to offer them a silent look before we fled, hoping they understood what I couldn’t put into words.
The forest blurred as we raced past twisted roots that seemed to rise deliberately to trip us. Twenty feet ahead, I spotted it-the key to my insane plan.
A portal hovered five feet above the river’s surface, its iridescent fabric shifting with the breeze. If we timed our leap perfectly, we’d sail through.
Digging my paws into the soil, I pushed forward with every ounce of strength left in me. Sofia and Chiara followed, their trust in me overcoming the uncertainty in their wide eyes. They launched themselves with all the power they could muster.
We knew the risk-this portal could drop us straight into the hands of more enemies. But staying here wasn’t an option; the Fae were closing in fast.
My hope rested on redirecting the portal, sending us somewhere-anywhere-else. With so many scattered throughout town, I didn’t see why it couldn’t work.
Please don’t lead to even more Fae who want us dead, I thought, a silent prayer laced with desperation as we sprang into the glowing gateway.
Crossing between realms defied explanation. It was like stepping through a door only to find the ground yanked out from beneath you. The world folded and rippled around us, its thin, otherworldly membrane brushing against my skin and weaving through my fingers.
When we emerged, still in wolf form, the world was cloaked in darkness. But this wasn’t the flat, dull black of Earth’s night skies. It was alive, vibrant with deep blues and purples. Stars of every hue and size clustered together, forming shapes and constellations that seemed to shift when you weren’t looking.
I wanted to marvel at the sight, but the stone courtyard we landed in gave no time for awe.
Guards surrounded us, their onyx-tipped spears trained at our throats. They moved swiftly, descending from the walls and shadows with an efficiency that set my teeth on edge. When one jabbed Sofia hard enough to draw a snarl, I knew they didn’t recognize what we were.
Frustration bubbled in my chest-I couldn’t control where the portals took us, let alone create them. Snarling, I let the sound ripple through the air, tearing into the night like a battle cry. The stars above seemed to quiver in response.
As my bones cracked and shifted, fur retracting into my skin, I wondered if Atlas would be amused or furious with my resourcefulness. In moments, I was fully Fae again-and completely naked.
“Would you stop poking us like we’re cattle?” I snapped, surging forward despite the exhaustion threatening to buckle my knees.
The warriors hesitated, their spears lowering. I noticed a viscous substance glinting on the tip of one and silently thanked the stars it hadn’t pierced any of us.
One guard stepped forward, taller and more menacing than the rest. Midnight-black hair was cropped close to his skull, and a jagged scar cut from his temple to his jawline. His charcoal eyes locked onto mine, unwavering and, to my surprise, respectful.
“You’re the Fae shifter,” he said, his voice deep and rough. “The one who carries a fragment of our High Lord’s power.”
I stiffened but nodded, still wary. His gaze stayed on my face, ignoring my lack of clothing-a courtesy I wasn’t sure to appreciate or distrust.
The guards bore a striking resemblance to the Night Court warriors Marinella had used to attack Leonardo’s mother-dark hair, onyx eyes-but their armor was different. It shimmered like the night sky, stars swirling and dancing across their breastplates and swords.
Marinella’s influence ran deep in the Night Court, even with her brother as High Lord. If these warriors were still under her sway, they weren’t allies.
I glanced at the slumbering city sprawled below the mountain we stood on. Like in the human realm, portals dotted the area. Guards lingered near each one, standing watch.
“We’ll just be on our way now,” I said, clearing my throat as my eyes darted to the nearest portal.
The scarred warrior grimaced, the movement pulling at the scar near his eye. He grabbed something from another guard and thrust it toward me, careful not to touch my skin.
The rough fabric of an obsidian cloak slipped into my hands, catching the moonlight in its weave.
“Our High Lord wishes to meet you,” he announced before turning on his heel. “You and your companions will follow me.”