“No,” Briar answered. “The underworld is a place for the dead. The beings within the shadow realm are very much alive.”
Yeah, I was definitely losing sleep that night.
“Some also call it the realm of monsters.” Callum leaned toward me, brows raised and voice exaggerated to add to the suspense. “Filled with creatures from your worst nightmares. Slime beasts that can melt the flesh right off your bones if they touch you. Reptilian demons with venomous fangs and saliva that paralyze their target so they can slither in for the kill, taking their time as they eat you while you’re still alive.”
“Yep. Totally the shit from nightmares. What else is there?” More wine was consumed. “You mentioned a Fenrir demon?”
“Similar to a wolf, but they’re bigger than any wolf you’ve ever seen and far more lethal,” Callum said. “They move lightning fast, and their bite is so strong it can pierce through even the strongest armor.”
“Whoa.” I sipped more wine, earning a grin from him. He was playing it up to scare me, but I knew what he said was true. Those were the beasts that waited in the dark wood. No wonder Maddox had been so on edge by the thought of me sleeping so close to it. “A Fenrir is what wounded Maddox?”
Callum nodded and became more serious. “He’s fortunate it was only a young one. If an adult had gotten hold of him…” He shook his head, letting his sentence hang in the air.
He didn’t need to finish it.
The captain wouldn’t have come back alive.
Chapter Five
Grim Tales Make For Lousy Bedtime Stories
“Why is Onyx such an evil asshole?” I asked. Every villain had a backstory—a reason for their wickedness. “Does he have a grudge against Bremloc?”
“There are stories as to why, but no one knows for certain.” Briar nursed his glass, taking small sips. “Some claim he was born here and cast out long ago, making him bitter. Others say he merely wishes to wage war on humans for no reason other than it amuses him. Whatever the reason, it’s resulted in countless deaths over the years.”
“Why doesn’t anyone storm his castle and kick his ass?”
“Kick his ass?” The physician cocked his head.
Callum snickered. “You get used to the strange things he says.”
“I find that hard to believe.” Briar looked at me. “But to answer your question, the knights have tried breaching the shadow realm many times but have yet to be successful.”
“Because we can’t actually locate it,” Callum added, rustling the back of his brown hair as he slouched in his seat. “A magical barrier surrounds the realm, hiding it from anyone who tries to find it. Only those Onyx allows inside can enter. Any attempt to reach him results in us getting lost in the dark wood. Some even go mad if they journey too far in.” He took a drink—a small one—before setting his goblet aside. “It’s why we mainly focus on keeping the monsters at bay and making sure they don’t leave the forest. It’s all wecando.”
“Has Onyx ever allowed anyone beyond the barrier before?” I asked.
Briar shook his head. “Not that I know of.”
“There are rumors about one man he allowed through several years ago,” Callum countered. “The man was gone for days, no trace of him anywhere, before being found dismembered in the forest. People say Onyx just got bored and wanted to toy with someone.”
“That’s… unsettling.” I finished the last of my wine and wiped at my mouth, making a mental note to never go near the woods again. I had no interest in becoming an Evan kabob or some Fenrir demon’s chew toy.
“Well, I think I’m going to turn in for the night,” Callum said, stretching as he rose from his chair. “It’s been a long day, and I’m exhausted.”
“Would you like a calming tonic to help you sleep?” Briar asked.
“No, thank you. Save the supplies for the wounded knights. They need it far more than I do.” Callum offered him a smile before turning to me. His expression softened even further. “You know, as we were returning from the mission, the captain spoke of you.”
“Really? What did he say?”
“That he hoped you hadn’t tripped over your own two feet and fallen to your death in our absence. Even while in pain, I’d never seen his eyes look so warm. I could be mistaken, but I believe the thought of returning to you is what gave him the strength to keep going despite the severity of his wound.”
Butterflies flooded my stomach. In just the span of three days, a part of me had become attached to the grumpy captain. Much more than I’d realized.
“Good night,” Callum then said before leaving the clinic, shutting the door softly behind him.
Briar stood from the table, gathered our glasses, and took them over to the sink. He rinsed them beneath the spout and set them aside to dry. The hour was late, but that didn’t stop him from checking his inventory of herbs, jotting down notes, and making another batch of pain-fighting elixirs.
