Page 67 of Devastation
"I'm going to go check on Ash," Hale informs me as he lets go of my hand, walking the other direction as I step into the pentagram.
The twins and Zedd stand on the far side of the room, lending me their support with smiles and thumbs up.
Glancing to Serenity, I say, "Let's do this."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Lana
Serenity begins to chant quietly, and the lines of the pentagram flare to life, blazing with white flames that reach the height of my hip. They shock me, and at first I'm afraid that they're going to hurt me, but they stay firmly attached to the lines on the ground, far enough away that they can't touch me.
"You’re Mother Nature and you're afraid of some flames?" Serenity cackles, doubling over and howling like a hyena.
Scuffing the floor with my toes, I grumble, "I just wasn't expecting them. I'm not afraid."
Her eyes widen as she sarcastically agrees, "Yeah, okay. We'll go with that."
Rolling my eyes I quip, "Can we get started please?"
She straightens up and lifts her hands. "Fine, fine. Same thing as last time. Summon the portal to you and I'll funnel this magic into the barricade that you feel with your mind."
Rolling my neck from side to side, I take a deep breath and close my eyes, visualizing the hellfire of the demon realm, willing the portal to open. It's like my mind hits a wall of cement and I hiss out in pain as I strain to grip the edges of the realm.
"I feel it, keep going!" Serenity yells, spurring me on.
My mind feels like it's being probed, then suddenly I feel the strength of a hundred men behind me. I picture the wall in my mind, funneling all of this extra power into my own. I summon everything I have and scream as I propel the gathered power into the wall. It crumbles, and I feel the realm open.
I quickly grasp it and pull it to me, not wanting to give it time to fade away or close again. My eyes fly open and I yell, "Get Ash and Hale! We have to go now!"
"We're here!"
I want to sigh in relief as Ash's voice calls out, but I can't relax for a fraction of a second, scared that we will lose our opportunity.
"As soon as you cross through, you will completely shatter the thin barrier remaining. It's like a secondary security measure. Likely, it will alert the spellcaster to your presence, so be prepared for whatever is on the other side," Serenity warns, and I nod, ready to face whatever lies ahead.
At my acknowledgement she adds, "Once you break this fully, I will be able to open the portals in the other realms. I will get everyone to you as quickly as I can. Stay safe, Lana."
Wow, she used my actual name.
"I'll see you soon," I respond as I tear my gaze from her and nod for the guys to get ready.
"The flames won't hurt you," Serenity explains to them as they hesitate on the edge of the pentagram. Hale is the first to test it, walking confidently towards me and the portal in the middle. When nothing happens to him, the rest follow suit.
Taking a moment to survey my mates, I see the determination in their features and I know we're ready. "Let's end this."
Stepping into the portal, I cross over into the hall of the palace that I remember from my last time in the demon realm with the princess. It’s completely empty and eerily quiet, and my mind feels the bubble that was preventing me from reaching the realm burst.
Hellfire lines the hallway in vats that hang from the ceiling, giving off the only light in the room. It provides enough light to see clearly, but it also combines with the tall black columns on both sides of the hall, casting eery, dancing shadows.
My men arrive behind me just as I hear clapping echo through the great hall. My gaze flies to where the sound came from, and my stomach drops as I see a red tether reaching out to the woman I recognize. It should be a joyous moment—my soul reaching for my old friend, Keres—but within a span of a second, it’s clear she isn't on our side.
Her face is twisted into a cruel smile and the black horns on her head spark with hellfire that matches the embers sparking in her outstretched hands.
"You broke through that barrier faster than I thought. I must give you credit for that," she admits, but there is no respect in her eyes for me—only hatred.
Motioning for my men to stay back, I take a few steps forward and ask, "Keres, why do you oppose me? We were friends the last time we crossed paths."
A throaty laugh comes from her. "That was before I had my eyes opened to who I really am and my rightful place in this world."
