Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

LIVIA

Ithought being back on Earth, being back in my parents’ home, would make me feel settled. I thought it would make the horrors of the past wash away so I could make fresh memories, but it didn’t work. If anything, I’m itching, itching to do something, to claw that bond to my dragon out of my chest that keeps begging me with every breath to go back to another world. I think I made a mistake, but how can I go back to that world now? A world where it is clear that death is only the parting gift. I rest my head back on one of the twin rocking chairs on the wrap-around porch in the back garden and look to the sun for a clue of what I should do.

My mum’s yorkie dog sits up and barks right before running around in circles, chasing something invisible. Sadly, my mum’s dog acting demented is the most interesting thing to happen in weeks.

“You look bored, mortal.”

I jump out of my skin, looking over to see a man sitting in the other rocking chair on the porch. He’s a man…but more. I’m utterly terrified as I meet his dark, dark eyes that flash between silver and black. They stay silver the longer I look at him. He’s gorgeous, absolutely stunning, but terrifying in equal amounts. His eyes are black pits of nothing, and I can’t look away as I’m trapped completely in fear. He looks away from me first, and it’s only then that I seem to be able to breathe. I lean back in my seat, clutching the armrests. “My name is Phobos, and if I wanted to hurt you, you would be screaming by now. Relax.”

“Phobos,” I breathe, the name familiar. “The god of nightmares?”

“Among other horrors,” he taunts.

“Ellelin talked about you. You’re her uncle, right?” I question, wondering what the heck he is doing on my mother’s porch.

“And you’re her friend,” he replies. “I need someone to go back to Ayiolyn with something. Something precious. Can you be of assistance, mortal?”

His voice is normal, but it still sends chills down my spine. I want to run from him, right into the forest at the back of the garden, and pray another god saves me. “I’m not sure.”

He looks annoyed. “I can convince you.” Dark shadows fill the bottom of the porch, and I snap my feet up on the chair.

“Phobos!” a woman shouts, sounding pissed. She walks through my gate and storms up to the god of nightmares, facing him down like he isn’t scary. “Did you leave me outside the front so you could terrify her before I came in?”

This girl is clearly mortal, about my age, and loves the colour black. She is wearing fishnet tights, a small black skirt, and a leather blouse. Her black hair is tied up in a ponytail, and she looks over at me, sighing and then rolling her eyes at Phobos before facing me again. “Hello, I’m Phobos’s mate, Nevaeh. I’m very mortal and not scary like him.” She offers me her hand. I shake her hand, unable to do much else. “I really hope he didn’t terrify you too much. He gets too much joy in that shit.”

I nervously smile at her. “You’re easier to talk to, that’s for certain.”

Nevaeh leans on the rocking chair, and Phobos snakes his hand possessively around her waist. “What Phobos is trying to say is that Ellelin needs this sword in the future, and it is dangerous to send it with a stranger. You’re friends, clearly, and we need your help. Phobos cannot go into that world; otherwise, he would go himself. So, this is his very creepy way of asking for help.”

“I wasn’t going to play nice with a coward who abandoned her friends and went home,” Phobos drawls, and I see red.

“I’m not a coward. I’ve been to hell and back in that world!” Oh my god, I’m shouting at a literal fucking god.

“Unless you’ve met Hades, you have not been to hell and back,” he quips. “That guy has gone on one male mission to being the most boring shit alive.”

My mouth parts. “Hades and hell are real?”

“Of course,” Phobos answers in a way that makes me think he believes I’m dumb. I don’t know what to say for a long time. Phobos cuts the silence by making a sword appear out of darkness. It’s covered up with a leather wrap from hilt to tip, and yet something is so wrong about the blade. “If you take this, you must not look at the uncovered sword. It’s only for one of my bloodline to wield. Do you understand?”

“I haven’t said I’m going back,” I retort.

“You have.” He waves his hand and, right before my dog, a portal appears. On the other side, I can see the Spirit Court castle. In the skies, the fields and everywhere are dragons. My heart leaps as my bond flares to life, telling me my dragon is close, and I stand.

Tears fill my eyes. “The dragons are there.”

“They came to fight for their princess. The question is, are you going to fight?” Phobos asks, his question haunting me for an answer. “I’ve been looking into this world. They have the castle back, and it is safe for you. The dragons burned any of the remaining traitors, and the magic castle flung the rest out the windows for the dragons to eat as snacks. It was amusing to see.”

“It was disgusting,” Nevaeh exclaims, shaking her head.

He shrugs his shoulder, waiting for me. “Are you going back, or shall we leave?”

My heart pounds as I know my choice. Ellelin needs me and I’m not hiding here on Earth anymore. It was a mistake to ever do that in the first place. Ellelin didn’t hide, she stood up tall and faced everything. I push down my fear of that world, of death itself, and lift my head. “I need to gather some things to take.”

Sarcasm laces Phobos’s words. “Please take your time. We have all day.”

Nevaeh hits his chest, and he pulls her onto his lap with a growl. “He means to say you can take your time, as you might not be back for a while.”

“I think you’re a very good translator for him.” I grin at her, and the dark look that Phobos gives her sends chills through my blood. Thankfully, his mate distracts him from glaring at me as I pick up my dog and head inside. After feeding the dog, I grab the bag that I left packed, full of weapons, in my room. I stuff it with some food, a bottle of water, and my daggers from the camp, and then change back into my leather clothes for fighting. I had it all ready, just in case. I write a quick note for my mum and dad, explaining that I’ve gone back, that I need to go back, but I know they didn’t want me here anyway. I think, before my return, they had fully accepted that I was gone, that I was meant to go to that world to find my destiny.

I don’t belong here anymore.

When I’m done, I go back out into the garden and hold my hand out for the sword. Thankfully, it’s got a handle, and I quickly slip it over my shoulder, so it rides on my back. It’s a heavy sword, but the weight of it lies heavily in the magic I feel radiating down my spine. I want to drop it somewhere immediately. “Tell my niece to come and see me soon. Tell her the sword is from her father, entrusted to me. I could not give it to her until she was ready, and now she is.”

I nod once. “I will make sure she gets this and the message.”

Phobos and Nevaeh disappear, leaving me alone in the garden with a magic sword and a portal to another world. I step through the portal back into Ayiolyn without another thought, to the world that I missed. As odd as it sounds to me, I completely, utterly miss this world. The portal disappears behind me as I stand in front of the castle, looking up at the tall towers stretching into thick clouds.

Terrin lands right in front of me, his black wings spread far. I look up at the massive dragon stretching his wings out in front of me. My silver dragon lands by my side, watching me with her eyes full of sadness. I didn’t expect that; I thought she hated me. “I didn’t want to leave you.”

“You returned, my rider.” My dragon shoots off, and anger floats down our bond. We are going to have to work on that.

Terrin brushes his head against mine, and for a moment, I can hear him in my head like my own dragon. “Why are you back?”

I lift my head. Sometimes it’s the simplest answer, the one spoken right from the heart, that matters. “For the princess. To fight for my friend.”