Chapter 5

Barbie

We landed right outside the entrance of Underhill.

A sign on the bark of an enormous black maple read: Underhill! Enter At Your Own Peril!

This was the place the supernaturals dared the losers of their drinking games to enter. Most who entered didn't come out, and the few who did could no longer remember their birth names. But to me, Underhill was a haven, the safest place.

A storm twirled over the dark forest, lightning piercing its edges.

"It's been like that since you went missing," Killian said grimly.

"Hello, hello," I greeted Underhill. "I've returned. I need healing, please."

Wild magic took the form of a flaming raven and alighted on my shoulder, its feathers caressing my neck, its beak thrusting into my hair.

Cade and Silas's eyes went as wide as grapes. Louis and Rowan watched with interest. Rock smiled, and Cami blinked. Killian, however, had an unreadable mask on.

"Wild magic!" Cade sucked in a breath. "It's never ventured out of Underhill before, and now it has come out to greet our Barbie."

"I said two hellos politely," I offered, then darted a glance at Louis. Last time I said two hellos here, he'd stalked me.

A gust of dark wind swept out from the forbidden forest, followed by the menacing howls of the shadow beasts. Their quiet paws hit the forest floor as they rushed toward the entrance. They were Underhill's faithful enforcers and first defenders.

Shadows and claws flashed at the edge of Underhill.

"The monsters block the entry," Silas said. "The message is clear. We aren't welcome. We should just bring Barbie to my house, as the House of Shifters has the best healers."

"The med-witches on my payroll are better than yours!" Louis snorted. "I pay them more."

"Underhill will let me in," I cut in before they bickered further. "Lay me at the foot of the black tree, please," I told Rock. "Underhill will take it from there."

He looked to Killian, and the chaos prince nodded. As soon as the werewolf lowered me and put me at the base of the ancient tree, green vines shot out from the ground, blanketing me in their embrace.

The princes, Cami, and Rock watched in awe.

"Thank you, high sirs, werewolf, and Cami." I waved my stump at them, and they winced collectively. "Bye-bye."

"I'm coming in too," Killian said, and stepped toward me.

The other princes followed suit, but a hard wave of shadows and wind slammed into them. The shadow beasts snarled in sync, ready to tear into flesh.

"No!" I shouted. "Don't hurt them! They helped me. They brought me here."

"I'm coming in," Killian snarled back, ready to take on the shadow beasts—shadows and claws be damned.

I'll give the chaos prince five minutes to monitor your healing, so he'll see what I can do, said Underhill. And then he must let himself out or be thrown out.

The princes exchanged glances. They all heard Underhill speak for the first time, but they couldn't tell if it was a male or a female voice. It was musical and powerful.

"You should let us in as well, revered Underhill," Louis said. "We're all heirs, and we're nicer than Killian."

Come back for more fangs and claws so soon, vampire?Underhill snorted.

Louis blinked and stepped back.

"I understand you don't like vampires, lovely Underhill," Silas said, not bothering to get into a glaring match with Louis. "No one likes them in the realm. I'm the heir of House of Shifters. We shifters are a lot like your sentinels, the shadow beasts. Allow me in and I shall appreciate it."

You slapped Barbie when she was Little Bob in your house, so you won't have my grace, said Underhill. I can hold a grudge for Barbie for a very long time.

Killian turned to Silas, his icy eyes blazing with fury. If not for the sake of Silas also joining the group effort to rescue me, the chaos prince would've charged him and rained down his fists on the shifter prince's head.

These children are testing my patience. They tire me,Underhill said. I was right to shut them out a millennium ago. Annoy me more and I'll rescind my offer to let the chaos prince in. I allow him in this time merely because Barbie lives in his house.

The shadow beasts growled in displeasure at the princes.

"Don't sabotage Underhill's one-time goodwill for me, fuckers!" Killian warned. "You know what you need to do, brothers. Go, and we'll talk soon."

The vines folded me deep into the forest with the chaos prince in tow. Darkness sealed the entrance, with the shadow beasts standing guard.

As I floated by the copses of ancient trees of all colors, I could still hear the princes bickering outside the dark forest.

"Isn't that discrimination?" Silas shouted, not caring about sabotaging Killian's chance. "We should fight our way in and show them who we are!"

"Show who?" Louis retorted. I bet he was rolling his eyes at his nemesis.

"Don't bother, Silas. You won't win; you'll only embarrass yourself," Rowan said. "Underhill let me and Killian in one time, then threw us both out brutally. It's temperamental."

"Why didn't you tell us about it?" Cade demanded.

"Must I tell you everything now, Cade?" Rowan asked.

"We used to share everything," Cade protested.

"We were children then!" Rowan barked back.

I heard a thud mixed with Silas's groans of pain and snarls.

Had Silas really tried to force his way in?

"That's right, Silas!" Louis applauded. "Try again. You can take them! What can a few shadow beasts' fangs do to you? You're the powerful shifter heir. Put in more effort! I'm rooting for you, man."

He'd once been bitten by the shadow beasts, and he wanted Silas to have it all too.

Misery loved company.