Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 121339 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121339 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
“Unhand me!” the spirit yelled as the first slowed.
“What is it?” Lexi asked their leader.
“Well…” He pointed at an archway.
The doors stood open, and Boman and Donovan rushed forward to check it out.
“Looks like a hall of some sort—” Boman started.
“It’s the Court Hall—” said the spirit.
“Do you feel that?” Mordecai asked, looking right. He put up his finger as though he were testing the direction of the breeze.
“You do not belong here, you vile humans!” the spirit she held yelled.
“After this, I do not know where she might be,” their spirit leader said apologetically.
A fae male spirit popped out through the doors of the hall, his expression curious. “More humans?”
“There.” Lexi flung her finger at the fae. “Kieran, he knows about Daisy.”
“I smell her.” Mordecai ripped at his clothes. “I smell her!”
Mordecai shifted into his wolf form as a female servant edged around the corner. She had dark, lank hair draping either side of a pinched face and a dainty frame. Her movements were much too graceful compared to the other servants scurrying around, and the way she held herself, as though playing up her stature, reminded Lexi of Daisy. This female was probably just as devastating in a fight.
The petite woman put up her hand, pointing down the hall. Mordecai was already running.
“Go, go, go!” Lexi dragged the one spirit behind her, making him bob on the ground as he went. It wouldn’t hurt him, but manhandling was incredibly degrading and annoying to his kind. It was the little things.
That same female was up the way, at the corner, pointing. The soul was the same. Did they have Apporter magic in this place?
Then again, another corner farther along. That female was creepy as fuck.
“Did you see her eyes?” Zorn asked from somewhere behind.
“No, why—”
Bria cut off as a strange throb changed the pressure in the air. The walls seemed to bow. A great heaviness filled the corridor and pressed on Lexi from all sides.
“What is that?” Henry shouted from behind.
A breeze Lexi couldn’t feel externally swirled her insides. The lighting flickered. The walls waved, pushing out and leaning back in. The floor looked like the wood had turned into waves.
“Magic,” someone said, out of breath.
It did feel like magic. Like something present but unidentifiable. It felt like the wylds after one of those magical, tropical rains. It felt like a lightning storm, but without the bolts of lightning. It felt like death and rebirth all rolled into one.
Mordecai whimpered and ran faster. He’d always had a sixth sense when it came to Daisy. Since the moment she’d entered their world all those years ago, Mordecai had always kept track of her. Been there for her. Supported her.
Right now, he was worried about her, and that meant, despite the odds, she had something to do with this.
Lexi put on a burst of speed. She gave everything she had, following Mordecai. He wasn’t even sniffing anymore, just running with all his heart. Running blindly toward his sister.
The ground shook, but it wasn’t the magic from earlier. She could feel the tides, this place surrounded by water and Kieran having control. He was bringing up the currents in case he needed them. Filling the air. Fae thought they were so far above humans, but they didn’t know dick about Demigods. They were about to get an education, just like all the fae before them.
Mordecai turned a corner and skidded to the side. Lexi saw why. A cluster of well-organized individuals guarded a plain door in the plain, somewhat small hallway. Hair wild, they all had buns or knots on top of their heads, braids every which way, and flowing hair down their backs and some over their shoulders. They wore plain servants’ attire but stood with weapons like they’d been born to them. The guard.
“Get out of the way and we won’t kill you,” Lexi said in a loud, clear voice. She wasn’t sure if she was lying. That seemed like the fastest approach.
Her crew came up behind, breathing hard as they caught up. They filed in around her as Mordecai whimpered. They didn’t have much time.
“What are you?” a female asked, stepping to the front of the others.
Lexi continued forward. “Your ticket to the underworld if you don’t move out of my way. I’ve come for the human. I will be taking her with me. Fight or move. Choose now.”
A male stepped up with the female. He put his large hand on the female’s shoulder. He had wheat-blond hair and a bunch of shit tying his beard tightly to his chin. He almost looked like a Viking who’d lost a bet with a hairstylist.
“What are you to her?” the male asked.
“They’re human,” someone else said.
“She chose this.” Another female stepped up, red-headed, tall, and very fierce. “Daisy chose this. She is helping save Faerie.”