“So then, you should have no trouble.”
He smirked at Cyrene, and she saw the raw quality of her friend there in those eyes. She hastily looked away. She didn’t want to let him get to her. Not if she had to ready herself to…stop him if she had to.
The Commander took one look at the arrangement she had made and shook his head. “Don’t let him slow you down.”
She nodded once and then forced all three of them together as one. It probably wasn’t the smartest move on her part, but she wanted to figure out how to save Ahlvie. One way or another, she was determined to do it.
With the Commander’s Guild scouting, the way through the streets of Alba and up toward the Drop Pass was much smoother than the last time she had made her grand escape. Large fur-lined cloaks were passed out from a shelter before they moved up the mountain. Even in summer, the Pass was cold, not frozen like the Haeven Mountains, but with snow still on the ground, it was much colder.
Farther and farther, they moved up the mountains until they reached the slope that Cyrene remembered leading up to the Black Mountain. She could see that many of them looked uncomfortable, veering toward that mountain. It hadn’t gotten the name the Black Mountain of Death for nothing.
Long ago, dragons had lived within it and stories were made up about the haunted mountain the Pass that led between Alba and Yarrow on the other side. She’d been nervous about the Pass being haunted and possible ghosts. But it was just stories that gave an explanation for the dragons that had once lived there.
When they had reached the Black Mountain last time, all they had found was Mikel fast asleep for two thousand years. The mountain had been impenetrable, and he’d been trapped. Now, he was gone. Along with so many others. But dragons had returned to the Pass. Sarielle and Halcyon were waiting within its depths.
Cyrene led the way into the sanctuary. And the murmurs of fear were replaced with awe. The great halls of the Society were impressive. The dragons even more so. But they weren’t here for that.
“This way,” she told the Commander.
They followed her down a hall to the darkened portal.
Dean passed her the coin with a smile. “Light it up.”
She wove her magic together, focusing on the use of all four elements at once. Then she touched the portal door. At first, nothing happened. Then the outside of the portal began to shimmer with the words of the Doma and the Society twined together. Once all the words were lit up, the center of the portal turned into an iridescent pool as if it were made of liquid.
She switched the portal key to Tenchala and then opened it on the other side. There had been surprise from turning the portal on but nothing compared to the Guild members seeing the Sand Plains of Tenchala through the doorway.
“Someone should be waiting there for you,” Cyrene explained. “The army is camped on the eastern bank of the Huyek River, across from the capital of Aurum. It’s not too far from Tenchala.”
The Commander’s eyes were wide. “That is the Sand Plains?”
“Yes.”
“Wow.”
She grinned. “Good luck, Commander.”
“Where do you go from here?” he asked.
“To pick up a friend.”
“And the beast?”
“Is no longer your concern. Though…I would be careful not to mention it in the camp. Many people there care for him, and I don’t want anyone to worry more than they already are.”
The Commander nodded. “I think we’ll have enough to keep us busy. First, find Gwynora.”
“Yes, Gwynora. She’ll get you all set up. I’ll be there soon.”
“Farewell but not good-bye, Domina.”
Then he was striding through the portal with Haeven close on his heels. The rest of the Guild followed as if they feared nothing. It would do her army some good to see such confidence. She couldn’t wait to return and bring it all together finally.
“What are we going to do about Ahlvie?” Dean asked when the portal finally closed behind them.
She strode back out of the portal room toward Sarielle and Halcyon. “We’re going to find out if we can save him.”
“And how are you going to do that?” Dean asked.
She looked from Ahlvie to Sarielle and back. “With spirit. And a whole lot of luck.”
38
The Trance
Ahlvie shook out his hands. “Okay, okay. I’m ready. Is this going to hurt? Because I’m okay with that. Just want to prepare myself.”
“Do shut up,” Cyrene grumbled.
“Can I have a drink before we do this?”
She glared at him. “I really thought that I’d missed you.”
He cracked a smile. “So, I’ll take it, that’s a solid maybe?”
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Dean asked. He stared at the pair of them like they had just sprung a second head.
“No,” she admitted.
It will be perfectly fine, Sarielle assured them
Easy for you to say, Halcyon sarcastically butted in. You’re not risking your life.
Cyrene had realized that, while Halcyon was much quieter than Sarielle, he only interjected with thick sarcasm and condescension. It was amazing that he worked so well with Dean. Except that they seemed to have matching tones for this particular feat she was attempting.
“Can’t Malysa reach you through your spirit magic?” Dean asked.
“She used to be able to,” Cyrene said. “But not with Sarielle.”
“She did when you were linked with Vera.”
“Yes, but that was Vera’s weakness. Not my own.”
He arched an eyebrow. “And linking with Ahlvie is different how?”
“Ahlvie doesn’t have magic. I’m not technically linking with him. I’m just…connecting with his conscious.”
“That’s reassuring,” Dean said dryly.
I will watch out for my soul sister. Do not fear.
“How will I be able to pull you out if something goes wrong?”
Cyrene looked to Sarielle. She’d never had anyone around to actually pull her out of a dream. She didn’t even know if it was possible.
You cannot, Sarielle told him. But I know what to look for this time. Last time, it was an invasion. She had cut me off from her before I knew what was happening. She will not get through a second time.
Dean sighed.
“You heard the dragon,” Cyrene told him. “Now, everyone, stop talking. I need to concentrate.”
“Yeah, she needs to concentrate,” Ahlvie boasted.
Cyrene narrowed her eyes at him. She actually had missed him. Even if he was a ridiculous fool, he was her fool.
“Right. I’m shutting up,” Ahlvie said.
Cyrene had never done anything like this before. But she couldn’t let her nerves show. Especially since Dean was right. He had every reason to worry. Malysa had gotten into her dreams and attacked her the last time she tried anything remotely like this. She had activated Cyrene’s own blood magic with a glance. She’d been out of commission for a full day, and she couldn’t possibly afford that again.
Furthermore, she had never connected with another conscious on the spiritual plane that wasn’t already there. Serafina existed in the other realm. Vera had gone here with her. Malysa had sought her out. And it was only the fact that Malysa had been able to find her in the dream state at all that she thought it possible for her to find Ahlvie.