“Is it still locked?” I whispered.
Michael turned to me and with an incredulous look on his face, he lifted the veil. Just like we’d always been able to do ever since we were kids. Warmer air from the outside world billowed in, touching my cheeks and bringing with it the scent of pine and freshness.
My mouth dropped open. “What the fuck...”
Michael lifted his lantern and stared into the forest, along the line of the veil. “Looks like Dad unlocked the door. Maybe he feels like he can, now that he has Xander and Kyle locked up.”
I clenched my teeth together, the urge to smash my lantern into the earth filling me up and making me grip the metal handle so I didn’t do exactly that. “The... fucker.”
My language had fallen into the gutter since meeting Xander and Kyle.
And I really didn’t care.
Michael turned to stare at me and I just glared back.
Go on. Call me out on my language. Ifuckingdare you.
When he didn’t actually say anything, I asked, “So, what do we do now?”
Since the plan had been to find a gap in the veil, I suppose we’d achieved our objective. But now we had an infinitely more delicate problem to solve. How to make sure it stayed open long enough for us to rescue the boys and then return here to escape from the realm.
Michael chewed on his bottom lip, then handed me the lantern. “We need to make sure my dad can’t lock this on us again. Somehow. Because if we manage to locate the wolves and get them out, he’s likely to just trap us all in here again. Rinse and repeat. And trust me, we can’t have that happen. Not once he works out you and I are trying to steal away his power source.”
A shiver ran down my spine. The revenge the high warlock would seek would be epically bad. Even against his son, I was sure.
I glanced around, feeling lost. This afternoon, when we’d walked out here into the forest, cool and collected and together, I’d been so excited for the future. Then to find the realm had been locked... I couldn’t really begin to explain that feeling of hopelessness. Of despair.
But now a new sensation was beginning to build inside me. Hot, and boiling. Anger. And with that anger, came purpose. “We definitely need to find a way to keep it open. But again... how? Do you know a spell for that?”
Michael was still holding the veil open, and I could see he was thinking. He was turning something over in his mind, deciding whether or not he was going to tell me.
I waited, holding the two lanterns, quickly running out of patience.
Finally, I put his lantern down at my feet and put my free hand on my hip. “If you know something, Michael, spit it out. It’s not like we’ve got forever to work on this, you know.”
“I think I can use my blood to keep this door open.”
My mouth dropped open. “Ah... say what now?”
He wasn’t talking about doing his own version of blood magic, was he?
Blood magic was usually dark, always evil, and it took a piece of your soul—your goodness—in exchange for the power it gave you.
“Um... I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
Michael sighed. “I’m not talking about using black magic. This is different.”
He sounded like every other person, just before they made a terrible decision. But I’d ask, nonetheless. “How is it different?”
“Well, as you know, I’m my father’s son. And although that doesn’t give me anywhere near the power it does him, it does give me some advantages in this realm.”
I narrowed my eyes. What wasn’t he telling me? “Go on.”
“Okay, so basically, if my dad dies suddenly, all of his power, the power of the high warlock, would transfer to me.”
That made sense. Sort of. But... Oh... “Hang on a second. So, if he dies, you have power over the realm?”
I didn’t want to think about the fact that if the high warlock died, Michael would take over. I hated Michael’s dad for what he’d done to my mates, and to me. But killing him... no.