THE RETURN
Mmm, mmm, mmm. Blythe did like watching Roux work. After a night of pleasure, whispers, and swimming, they’d napped as the sky cleared of smoke, then woke to bright, golden sunlight. That sunlight now bathed the decimated land and framed the Astra’s powerful body.
He stood at the shore, shirtless, hisalevalaon display and moving. Sweat slicked back his hair. Glistening muscles bulged with every action. To create his door, he literally shredded one dimension after another with his claws.
“Try not to damage my new world too badly,” she began, stretched out on the sand in a brakini, her arms lifted, her fingers intertwined under her head. “I’m planning to offer authentic escape-realm tours of Ation. For a hefty price, immortals can stay here and solve a series of riddles that lead to your exit portal. If they fail to crack the riddles, they’ll die here. Yes, yes. I’m liking this.”
He frowned. “My portal is a bust. The layers repair themselves before I can get to the last.”
“Use the dragon fire.” Small flames lingered at the palace. “See if the heat cauterizes the layers. I mean, we know the flames can’t burn through the layers themselves, but they might halt any regrowth for whatever’s torn. And if that fails, I’ll create a door like Isla did, and use her key. I mean, I watched her do it and everything, so how hard can it be? And if that fails, we just wait untilsheopens one.”
Blink. He hovered over her, his hands near her temples as if completing push-ups. “I like the way your brain works.” With a smile, he descended, kissed her quick, then vanished before she could get her arms around him.
With a laugh, she sat up. He appeared only seconds later, on the shore, a lit torch in hand. Dragon fire, the ends flicking a bright, neon red. He attempted to create another door. As he shredded and burned, burned and shredded, tension seeped from him. He looked over his shoulder and winked at her. “I like having your gaze upon me.”
“You like having any part of me on you.” And she more than enjoyed his reaction to her.
“You aren’t wrong.” He continued shredding, asking hesitantly, “The feeling is mutual, yes?”
“Oh, yes,” she assured him, hiding a grin. She even enjoyed his vulnerability with her.
She hastened to dress in a T-shirt and jeans, knowing he’d give a victory shout any moment.
Perfect timing. He stopped. His smile faded. “Lyla! Come.” He tossed the torch. “We go now.”
Excitement warred with disappointment. The honeymoon had come to an end. Time to tackle life’s problems.
After swiping up their packs, she teleported to where he stared and followed his gaze. The once blue sky looked burned in spots, with a curtain of air ripped down the center, revealing a dark, shadowed expanse beyond it. “Where does this lead?”
“The heavens outside of Ation’s orbit.” He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Remember what I told you. We are together now.”
“Together,” she agreed, and dang if she didn’t beam him a schoolgirl-with-a-crush smile. “Trust me, babe. I have plans for you.” For starters, she would teach him how to have fun. Give him the laughter he’d been missing most of his life. A new purpose for both of them!
He led her through the opening and suddenly they were weightless. An empty void offered no light or sound. Before she could adjust, the Astra flashed her to her bedroom in the harpy palace. As easy as that.
“Momma!” Isla called, scrambling from the bed where she drew a key in a sketchbook, rushing over to hug Blythe. “You came back without my door.”
“We sure did.”
Roux’s blank mask descended, his tension returning. He squeezed her hand before releasing it, and said, “I’ll give you two time.” Then he was gone.
Blythe heaved a sigh and ruffled her daughter’s hair. “Hey, sweetheart. Let’s sit down and have our talk, okay? Just like I promised.”
“Mind if I join you?” Erebus’s voice filled the room, and she gasped.
She darted her gaze to her most hated enemy. “You.”
Isla merely waved, saying, “Hi, Grandpa.”
The current bane of Blythe’s existence stood on the other side of the room, leaning one shoulder against the wall. Dressed in a familiar black robe, pale hair in its usual disarray, while he displayed his customary smug grin. “Our little Issy defied the Blade of Destiny, adding a fork in the road of our lives. A true surprise, I must admit. Perhaps I’ll allow her to live, after all. What a shame to waste so much power.”
“Sweetheart,” Blythe grated to her offspring, “go find your Aunt Taliyah and let her know Grandpa Bus is here.”
“Are you gonna kill him, Momma? Please, don’t! Please!” Isla tugged on her arm. “He always talks like that. And I know he did something bad, but he’s gonna apologize.”
“I told you to find your Aunt Taliyah.” Blythe gave her daughter a nudge toward the door. “That’s what you’re going to do. Now go.” The girl didn’t need to witness what was about to go down.
“Yes, yes,” Erebus cooed. “You should go, child. We wouldn’t want you to learn of Roux’s need to kill your mother to complete his task. Or hear how the Astra hopes to become your new daddy.”