Page 65 of A Bond So Deadly

Unlike shadow pathways where you travel along a shadow road until you reach your destination, I don’t have to do any walking. Light dances around me, smears of white and gray, and my stomach lurches as the air warms and my boots find solid ground again.

The portal closes behind me, and I turn to the side, throwing up the contents of my stomach before wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

Professor Yevar watches silently, and when my head stops spinning, I stare in horror at the scene around us.

Holy crap. Are we in hell? It feels like we’ve just portaled to the land of eternal damnation. At least, the hell that some of the humans believe in.

We’re standing on a stone ledge beside a bubbling pit of lava. Spirals of stone walkways curl around the inside of the pit, and it takes me a moment to realize we’re actually inside a volcano. Waves of heat from the lava radiate up at me and sweat drips from my face.

A god-awful scent assaults my nose, and I wince. “What is that smell? It’s like…like…” I struggle to describe the scent that’s making me feel like throwing up again. “Like…death,” I finally say, because that’s what it smells like. The scent of decaying bodies.

Professor Yevar is no longer wearing an emerald green cloak, but instead, gleaming white battle armor fits tightly to his form. I glare at him as his shadows create a sling that holds my phoenix’s egg.

“Yes, well, the Xalgrith warriors like to be near the warmth,” the professor says, “and the xalfrets enjoy it as well.”

I frown. “The xalfrets?”

As if to answer me, an ear-splitting screech makes me cover my ears. Instinctively, I duck down as a large shadow passes overhead, and my eyes go wide when I peer up. The creature looks like a small dragon as it perches at the top of the volcano, screeching and stretching its wings wide. It holds what appears to be some kind of orange sheep in its talons, and it tears off the small beast’s head, tossing it to the lava before devouring the rest of the sheep’s body.

“Yep, I’m definitely going to die here,” I say to Elgen and Tarlaz. “Blake is going to be real pissed when she finds out.”

“Oh yes. The demon queen will be most displeased,” Elgen replies.

I groan.

“You’re not going to die, child,” Tarlaz counters. “Not if we can help it.”

That makes me feel a little better, and I pull myself together. “Thanks, Tarlaz. I needed that.” I let out a long breath through my nose. “Who knows. Maybe this will be a good thing. Maybe we can save the students and figure out what the Xalgrith want.”

Professor Yevar turns, indicating that I should follow him, and I keep a careful distance as we climb a series of uneven stone steps. There are different levels in the volcano, with tunnels carved into the rock, and armed Xalgrith warriors are situated throughout. The Xalgrith sneer at me with disdain as we pass, and I try to avoid their stares.

“Where are you taking me?” I ask Professor Yevar as he continues upward. “To the students?”

“King Malgur is expecting you.”

“King Malgur? Is that the Xalgrith king?”

He doesn’t answer me, and I focus on walking so that I don’t trip and fall to a fiery death.

We’re passing another level when a Xalgrith warrior with a gruesome scar on his face spits at the ground in front of me.

Professor Yevar stops so suddenly I almost run into his back. He turns slowly, pivoting toward the warrior.

“Filthy humans. How many more must we endure?” the warrior rattles.

“General Yaxus,” Professor Yevar replies. “Such a pleasure as always.”

“I mean it, shadow scum. We’ve had enough.”

Professor Yevar’s lips thin. “I’m sorry to hear that, but know that this human is exceptional. Shade here is the very weapon we need to win this war.”

The general looks me up and down, and he doesn’t look impressed by what he sees. “Your weapon looks like nothing more than a snack for my xalf⁠—”

He doesn’t get to finish. Professor Yevar’s shadows shoot out, coiling around the warrior’s neck and squeezing tightly. The general snarls, but he soon realizes no amount of struggling will free him.

Professor Yevar smiles as he leans in close. “Careful, general. There’s a reason I’m now advising your king in your place. You had your chance. Touch my weapon again, and it’ll be the last thing you do.”

The general glares at Professor Yevar, but he eventually nods, and the professor pulls back his shadows.