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Me, I wasn’t that impressed. But hey, she seemed to like it.

The moment the car stopped, she was out the door and prancing out across the barren, alien landscape.

I stepped out and cracked my back, grateful to straighten my spine for once. Then I leaned against the car and pushed up my sunglasses to watch her, one eyebrow cocked as she twirled around like a kid trying to catch snowflakes.

I couldn’t help but smile.

I’d heard about Abyssos, about the vast plains of charred lava rock, the bloodred sun setting behind purple clouds, the weathered castle spires that looked like they’d been there since the dawn of time. It all sounded terrifying and eerily beautiful. I could see how this reminded her of it.

I guess you just loved the place you grew up in.

You know what, I did want her to take me through the portal and show me her world—not to fulfill some oath, but just because.

I wanted to watch her carve a bone shiv, and train a gargoyle, and whisper prayers to her gods. I wanted her to show me everything. To teach me. I wanted to see it through her eyes, marvel at the strangeness of it, blunder through her people’s customs like she had through ours. And I wanted to watch her hair snap about when I irritated her, sink when I made her sad, and purr when I made her happy.

I wanted to make her happy.

Right then, I did something very strange.

I pulled out my cell phone, centered her in the screen, and took a video of Lana dancing around the craters... because I wanted to keep this forever.

This moment, this feeling, this magic.

I wanted to keepher.

Chapter 18

Lana

Today was ourfinal day on the road.

Our. Last.Day.

My necklaces jingled from the jittery excitement that buzzed through me. Tomorrow, we’d truly begin the hunt for the portal. And once we found it, we’d cross over, and I’d show Asher my world.

I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, suddenly nervous. He hadn’t seemed too impressed with the sulfur springs. What would he think of the rest of my world?

Outside my window, dense, bright green foliage covered the land. The thick heat of the place seemed to cling to me.

This was surprisingly similar to Abyssos’s capitol. Well, similar enough.

The road curved, and a copse of trees that lined the street fell away. The land spread out before us; at the sight of it I gasped.

“Asher...”

Rising far above the horizon was the mountain from my memory. Snow-capped and purple, it dwarfed the landscape around it.

Goosebumps broke out at the sight of it. Old magic lingered here. Old magic and old gods. I could feel them. Restless, ancient spirits. Things even humans gave respect to.

Next to me, Asher peered up at it. I saw excitement spark in his eyes; his expression was utterly devoid of the trepidation I felt. This land was sowed with centuries of human blood. The earth hungered for it, and Asher was oblivious to it.

And why would he notice it? Humans hadn’t gotten to where they were by listening to quiet things.

We passed a collapsing structure, the faded paint peeling off its walls, half of the tiled roof missing. Derelict,rottingstructures dotted the land. But then there were dozens more that weren’t abandoned. Even out here, people lived.

Is there any corner of this world that is free from humans?

A single one of these cities held more inhabitants than my entire homeland. And the lush fauna I should’ve seen co-existing with the natives was noticeably absent, save for a few herds of domesticated beasts, corralled together behind fences.