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It was at that precise moment when the car gave an odd lurch.

“Motherfucker!” he cursed. “I can’t see jack.”

The car began to slow.

“What are you doing?” I shouted.

“I can’t see!”

Shit. Shit, shit,shit.

He pulled the vehicle off to the side of the road—at least that’s where I think he angled the car. I could no longer see anything out the windows. The roar of the swarm was defeaning. It was all around us, and now it was breaching the car.

We were going to die unless I did something.

I bit the inside of my cheek until it bled.

Clades was an Infernarus. One of my own.

I would either stop him, or I would meet my end straight on.

The car shuddered to a stop. Before Asher could tell me otherwise, I opened the car door.

“Lana—”

I slammed the door shut behind me, cutting off his words and surely trapping dozens of insects inside with him. For his sake, I hoped he was right about them being harmless.

For his sake and for mine.

Because almost immediately, insects pelted me, the force of the impact bruising. They were a living, breathing gale. The noise of all those wing strokes was deafening out here. The abyss was screaming in my ear.

The sheer force of them knocked me back. I felt their wings against my skin, their bodies tangled in my hair.

I began moving away from the car, cringing against the feel of so many bugs battering against me.

Somewhere out here, Clades walked. I was going to find him, and I was going to convince him to end this madness.

Asher was under my protection and the Infernarus would not intercede on it.

I had to cover my mouth to speak, the insects were so dense.

“Clades!” I shouted. My own hand muffled my words.

“Clades!” I yelled louder. “Clades!”

It was no use. He’d never hear.

I was getting close to the vortex, though. The denseness of all the insects was the most obvious sign. Walking was like trying to move through a wall. I made little headway.

I stopped, knowing that fighting against the swarm would be fruitless this close to its epicenter. Dropping to my knees, I closed my eyes. I had essentially no magic left. But it didn’t matter. I carried an entire universe within me, something I did not need any magic to access because it was magic itself. Now I focused on it.

Down that magical web I moved, seeking out Clades Solem. Every Infernarus had their own unique essence, and I knew exactly what each was made of. I moved past legions of other Infernari, catching bits and pieces of who they were. One that reminded me of the smell of the earth and rain, another whose soul felt like the tide rushing over you. I passed Azazel’s—his was like the breath of scorching, desert air—until finally, finally I found Clades.

I was so far in myself, I could no longer feel the pelt of hundreds of insects, nor hear the roar of their wings.

This deep within myself, nothing terrible could touch me.

I spent a moment immersing myself in the cyclone of this Infernarus’s essence. Beneath his stormy exterior, Clades’ spirit was warm sand and flapping hides and snapping hearth fire. Comforting. Familiar.