Page 72

“What do you know about our magic?” he asked.

Our.

It was so strange to meet someone else with shadow magic—especially after years among the humans of Shadowbank who looked upon this type of magic with distrust and fear. It was why she’d had to seek out Lucinda’s help.

“I’ve only recently discovered some of my abilities,” she said.

He nodded. “It’s rare to encounter demi-fae. Historically, the fae have only mated amongst our kind.”

“Why?” she asked cautiously.

The prince shrugged. “There weren’t many humans in the fae realm. So, the opportunity didn’t often present itself.”

“And when it did?”

He raised a brow. “Love matches between fae and humans—or any other species—is rare. Most looked upon us with fear. But it did happen.”

Turning down another tunnel, they came to what appeared to be a cave. But unlike where she’d awoken, this cave had an opening at the other end. They were higher up in the mountain, overlooking the ground thousands of feet below, which was shrouded in the dark mist. Beyond, the desert stretched out as far as the eye could see in every direction. As she followed Arden into the cave, she realized there was a steep drop-off from the mouth of the cave that led outside.

For the first time, she wondered why he’d brought her there.

As her stomach growled loud enough to wake the undead, footsteps sounded behind them. Turning, she spotted a fae warrior with something in his hands. Her mouth immediately watered. He held what appeared to be a loaf of bread and some dried meat. When the warrior approached and offered her the plate of food as well as a waterskin, she hesitated.

She wouldn’t accept food if her friends weren’t also being seen to.

Arden nodded toward the plate. “Please. You must be hungry.”

“My friends,” she began, keeping her arms firmly at her sides. “They’re?—”

“Being cared for,” Arden interrupted. “I’ve instructed my warriors to see their needs are tended to.”

“Even Hadeon?” she asked, annoyed at herself for protecting the fae prince who held a bargain over her head.

Lips pursed, Arden said, “Even him.”

Without another word, she took the plate and waterskin from the warrior and shoved the dried meat into her mouth, tearing off a piece with her teeth.

When Arden gestured to the ground at the edge of the tunnel that overlooked the land around them, she cleared her throat awkwardly and swallowed the food.

“Thank you,” she managed before sitting down, allowing her feet to hang in the open air against the mountainside.

If this place possessed stars like in the mortal and fae realms, she thought the view would be breathtaking. As it was, the landscape was made up of a dark desert and a darker sky.

The prince took a seat beside her. To her relief, he said nothing as she finished the food and took a long drink of cool water. She drank until the waterskin was empty.

Only once she’d finished did Arden speak.

“Where did you enter the Abyss?” he asked.

“To the southeast,” she said. “I believe it was the same gateway you entered. The one in the western tundra.”

He nodded. “I’ve tried to find that gateway again many times, but I’ve never been able to locate it. It appears to be closed from this side. I’m afraid you and your friends are now stuck here alongside us.”

Her heart dropped as the realization sunk in. “When I learned of the potential of your being in the Abyss, I suspected there may have been a reason you never returned.”

Iwillfind a way to get back to Elias,she thought, clinging to the shreds of her confidence.I won’t be stuck here.

After all, Hadeon had said he knew an exit gateway existed.