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We moved before any more doubt could creep in.

If nothing else, getting away from the Rivenholt Palace—and the lingering protections Calista had left—had been a positive move for my own magic; it no longer felt like it was being suffocated. It rose easily from my outstretched palms.

Nova mirrored my movements, and soon we’d both managed to call forth equal amounts of our respective powers. They rose as shimmering tendrils of light and dark, slowly drifting toward one another, rising without hesitation despite the heavy air.

What had once been a chaotic meeting of clashing energies now moved with purpose and grace, effortlessly weaving in and out, twisting tighter and tighter together until there was no space in between. The threads of twisting power combined more fully above the arch, shaping into a spiraling column that was illuminated and shaded in turn. It spun for a moment before dividing once more into two strands—ribbons that each carried a predominant magic, but also a hint of the opposite magic, now.

With precise guidance from our hands, the ribbons dove and skimmed along the stone arch. There were pedestals on either side of this arch—places meant for the Swords of Light and Shadow to rest and channel their power. Our magic sankinto them, filling in the grooves and awakening the ancient mechanisms hidden within.

All the symbols on the door flared brighter. The stone arch lit up with equal boldness. As we shielded our eyes, a loud, sharp sound rattled through the area—like ice cracking and snow shifting on a mountaintop, echoing through a deep valley.

When it all settled, most of the arch remained, save for a few chipped shards.

But the door lay in a thousand splintered pieces upon the dusty ground.

A path of some kind was clearly opened; a swirling mass of grey and white energy now waited where the wooden door had once stood.

Beckoning us.

But to enter it meant stepping over the shattered remnants of the once imposing gate—a pile of sharp, broken things that seemed ominous, at best.

If we stepped into that chaotic-looking portal, could we come back the same way?

We all hesitated.

Nova crouched down, carefully sifting through the broken splinters of wood and bits of stone. “What have we done?” she breathed. “What does this mean?”

Bastian knelt beside her, his expression grim. He started to speak several times before seemingly deciding on an explanation. “The realms, and the paths between them, aren’t as they once were…and you two aren’t exactly like the Vaelora of centuries past. I wouldn’t expect everything to go as smoothly as it once did for the usual incarnations of those beings. Especially without the Swords of Shadow and Light in your hands.”

“Either way, the path is open, right?” said Thalia, taking a cautious but determined step forward. “No turning back, now.”

Nova straightened, her eyes shining a strange shade of blue as she stared down the glowing portal. “Onward, then.”

Despite the unanswered questions hanging over us, no one disagreed.

Phantom bounded ahead of us all—only to stop just shy of the gate, pacing and whining.

“He’s gotten used to being solid and normal in this realm,” Bastian said. “The energies in Nerithys might not react kindly with his…interesting, shiftingexistence.”

Alarm overtook Nova’s face. “Could it permanently harm him?”

Bastian didn’t answer, but the concerned furrow of his brow betrayed his thoughts.

The dog started to force himself closer to the portal anyway, but Nova caught him by the ruff around his neck and pulled him away. She hesitated before kneeling before him, her voice shaking slightly as she said, “Stay. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Phantom growled his disagreement but ultimately obeyed, slinking away. Nova clenched her hand into a fist and braced it against the ground, bowing her head as she collected herself. She took only seconds to do so; too many eyes were on her, waiting for her to lead them.

I offered a hand and helped her to her feet.

Side-by-side, we stepped through the gateway.

A feeling of falling immediately struck—like I’d missed a step on a steep staircase. I didn’t tumble far, but the landing was still jarring, and it was pitch dark at the bottom. So unnaturally dark that, for a moment, it seemed like I was the only being in existence. Like nothing else couldpossiblyhaveexisted in the nothingness around me, in this dark that swallowed up all scent and sound and sensation…

Twisted though it might have been, I was suddenly grateful for my time spent in the punishing Abyss back at my old palace; my experiences kept me from panicking, at least. I merely closed my eyes and searched for that calm place I kept buried deep inside of myself.

As I drifted within that still, inner place, I heard a faint breath in the darkness. Then a heartbeat. Then a pulse of magic that I recognized, even as all my other senses were dulled or outright failing me. My own magic answered automatically, lighting its jagged paths through my skin, cutting through this new abyss to answer that distant pulsing.

I took a few steps forward, following the pull of my magic, and I soon spotted Nova’s hand reaching out in the dark. Her eyes were slightly wide with fear as they met mine.