Page 81 of Night Fae

Time seemed to stretch and contract. One moment, the others were right beside him; the next, they were distant figures shrouded in mist that hadn't been there seconds before. Zev focused on his breathing, on the solid weight of his weapons, on anything but the whispers that tickled the edges of his consciousness.

"Stay close," Caelen called, his voice sounding both near and impossibly far away. "The Fields will try to separate us."

"I feel magic," Knox said. "Strong magic, in that direction." He pointed toward what appeared to be a copse of trees—though as Zev watched, the trees sometimes vanished, replaced by stone pillars, then tall sculptures, then trees again.

They moved toward the source of magic, fighting against the disorienting shifts in reality. Daniel stumbled once, then again, his eyes darting to things only he could see.

"Jamie's just over there," he insisted. "I can see him."

"It's not real," Caelen repeated, gripping Daniel's hand tightly. "Focus on me and nothing else."

Zev kept his senses alert for danger, though in this place, danger could wear any face. Every shadow might conceal an enemy—or a memory given flesh.

The magic grew stronger as they approached the center of the Fields. Here, the shifts in reality were more pronounced. Objects from Earth—a streetlamp, a bench, a chunk of what looked like asphalt—phased into existence before dissolving away again.

And there, in the center of it all, was Leon.

The human knelt within a circle of glowing symbols etched into the ground. His eyes were closed, his hands pressed flat against the earth. Energy pulsed from him, feeding the ritual that swirled around him like a vortex.

"Leon," Daniel called, starting forward.

Caelen's arm shot out, holding him back. "Wait."

Behind Leon stood a tall figure with midnight blue hair and eyes that shone like stars. Yuri. The rogue Barrier Keeper watched them approach, his expression calm, almost satisfied.

"You're earlier than I expected," Yuri said, voice carrying easily despite the distance. "But not unwelcome. In fact, your presence here completes something I've been working toward."

"Let him go," Daniel demanded, straining against Caelen's arm.

Yuri smiled. "Leon isn't a prisoner. He's a collaborator."

"Collaborator in what?" Caelen's voice held dangerous calm. "Breaking down the barriers between worlds? Creating chaos?"

"Creating healing," Yuri corrected. "The barriers are unnatural constructs—prison walls between realms that were meant to be one."

Zev studied the ritual circle. The symbols were unfamiliar but clearly powerful. "And what happens to those caught in the collapse when your healing destroys everything they know?"

"Everything will be reborn," Yuri replied. "Everything andeveryone. Wouldn't you like that, night fae?"

Zev's hand moved to his sword. "Don't pretend to know me."

"But I do know you," Yuri smiled. "I know all of you. I've been watching for longer than you realize."

Daniel stepped forward, breaking free of Caelen's grasp. "Leon! Leon, can you hear me?"

Leon's eyes remained closed, his body rigid as energy continued to flow through him.

"He can hear you," Yuri confirmed. "But he cannot respond. The mapping ritual requires his complete concentration."

"Mapping?" Knox asked.

"The weak points between worlds." Caelen's eyes narrowed. "He's using Leon to find where the barriers can be most easily broken."

"Precisely." Yuri inclined his head toward Caelen. "Shadow King, always so perceptive. Yes, I'm mapping the fracture points. Breaking something is always easiest when you know exactly where to stab your blade."

"Why Leon?" Daniel demanded. "Why use him?"

Yuri smiled. "Leon and I have been working together for a very long time. I could not have accomplished all of this without him."