Page 21 of To Dwell in Shadows (Shadows of Aurelia #2)

S elene and Zetta landed in the middle of the bed with a thump .

Completely dry and insect-free. Zetta, seemingly unfazed by their ordeal, wriggled out of Selene’s arms and gave herself a vigorous shake.

Selene could only curl into a fetal position.

Using the stone was always draining, but this time, it felt like she’d returned to her chambers three-quarters dead.

Zetta zoomed around the room, nose twitching as she sniffed every corner.

Selene watched through half-lidded eyes, until the dog leapt back onto the bed and flopped down beside her.

Selene draped an arm over the hellhound and buried her face in Zetta’s warm black fur.

She desperately wished Sam were there, but Zetta’s big, teddy bear-like body offered more comfort than she expected.

Growing up, Selene had always wanted a dog but was too afraid her mother would neglect it—or worse, abuse it.

Who would have guessed she would one day be soothed by a hellhound?

Zetta let out a contented chuff, then turned her massive head to lick the tears from Selene’s face.

The tenderness of the gesture caused all of her emotions to erupt in a torrent of grief.

It was both a release of the utter terror she had felt at believing Cass had been murdered, and despair over how effortlessly Drath had tapped into her deepest fears.

The devastation of her family due to her absence or neglect was a fear she couldn’t remember ever being without.

It was at the root of everything she hated about herself—the people-pleasing, the poor boundaries, the anxiety, and the lack of identity.

These were all traits she thought she was moving past. But perhaps her issues were worse than ever.

Her throat tightened with homesickness. Not just for her family, but for Gaia.

For sunlight and grass and trees and places that didn’t look like they were made of nightmares.

For things like chocolate, reality TV, and smoothies.

Her time in Aurelia had made her accustomed to strangeness, but even during the worst of her adventures there she hadn’t felt this vulnerable.

Vanthee was right. The Underworld wasn’t a place for living humans.

For the first time since they had been together, Selene wondered if Sam would be better off without her.

This was his home, where he was truly meant to be, and here she was getting effortlessly manipulated because she was so out of her depth.

What if Sam was meant to be the Dark Sovereign? Was her attachment impeding him? That was the last thing she wanted. But the thought of leaving him so he could fulfill his destiny made her sob even harder.

Eventually, she must have cried herself to sleep because when a knock sounded at the door, the sky outside the windows had grown darker.

Groggy and heavy-limbed, Selene dragged herself upright, silently praying it wasn’t one of her in-laws.

When she opened the door, Queen Thema stood there, all smiles.

“How are you this fine—” The queen’s words faded as she took in Selene’s tear-streaked face and puffy eyes. Without waiting for an invitation, she stepped inside and made a beeline for the couch.

“Come,” she said, patting the cushion beside her. “Sit. Tell me what’s troubling you. ”

Selene hesitated, then shuffled over to slump into the seat. “It’s nothing,” she muttered. “Just a bit of homesickness.”

Zetta positioned herself between Selene and the queen, her eyes locked on Thema’s face. A low growl rumbled from her throat, soft but unmistakably protective.

“Be nice,” Selene murmured, resting a hand on Zetta’s head. “She’s a friend.”

As if she understood, Zetta huffed and lowered herself to the floor at Selene’s feet, still watching Thema with mild suspicion.

The queen wrinkled her nose delicately. “Dogs. So uncivilized,” she said, shuddering. “Now, what brought on this homesickness, my dear?”

Selene didn’t really feel up to talking, but she knew Thema wouldn’t take no for an answer. Slowly, she recounted what had happened with Drath. Queen Thema listened more attentively than Selene would’ve expected, offering quiet nods and the occasional “Go on” as encouragement.

When Selene finally finished, Queen Thema was visibly angry on her behalf. “These demons.” She scoffed. “They can be absolutely savage at times. I’m sorry you were mistreated by such a brute.”

“Thank you.”

“Would you like me to speak with Lamia about it? I would want to know if one of my subjects treated a guest so poorly.”

“Oh, no. Please don’t.”

“He should be punished.”

“No, I don’t want anyone to know. It’s kind of embarrassing that I was tricked so easily.”

“Let me know if you change your mind,” Queen Thema said before her gaze shifted to the traveler’s stone hanging around Selene’s neck. “However, I have an idea that might help. That stone you carry has another capability—one I believe you’ve overlooked.”

Selene frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Scrying! You can look within it to check on how your family fares anytime you wish. ”

Selene blinked in surprise, then looked down at the stone. Her fingers brushed over its cool surface. “I forgot it could do that.”

Queen Thema nodded, obviously pleased with herself. “Let’s try it now.”

“But…” Selene hesitated. “If I hold it and think about my sister, won’t it transport me to her?”

“Try holding it by the cord. Not the stone itself.”

Selene slipped the stone from around her neck and carefully pinched the cord above the gem, avoiding direct contact.

Keeping her eyes open, she concentrated on every detail of her sister’s face: the freckle on her cheeks, the highlights in her hair, the wry little smirk she made when cracking a joke.

She thought of how Cass’s eyes lit up over a greasy slice of pizza, her love for The Golden Girls , and the endless stream of funny stories about her disastrous dates.

She imagined how much Cass would’ve liked Sam, how she’d call him a major upgrade from her ex and ask if he could set her up with any single demons.

Slowly, the surface of the stone shimmered. Then, after a moment, a faint image gradually took shape.

Queen Thema leaned closer and gasped. “I see something!”

Relief and gratitude rushed through Selene as her sister’s face came into view.

There she was, seated at Maynard’s Tavern, the dim but familiar bar where she liked to sip mojitos while sorting through her photography backlog. The details were a little blurred, but there was no mistaking her.

Cass was alive. Safe. Doing something mundane and utterly normal. After a few seconds, the image faded.

“This is incredible,” Selene whispered. “Thank you.”

The queen smiled, looking satisfied. “I’m glad it brought you peace.”

“I want to see my brother now, too,” Selene said.

She repeated the process to focus on Evan: his lopsided grin, the scar on his chin from when he crashed his bike, and the shelves full of Bigfoot collectibles in his apartment.

The stone glinted with his profile, then brightened into an image of him sitting on his couch, scrolling through his phone. He looked healthy. A bit bored, but nothing out of the ordinary. Selene breathed a sigh of relief. Then the stone winked out into nothing, as if it had run out of batteries.

“Oh, Thema, I’m so glad you showed me this,” Selene said.

“Now,” Queen Thema said with a glint in her eye, “let me show you something else. Shielding.”

Selene straightened a little. “What’s that?”

“It’s an old trick,” Queen Thema explained, her tone almost conspiratorial. “A way to guard your mind when someone tries to gain access. Arkaya taught me after I encountered an enchantress who tried to bend my will.”

She brought her fingers to her temples. “Picture a pyramid,” she said. “Strong. Impenetrable. No one can see through it, and nothing inside can be taken out.”

Selene nodded and closed her eyes. “Okay.”

“Now,” Thema continued, “imagine that pyramid protecting your innermost thoughts—your fears, hopes, desires, regrets. Everything that makes you you . All of it safe within.”

Selene envisioned a great hand, bigger than life, holding a shimmering silver pyramid by its apex. Beneath it, she imagined her brain: pink and fragile, pulsing like a newborn creature, raw and exposed. Every thought, every secret, every memory she held close shimmered faintly within its folds.

Slowly, the great hand lowered the mirrored pyramid until it settled perfectly over her brain, enclosing it entirely. Then the hand twisted the pyramid, locking it into place. Keeping her brain and everything in it safe and protected.

“I see it,” Selene breathed.

“Good,” Thema said, approvingly.

“Does it really work? ”

“Try it,” Thema replied, rising gracefully to her feet. “The next time you walk freely in this realm. Don’t wait until you’re under attack.”

“I will. Thank you.”

At that moment, the Eventide bells rang out, making Zetta’s ears perk up. Selene looked down at the hellhound and said, “I guess it’s time to take you back, girl.”

Queen Thema stood and yawned. “I should be getting back to my room as well. I’ve missed my afternoon nap and am feeling the effects.”

“Thank you for your help. I feel much better.”

“Good. And thank you for bringing me along on this journey.”

“Have you had fun reconnecting with Lamia?”

“Oh, immensely,” Thema said, her smile turning nostalgic. “We squabble, of course, as sisters do, but it’s been wonderful to see her again.”

Zetta let out a low whine and nudged Selene’s hand.

“All right, then. Let’s get you to the kennels,” Selene said.

She walked Queen Thema to the door, then continued down the corridor with Zetta trotting faithfully at her side. When they reached the kennels, Zetta padded into her pen without protest, tail wagging at the pile of raw meat waiting for her.

Selene lingered at the gate, her hand resting on the cool metal as she weighed her next move.

She wasn’t hungry, and the nap had left her feeling oddly wired.

A hollow ache pressed behind her ribs. She was desperate to see Sam after everything that had happened.

But she didn’t want to bother him. And truthfully, she didn’t even know where he was in the palace.

What she did know was that she wasn’t ready to be alone with her thoughts. Not tonight. What she needed was a distraction.

Then she remembered: the library was just a short walk away. If she couldn’t escape the mysteries of the Underworld, at least she could escape into a pile of books.