Page 6 of To Dwell in Shadows (Shadows of Aurelia #2)

A lthough Sam would have happily stayed in bed the next day, he knew it would be rude to stay secluded. Plus, Queen Thema had a lot of questions about interdimensional travel.

“What will become of my clothes?” she asked Selene over breakfast in the solarium the next morning.

“What do you mean?”

“As we travel through dimensions, will they disappear? Am I to arrive in the Underworld nude as I do in Gaia? What of my breastplate?” Queen Thema tapped on the metal surrounding her chest.

“You take on your cat form on Gaia,” Sam said while buttering a piece of toast. “This is different.”

“I don’t see any reason why your clothes would disappear,” Selene said, suppressing a smile. “I’ve never appeared anywhere without clothes when I use it.”

Queen Thema nodded decisively. “Then I shall wear my cerulean gown with the beaded cuffs. Arkaya! Will you make sure it’s steamed and ready? ”

Arkaya nodded after setting down a second pitcher of cream at the table.

“Queen Thema, would you like to practice a few times?” Selene asked. “I can transport us someplace within the castle just so you have an idea of how it feels. Sam and I did that a few times in Snowmelt.”

Queen Thema looked thoughtful for a moment, then shook her head. “Actually, I would like the entire affair to be a surprise. As old as I am, I rarely have new experiences. I want to arrive in the Underworld full of excitement, warmed by the thrill of adventure!”

“It’s not a very pleasant sensation,” Sam warned.

“Perhaps to those who are not used to walking between worlds,” the queen quipped.

“Sam’s right, but if that’s what you wish, it’s fine.”

“Good. I have much to do today in preparation for the ball and also for Queen Delphine’s temporary reign. How do you two plan to spend your day?”

Sam replied, “I plan to show Selene around more of the castle and grounds. Unless there’s something you need from us.”

“I need nothing but for you both to relax and enjoy yourselves in true Malkina fashion.”

“Very well,” Sam said.

While Sam had been indifferent—or even scornful—toward the famous Malkina opulence during his tenure at the castle, seeing it through Selene’s eyes was fascinating.

She had only glimpsed a small portion of the castle during her visits, whereas Sam knew every nook and cranny.

She marveled at the grand corridors of each wing, gasped when they entered the workshops of the artisans in residence, and even clapped when they ventured into the subterranean crystal gardens.

Her perspective made Sam consider that his time at Queen Thema’s castle hadn’t been as torturous as he had made himself believe.

Perhaps it was his loneliness and grief that had colored the experience.

The next day, Queen Thema’s farewell ball unfolded just as Sam had expected—with grandiose splendor and far too much drinking and debauchery.

He kept his word to attend for dinner but left after Selene whispered that she wanted to be with him.

Alone. His pulse had quickened at her words, and a glance at Queen Thema leading a group dance in the middle of the ballroom confirmed that their presence would not be missed.

Wordlessly, they slipped away from the festivities.

They made it as far as a nearby broom closet before Sam couldn’t wait any longer.

He pulled Selene inside, lifted her skirts, and took her against the wall.

How Selene’s former human lover, Kevin P.

Norton, could have spurned her advances, Sam would never understand.

There was nothing more rousing to him than being asked by his mate to gratify her desire.

The next morning, Sam woke before sunrise, his body thrumming with anticipation. It was hard to believe that the day he had dreamed of for so long was finally here. He dressed quickly, his movements steady despite the energy coursing through him. Soon, Selene stirred in their bed as well.

By the time they descended from his chambers, the halls were hushed in the early morning stillness.

Golden sunlight filtered through the windows, casting warm slants across the stone floor.

Waiting outside the doors into her private wing, Queen Thema stood with her hands clasped before her, Arkaya at her side.

“Well, good morning,” Selene said. “I didn’t expect you to be ready so soon.”

“I couldn’t sleep all night from excitement,” Queen Thema said.

“You only spent a few moments in bed,” Arkaya said wryly. “A restful night would have been better advised.”

“Perhaps, but I was having too much fun at the ball.”

They gazed at each other tenderly for a moment before Thema’s tone softened. “It grieves me to leave you, but I will return soon. ”

“Everything will be taken care of here,” Arkaya assured her.

Queen Thema nodded, then pulled Arkaya into a brief but firm embrace, which surprised Sam. It wasn’t a secret that the two were lovers. But the queen feared that openly displaying favoritism might undermine Arkaya’s authority as steward, so she kept the depth of their relationship discreet.

“Right. Let’s proceed, shall we?” Queen Thema said to Selene.

“Okay, no time like the present, I guess.” Selene braced her feet and held out her arms. “Everyone, grab on to me. Let’s do this.”

Sam stood behind Selene, wrapping an arm around her. He could feel the tension in her body as he pressed against her. Queen Thema’s usually confident smile wavered as she reached out, gripping Sam’s forearm with one hand and Selene’s shoulder with the other.

With a determined motion, Selene pulled the traveler’s stone from beneath her shirt. She touched her fingers to the glossy white surface, bowed her head, and closed her eyes.

It only took a few seconds before dizziness spun through Sam’s head. The air thickened, charged with an acrid smell that clung to his nostrils. Thema’s sharp intake of breath told him she felt the shift around them, too.

His stomach lurched as if the ground beneath him had fallen away, and his balance wavered, making it hard to tell up from down. Then came the sound—a harsh, grating buzz, like a swarm of angry bees vibrating against his skull.

Drilling into his head until they spread into his body.

His bones.

Sam’s vision tunneled to a pinpoint of light. He tried to focus on it, like a guiding star in a sea of night. But it began to collapse until it winked out completely.

Darkness swallowed him whole.

Sam’s breath turned to ragged gasps, his chest tightening with panic. He tried to squeeze Selene closer to him, comforted by the warmth of her body, but the sensation was fleeting. Was she still there? Or was it just hot air slipping from his grasp? The space around him no longer made sense.

It felt as though his body was being twisted into impossible angles. Falling, falling, falling into an abyss of nothing. Somewhere in the void, a raw scream tore through the silence. It was filled with terror, but Sam couldn’t tell where it came from.

Was it Selene? Thema?

His throat ached—perhaps it was his own voice he’d heard.

The pressure surrounding Sam’s head and body continued to build until he feared his skin might split and his bones shatter.

It was agony. Relentless. Absolute.

Then suddenly—silence.