Page 133 of Red's Beast

"Are you ready to do this, Lillian?"

"I'm ready as I'll ever be." Our gazes meet, and he smirks.

"Well, if that's the case, then let us begin. The sooner my part of the deal is finished, the sooner you have to fulfill yours." He flips the page and traces his finger down it. "Ah, there it is."

He recites the spell in a language I don't understand. The wind picks up out of nowhere and swirls around us as the trees andbushes move with it. It starts out gentle, but becomes more forceful by the minute.

"Are you sure this is the spell?" I shout over the wind. It’s so strong that it whips my hair around my face, nearly blinding me. He stands there unphased as he keeps his eyes trained on the words of the page.

His hands glow as he weaves one through the air while holding the book. Once the spell is complete, his eyes snap up, and he smiles. "The portal will open now."

I look to the left and a shimmering circle comes into view.

As I turn my head to look at Corbin, his eyes are wide with fear. He is staring at the shimmering circle, completely scared of what he's just created. Is it because he knows it leads to our doom or is it something else?

"So, this portal leads up to Lucian? Are you certain?"

He glances at me briefly, then returns his focus to the portal. "I don't know, but it's all my magic can do. If you want another portal right now, I won't be able to produce one."

I take a tentative step toward it, but Grandmother rushes forward, carrying my red cloak. "Here, take this."

My brow furrows in confusion. "Why do I need my cloak?"

She scoffs. "Please, just wear it. I don't know why, but I feel like you should carry this piece of your mother with you."

I reach for the cloak and take it from her carefully. As I latch it around my neck, I straighten the hood behind me. "Let's go. Grandmother, I love you and thank you. We’ll be back before you know it, so keep the pack in line for me."

She nods. "I love you too, child. This isn't the end. I'll just see you later."

I turn and approach the portal, scared and unsure, but Corbin steps up beside me and huffs out a breath, making the moment seem less than it really is. He throws the book down on the ground with a light thump.

"Let's get this over with."

I step through the portal first, everything swirling around me and making me wonder if it will ever end. My stomach rolls with nausea and finally, the other side comes into view. The world doesn't look different from ours and I wonder if we're just in another part of the forest. Then Corbin steps through and shakes his head.

"Well, this isn't what I expected. Where are we?"

"This looks like home. It doesn't make sense." I glance around wildly, but it looks the same. “Did she really create a realm that looks just like ours?”

"Regardless, I did what I promised. I have brought you to where Lucian is, or at least tried. So, my job is done." He turns, looking around the woods. The portal has already disappeared behind him and he frowns. "Well, that is not what I planned. I probably should have brought that book."

"Oh, were you going to leave me here?"

"No," he coughs, and clears this throat. "I was just making sure it closed, but now I have a few more questions than I had before.”

Rolling my eyes, I turn my attention to our surroundings. Everything is quiet, too quiet if you ask me. A path to my left catches my attention and right as I head toward it, Corbin reaches out, grabbing my arm.

"Where do you think you're going?"

I turn with a snarl. "Going to get Lucian. Let go of my arm."

"Are you sure it's safe?" He glances around the trees, acting as if he heard something.

"Does it really matter? We're here now and I'm going to find him. Let go before I break your arm off." My wolf rises to the surface, my eyes bleeding red and my canines lengthening.

He drops my arm quickly, his hands in the air as a sign of defeat. "Fine, fine. Let's just skip down a random path and see where it leads. It makes me feel like Hansel and Gretel. The only problemwith that is the fact they end up at a witch’s house and get eaten. Do you want to be eaten?"

I never answer him and start walking. As I reach the path a few seconds later, he is right on my heels, humming aloud.

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