Page 86 of In the Dark

“Is that where you think she’s gone?”

“I’m afraid so. I can’t get a trace of her energy signature beyond the faintest shadow. Which, as you can guess, leads in the exact opposite way we should go.”

“Then we begin there.”

“Look,” Morgan said, folding his wings against his back and landing hard on the ground. “I don’t know you or what kind of power you have. But going too far into the subconscious is a bad idea for someone inexperienced. You could get lost. Or worse, be trapped there.”

Vane smiled. “I appreciate your concern. But understand this. This world, the earth, is nothing compared to the world of ancient magicks. I’ve been given dominion over something far greater. Try not to worry.” He clapped Morgan on the shoulder. “Let’s go save her.”

They took off together, each step a resounding crack when dried mud and sand gave way beneath their weight. Morgan waved his hand, trying to change the view they saw and finding his powers refusing to cooperate.

Whoever had made the desert wanted it there and would not let him interact with it. Whatever was happening was beyond his control. Instead of fear, anger rose in its place. It was starting to piss him off.

He tuned in to the vitalities of the plane around him and was at once aware of a spider’s web of energies converging from every mortal asleep on earth. They had no idea of their connections to each other. Had no idea of the golden threads binding them in a confusing network of shared hopes and goals and experiences.

Tugging on several at once, he attempted to locate a stronger read on the one signature unique to Karsia. He came up with nothing concrete. At first. Then he pushed harder and caught a glimpse of confusion, a swirl of alarm, the haunting remembrance of a nightmare. A hint of unrelenting pain before he lost the connection.

A desire to protect her rose up until he nearly choked on it. “She’s this way.” He pointed into the heart of the desert, well aware of Vane’s alarm.

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been surer.”

Vane gestured acquiescence and the two continued on their path.

They would find her, because she would never give up. She was a strong woman with a bright future ahead of her. Morgan vowed to search until he reached the end of his immortal life. And if they were not successful on this trip, then he would stay in the subconscious for as long as it took.

His emotions were sharp and clear, but burned like a horrible ache in his chest.

Vane turned to look at him. “You need to stop thinking. You’re projecting to the point where you’ll draw every negative entity on this plane to us before we have a chance to get to Karsia.”

“I know, and I apologize. I can’t help myself.” Morgan clenched his hands at his sides to keep from wringing them.

“You must.”

Well, yes, of course, but it was easier said than done. Morgan focused instead on the fading signature coming to him in bursts and sparks. He hoped Vane didn’t notice their random meandering whenever they lost the trail. The man walked beside him with the easy stride of the unconcerned, though his eyes continually swept the wasteland. Missed nothing.

Morgan turned toward the mountain and knew those peaks would be their final destination. The dark crevices where horrible things lurked and waited to drag the unsuspecting under.

It took them longer than he expected to reach the shadows. The instant his foot stepped into them, the gloomy scene changed. A forest sprang up around them, with tangled underbrush and weeds with vicious thorns hidden beneath deceptive green leaves. There was no sunlight to dapple through the boughs, no drifting golden beams to warm the face.

These woods were unwelcoming and deadly.

“I don’t like this.” Morgan spoke aloud in the hush, listening to the unnatural silence.

There were no insects to lend a constant hum to the evening. No creatures leaping through the branches, scurrying across the ground searching for prey or shelter.

But there were eyes. And none of them friendly.

He caught the brief glimpse of energy and turned to the left, feeling like the world’s stupidest person. He didn’t normally charge headfirst into danger without backup or a plan. Each step took them farther away from the realm of his jurisdiction and into the territories of the others.

“We’re almost there.”

It was a gut feeling. A certain click inside of him letting him know they were on the right path. He shivered unconsciously and swatted a tree branch out of his way.

Vane had opened his mouth to speak when suddenly he dropped. Soil enveloped his leg and sucked him into the ground, quickly engulfing the lower half of him.

Morgan whirled around to grip the man by his forearm, heaving. Vane said nothing, merely grunting as the dirt refused to release him.

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