Page 98 of Ecliptic

Dyani dropped her hand and closed her eyes, breathing slowly as if refraining from stabbing me.

“We’re lost, aren’t we?” Maddock asked, voicing the thoughts I tried to keep at bay.

“We’re not lost,” Rowen said, the pools of his green eyes the only oasis in sight. We stood in a circle of fresh footprints with no trail leading in or out. It was as if we had simply dropped out of the sky. “You heard Keira. She said we are close.”

“Closeis relative,” Dyani pointed out. “Especially to the spirits! For all we know, their idea of being close could mean on an entirely different planet.”

I stood in the sea of golden sand and closed my eyes, trying to feel the way Indrasyl had shown me.

“We’re still on Luneth,” I said, praying to the Elder Spirits that I was right. The arch was an imposing presence, one I’d felt down to my core. “I projected through the Mother Tree’s roots to see the arch, so I’ve technically been there before. Plus, the sand looks familiar.”

“Did you hear that everyone? The sand looks familiar,” Maddock said sarcastically throwing his arms up in the air. “Let’s just follow the sand then, shall we?”

He turned to take an exaggerated step, but as soon as his foot landed, the sand beneath him gave way. Maddock disappeared as the ground collapsed, his startled cry echoing after him.

Panic struck me like lightning. Without thinking, only reacting, I dove after him. It was pure instinct to protect the piece of the bond he had stolen from me. Who knew what would happen if he died carrying a piece of my soul flame bond?

Suddenly, I was rolling down a dune, choking as dirt flew up my nose and into my mouth. I tried to reach for something, anything, but I kept tumbling down the collapsing mountain of sand.

Just as it seemed like I would fall forever, I hit a sharp bump, and my stomach lurched as I flew through the air. I was weightless for a split second before I landed on something soft yet firm and rippling. Whatever it was, I was grateful it had broken my fall.

A groan rumbled underneath me, and I realized I’d landed on Maddock. “This . . . isn’t how I pictured you on top of me,” he muffled, and if my eyes weren’t so full of dirt, I would have rolled them.

Dazed and shaken, I lifted my head, squinting from the sand in my eyes, but my gaze kept rising, up and up. I had to tilt my head all the way back to take in the red-and-copper rock that arced like a rainbow.

My breath hitched. I was staring into the Eye of the Sun.

Sprawled out on top of Maddock, I offered Indrasyl a silent prayer of thanks. She was fighting back against Erovos the only way she could.

“Keira!” Rowen and Dyani shouted as they ran down the hill after us.

“I’m okay,” I said as Rowen’s hands slipped around my waist and lifted me off Madds.

Once he placed me on my feet, I dusted off my pants, though I had a feeling sand had already found its way into every nook and cranny of my body.

“This is incredible,” Maddock said in awe. “I knew we weren’t lost.”

“Yeah, so glad you remained calm,” Dyani said dryly, offering Madds her arm. He clasped her wrist as the warrior rolled her eyes and helped him to his feet.

“We’re here,” I breathed, my gaze locking on the arch that represented everything I’d been searching for.

The stone arced over me like a sculpture, and I marveled at nature’s artistry, using only wind and time as tools. As I stepped closer, I noticed the cascading sheet of golden mist, or was it swirling sand? Whatever it was, it stopped me dead in my tracks, just like when I’d been in Indrasyl’s roots. I peeked around the arch, but the sand stretched on forever.

It must be a portal.

I might be able to astral project through, but the sentient mist seemed to promise death, dehydration, and a slow descent into madness if I tried.

The grave warnings were enough to have me sprinting in the opposite direction, but I’d come too far to give up now.

I planted my feet and stood my ground as determination surged through me. “Now, how do we get through?”

35

“You mean you don’t know?” Maddock asked incredulously. I ignored him and took another step toward the shimmering curtain, but as I did, the sun blazed into my eyes. But how was that possible? The sun was behind me. “Be careful,” he urged.

A shadow stretched out towards me from the opposite side of the mist, a sun beaming behind their back.

My heart leaped in my chest. “Sun casts upon sun!This has to be the right place.”

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