Page 18 of Beyond the Winter Kingdom
“Nope,” she said. “I mean Icould, but using my tracking that way drains my power really fast and leaves me disoriented. I lose my senses the more I use it. Following the thread is safer and won’t take much out of me.”
My jaw worked as I considered what she was saying. On one hand, her sister was here. Great. Given she was who we were looking for, that was a good thing. On the other hand, we were in one of the most dangerous of the nine realms with no way home.
The portal had dropped us in a cave somewhere then disappeared, which meant it wasn’t an exit route, and I hadn’t filled her in on the worst of it.
“Vareck?” Meera said, looking from my hand to my face. “We’re here to find my sister.”
“I’m aware.”
She gestured to the expansive landscape before us. “Then let me go so we can find her.”
“It’s not that simple. She may not be in Eversus.”
“I literally just told you I see the thread. Of course she’s here.”
I shook my head. “Eversus and Evorsus; twin realms. They are the two sides of the same coin.” Meera started to speak, but I held my hand up, urging her to wait. “The land shifts at random. One moment you are in Eversus, the next, you are inEvorsus. There is no rhyme or reason. No geographic location that determines where. It’s a hell realm that does what it wants.”
“Well ... that is a minor inconvenience, but it doesn’t change what we have to do.”
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose between my forefinger and thumb. “You said your power can work over any distance as long as what or who you’re looking for is in the same realm. For all we know, she’s weeks, maybe even months away from here on foot. There’s also a very real possibility that Sadie could be in the other realm, and no matter where she is at this exact moment, there’s no guarantee she will be in the same realm five minutes from now.”
“And?” She cocked an eyebrow in challenge.
“You really need more of an explanation?” I pointed at her bag. “We have only what you have packed. And even if that includes the best survival kit in the nine realms, it won’t change the fact that we don’t have enough water. We don’t have enough food. We aren’t dressed for these conditions. The land can shift at any time. None of these things are good.”
“All true, but it doesn’t matter. You said the land does what it wants for any reason. That means we could stay in this exact spot, and the shift could still occur. Whether we sit here and twiddle our thumbs or start walking to find Sadie, those facts remain. It’s not like the portal is still here to take us back so we can go get changed and grab more supplies.”
“We have shelter at least,” I countered.
“But we’re not the only ones that know about it,” She jutted her chin toward the sad firepit. “What if they—” She broke off abruptly, scanning the ground. Meera pulled her arm out of my grip to walk several feet and kneel down beside the fire. I came up behind her, watching as she crouched low and blew across the floor.
Sand scattered, revealing stones reshaped into a letter. W.
Wylde.
“Sadie was here,” she breathed.
“How do you know?” I questioned. “Anyone could have done that.”
“Really?” Meera stared at me deadpanned. “I don’t think there are many people hanging around Eversus writing letters in caves. She knew I’d come looking for her. I feel her thread. She was here.”
“And if she comes back?” I asked when she pivoted for the exit once more.
“Then she’s close enough we should find her soon,” Meera called over her shoulder, walking away from me.
Tension rose through my upper body. I worked my jaw, twisting my neck so it cracked. There was no way in hell that I’d let her wander off alone through Eversus. That was not an option. And there was apparently no way to stop her. Not one I was willing to risk, anyway. So like it or not, I followed.
The terrain was uneven leading away from the cave. The ground was mostly sand and silt, making it twice as hard to wade through. Dark brown and black shrubs broke up the otherwise desolate expanse before us.
The moment I left the shade of the cave, the twin suns tried to roast me like a pig on a spit. I soldiered through without a complaint as I caught up to Meera. I would have to measure my steps carefully to not end up too far ahead of her. While she wasn’t short by human standards, she was small compared to my six and a half feet in height.
“So,” I said, attempting to cut through the heat and tension. “We’re mates ...” Internally, I cringed. Was that really the best I could do to segue into the conversation? Much as he was an asshole, Corvo might have a point about my lack of social skills.
Meera winced, shaking her head. “Do we have to do this?”
“This?” I cocked a brow.
She motioned between us, seemingly irritated. “This.Just ... not now. I’m focused on finding Sadie.”
