Page 46 of Immortal Throne

“What does it say?” I asked.

He shook his head. “It’s in ancient demonic.”

Not what I asked. “Can you read it?”

“Yes, but it makes no sense.”

I peered over the side of the stairs, the water continued to rise. “Just share the information. We’re either dying together or surviving together.”

“It says to form a portal with a drop of blood and an incantation.”

“Okay…” I said. “I used an incantation to get to the Underworld, won’t that work?”

“No,” he said.

“Why not?”

“I already tried to form a portal earlier. The trial must be blocking the magic. We have to use their incantation.”

“Okay, so let’s do it.”

“It doesn’t provide the incantation, just a hint.”

Of course. I pulled the stretchy material of my shirt back, pulled out the paper and held it out for Ryker to read. Soaked with water it drooped between my pinched fingers.

“What is this?” he asked.

I waved the slip of paper at him when he didn’t take it immediately. “Hopefully the incantation.”

“That you just happened to remember you had in your possession. What happened to the whole ride-or-die shit?”

“I didn’t trust you to keep your word, okay.”

“I always keep my word.” He snatched the paper from my hand and scowled. His lips peeled back from his teeth. “That distrust just killed us.”

“What?”

“I can’t read this.”

“Of course, you can. It’s the same crap that’s written on the ground.”

He held the slip up to reveal the wet paper. The ink had run, smearing the symbols.

“Oh.”

“Yeah. Oh.” He swore again and turned away. Shoulders tense, he ran his hand through his hair.

An invisible rope tightened around my chest. My lungs constricted. Breathing hurt. I’d inadvertently destroyed the cave incantation, or at least the answer to the clue. “Wait. What was the hint?”

“What?” Ryker’s rough voice growled.

“The hint,” I repeated.

“It makes no sense.”

“I don’t care. We still have a chance.”

He shrugged. “Why do demons and ghouls hang out all the time?”

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