Page 70 of Happily Ever Bitten (Underworld Royals 2)

“It’s the place my people fear the most,” Narissa replied, pointing to a horizon lined in mud and fire.

That looks ominous, Zay thought, shivering.

I tried to find another place for them to drop us but found nothing of purpose. If we fell from this height, we’d suffer significant damage. And Zay likely wouldn’t survive it.

Shit. I studied the approaching swampland and the rivers of lava flowing between spots of murky brown. We should not have left our helmets at the tower.

Zaya grunted but remained otherwise silent.

Narissa just seemed… defeated. Which was strange because I sensed the power lurking beneath her skin. Had she been enchanted not to use it?

I didn’t get a chance to ask, the dragons swooping low to indicate our impending release.

Get ready, I told Zaya.

She nodded against me, her lips ghosting over my cheek.

Then the claws opened, releasing us to the muddy swamps below.

We landed in a creek of mucky brown water, the stench immediately making me gag.

Ugh. It reminded me of burnt flesh. Probably a result of the lava eating dying animals. Fucking hell. Only here would this chaos exist.

“We need to get out of the water,” Narissa yelled.

She considers this water? I thought, staring at the bubbling mud.

A zap to my thigh brought me out of my head and had me cursing out loud. “There goes my damn phone.” Which could have been useful.

What’s next? I wondered. Flame demons?

Don’t even joke about that, Zay replied, her mind rioting at the very notion of fiery minions running after us with flame breath. Some of hell’s creatures really deserved their isolation. Those little fuckers were among that designation.

Narissa cried out as her long dress snagged on a rock, yanking her backward. I treaded my way toward her, the thick substance resembling liquid molasses as I tried to swim through it. It took several firm strokes to reach her. I yanked her dress free, and Zaya yelped behind me.

“Something’s got me!” she yelled, disappearing beneath the putrid surface as I faced her.

Fuck! I boosted Narissa up onto a piece of solid black land—away from the lava—then turned for Zaya. Only, she was already on the surface, holding what appeared to be a severed fin.

“Narissa’s right,” she said, swimming toward me. “Get out of the swamp.”

Don’t need to tell me twice. I pulled myself up onto the piece of land beside Narissa and reached in to help Zaya follow.

“Should I even ask what’s in this… river?” I questioned Narissa as I stared into the deep, murky substance.

“All Neptune’s people descended from sea creatures,” she replied softly. “Some of us evolved into more human forms. Others weren’t so lucky and kept to the waters.”

“But you all shape-shift into something, right?” That was my understanding of Neptune’s inhabitants—they took on various sea beasts when in their demonic form.

“The strongest of us, yes. But the creatures here can’t take on a humanoid body.” She swallowed and ripped the fabric from her long gown, freeing her legs. “We need to stay out of the swamps as much as possible because otherwise they will drag us down to the depths, and we won’t be seen again.”

Zaya stepped forward and used her knife to help Narissa remove the final scraps of her dress. “How do these creatures compare to the River Styx inhabitants?” she asked.

“About the same, just different in formation. River Styx drowns souls. This place consumes all life, regardless of if the body still thrives.” Narissa glanced at the murky waters. “These creatures have never been shown any compassion. They’ve been forgotten and starved, treated as unworthy. All because of their inability to shift.”

Sadness filled her expression.

“This is what my kingdom has become beneath a dispassionate rule,” she whispered. “All traces of humanity gone.” She studied the swamp for a long moment before releasing a humorless laugh. “I should have known this would be my fate. My father always said he should have buried me out here with the other broken members of our kind.”

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