Page 80 of Fate Promised

Juri glanced down at Triska. “He’s always had a tough time accepting I’m the handsome one.”

She smiled. “Vulk or human, you’re the most attractive male walking Ulterra.”

Kyril waved his hand. “Pah.” He walked over and clapped Juri on the shoulder too. “I’m glad you’re back.” Juri took the lead in introductions as Hans led them through the narrow passage. They had to walk in single file, Hans first, Juri in front of her and Fergal behind. Kyril took up the rear.

Next to her, Juri slid sideways to get through a narrow point and helped her through. Arrow definitely wouldn’t have fit. Juri pointed at the jagged rock walls and asked Hans, “How did you do this?”

When Hans answered, it was in Vulk. She pursed her lips. Why couldn’t they speak so she could understand? The two spoke rapidly for a few moments and when they stopped, she asked, “Will Hans be able to come to Peklo whenever he wants? Could he help Koschei? Or Rordan?”

Hans paused and looked back over his shoulder at Juri. “Who’s Rordan?” Juri gave him a summary of meeting the fenix demon warrior earlier, and this time they spoke in the common tongue.

Ahead of Juri, Hans rubbed his head while he turned to get through another narrow part of the passage. “Opening a connection between the worlds is dangerous, but it may be something the vulk need to do going forward. Things are changing.” Hans’s tone was ominous, and she gripped Juri’s hand more tightly.

“How did you know Juri was down here?” she asked.

Hans chuffed. “I got an interesting message from the vae. They told me the vulk who ate all the king’s dodos spoke to some guards through a bowl. I guess the guards alerted the princess, and when Katisa went into her study, she used the bowl and saw you running up a cliff, then falling down a staircase into the earth.”

Fergal was in front of him, and snorted. “I was holding the bowl while that fool dragon carted me around like a dead fish. She must have seen us then.”

Hans switched to Vulk again, and he and Juri spoke back and forth for a few moments.

Triska frowned. “What are you saying?”

Juri squeezed her hand. “Nothing much. He’s just saying he couldn’t sense where I was, but he knew I wasn’t dead.”

Kyril growled. “Don’t tell her pack stuff.”

Triska turned her head. “The first thing I’m going to do when I get back to Ryba will be to stand on a bench and announce every single vulk secret I’ve learned.”

Juri chuffed, and the tug in her chest loosened.

Sunlight streamed into the passage as Ulterra spread before them. They’d made it.

Everyone tumbled forward onto a beach, and the rock snapped shut behind them. The noise was what struck her first. Waves crashed, and gulls filled the air with their cries. Gads, she’d missed the way the ocean up here sounded. Down in Peklo, the waves were quiet, and there were few birds along the shore.

Fresh, brine-filled salt air swept across her face, and she inhaled deeply. Home.

Triska squinted, shaded her eyes with her hand and scanned the beach. The five of them stood next to an escarpment near the high dunes north of Ryba.

Juri squeezed her hand. “How do you feel?” He jerked his chin slightly towards the ocean.

She swallowed hard and jerked her gaze away from the water in the bay to the shore. To him. “I’ll be fine.”

Hans jerked his chin toward Ryba. “Let’s head into town and you can catch me up on everything that’s been happening.”

Juri slung his arm around her as he filled Hans in on the vanishing isle and what he’d seen down in Peklo. He’d just gotten to using the Herskala bowls to return when they walked up the boardwalk steps onto the main street and met another vulk. This one wore a shirt and light-colored pants with lots of pockets. His fur was a little lighter gray than Kyril’s.

The fourth vulk’s eyes widened when he saw Juri. “Your human form is not an improvement.”

Juri growled. He might not be a vulk, but his growl was still loud. “This is Finn. Ignore him.” The other vulk bared his teeth, but Juri waved his hand at him. “How about you go see what the mayor needs you to do, eh? Isn’t that your duty these days? Town babysitter?”

Fergal pointed at the tavern. “We need to make a plan. Might as well do it over a pint.”

Juri leaned down to her ear. “I knew I liked this magicwielder. Do you want to eat? Or do you want to go home first?” His gaze trailed to Hans, standing next to him. “You think it’s all right if we go into the tavern as vulk? And I don’t have a shirt on.”

Finn growled, shrugged his shirt off, and handed it to Juri. “Here. I was only wearing it so the ladies in town stopped ogling me.” Juri responded with something in Vulk, and Finn laughed.

Jerking her chin up a fraction, she gripped his hand tighter. “Of course it’s fine for you to come into the tavern. For all of you.” And she plowed ahead.

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