room. Darkness surrounded him. Only the light of a dark red moon peeked through the thick drapes that hid and protected Jelena and Makiah from the prying eyes of the Underworld. Making his way to her bedside, Makyle gently shook her from her sleep. She rolled over to look at him, her eyes heavy with sleep.
“Makyle?”
“Get up; it’s time to go.”
Her eyes widened and her head shook. “It’s too soon. I need more time with him.”
Makyle smiled as he looked past her to the sleeping baby at her side. “He’s going with you. Now come on, we need to hurry.”
Jelena didn’t ask any questions . She just slipped from the bed. Wrapping Makiah up in a blanket, she held the child against her chest and slid into a black cloak Makyle handed her.
“Leave everything; we’ll get you what you need once we’re out of here.”
Jelena nodded , and Makyle flipped her hood over her head to conceal most of her face.
With a quick check to see that the coast was clear, Makyle hurried her down the dark hall and out into the shadowed courtyard.
“You ready to run?”
She nodded.
“Good, we need to make it to the trees before we can use any magic.”
With her arms wrapped around Makiah, who still slept soundly under the cloak, she placed a hand under his bottom and another in support of his head, before they sprinted for the tree line. They continued to move through the forest before finding a clearing that provided enough space for Makyle to let loose a set of massive , dark, titanium-colored wings. Jelena let her own molten-copper wings free, and they took to the skies high above the black castle that had held her prisoner for nearly ten months. With the warm air caressing the feathers of her escape, Jelena sighed a quick breath of relief. Her gaze shifted to her brother, his feathered wings taking on the slick appearance of armor. She looked behind them to see that they were alone in the sky.
Makyle smiled. “I’d rather be prepared.”
She nodded, wishing her wings shifted to armor like her brothers. Just another thing that made them the perfect rulers of the Dark side of the Underworld.
The flight was quick , and Jelena felt the press of air in her lungs. She felt free. Her hands still supported her babe, who stirred slightly but stayed sleeping throughout the flight. They landed in the fields of Limbo, the neutral space between the Dark and Light sides of the Underworld. Limbo housed the wandering souls that couldn’t find comfort in the Light side and hadn’t lived a life that deserved the punishment of the Dark side. Limbo was of no consequence to Makyle. He’d traveled through the field many times as he visited his sisters, but for Jelena, who’d never ventured to the Dark side of the Underworld until Zarek collected her after the battle, Limbo was surreal and uncomfortable.
Jelena’s feet hit the swaying , wheat-covered soil. Her arms instinctively tightened around the little buddle hidden beneath the black fabric.
“This is sad . Do you feel their sorrow?” she whispered to Makyle as he guided her forward.
“It is nothing compared to some of the levels in the Dark.”
Jelena looked up at her brother, studying the strong, stubble-strewn jaw and focused gaze as they pushed forward. She didn’t ask any more questions.
They reached the edge of the field where a path gave way to the entrance of the Light lands. The souls didn’t venture past the field, which allowed Jelena to relax slightly. She didn’t fear the souls. She just wasn’t comfortable with the lost look in their eyes. So many Fae who had ventured off the path just enough to be denied entrance to her domain, but stayed just on the other side of what would give them to her brothers. It was a sad end for anyone.
It didn’t surprise either of them that their sisters arrived at the gates just after they reached them. Acacia threw herself at Jelena , who stepped back to avoid the crushing embrace. Acacia’s brows furrowed, and Meriah
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