why, but I felt uneasy because of it. And, unlike last time, he also didn’t bother with any supplies our beast carried, telling me we were obviously at the end of the road.
After this, he took my hand and led me up the pathway, but the closer we got, the more hesitant I became. I don’t know why but I just had the strangest feeling, as if this was a critical moment in our future. Like one of those points in destiny where you had two paths to choose from, knowing that either one could mean the biggest turning point in what would become our fate. Which meant I couldn’t help but question when looking back to this point in our history, would walking through this portal be a decision we would regret, or a step we were thankful we took?
This was why I pulled back a little just as we reached the top, now standing only a few steps from the portal. Lucius looked back at me, clearly questioning my hesitation, which was why I told him,
“The last time I went through a portal I ended up in the Fae realm, and even further apart from you.”
Hearing this, Lucius closed his eyes a moment as if pained by my words before they snapped back open with a flash of crimson. This was combined with a strange expression I couldn't read, it flickered across his face before he composed himself and said,
“Your hand is in mine, and by stepping through this portal nothing will change that, Amelia.” I nodded, knowing this was all I needed to hear before we stepped through together and, like he promised, his hand never left mine.
However, the moment we stepped through, that hand tensed around mine as it looked like my instincts had been correct. But this time, the enemy wasn’t one that came to us.
No, this time, it was one…
Waiting for us to arrive.
5
Painful Goodbyes
After stepping through the portal, we were greeted by both the army and the rolling grey field that was covered in a thick blanket of fog. I couldn’t have told you what colour the grass was, only that it reminded me of an early morning frost back in my own mortal world. It looked like some valley of sorts, with mountains either side and jagged chunks of rocks that were littered throughout the landscape. In fact, it looked as if the mountains had come alive and had started throwing pieces of themselves at each other in competition to see who could throw the furthest. Beyond that, it looked as if the landscape continued on for miles and miles before anything different could be seen on the horizon.
As for our own view and current predicament, I didn't have the height that Lucius had so I couldn't see for myself over the tops of his men. But it was clear that the enemy had been surrounded, something I considered a plus.
However, Lucius could see, so I took it as an even better sign when he relaxed his hold on me.
“Lower your weapons, these men belong to me,” Lucius ordered, making the soldiers split down the centre just as they had done moments ago in the other realm. This allowed him the freedom to walk down the length, pulling me along with him. At the very end we found the McBain brothers, having some kind of standoff with three other men that I couldn't see fully because the brothers tall and bulky frames were standing in the way. Despite this, I could tell that their weapons were still drawn, as the flaming arrow belonging to Vern was hard to miss, and it was poised and ready to fly at some poor bastard’s head.
“Can you tell this posh twat here, to lower his fucking arrow before I shove it up his ass!” a voice said that I immediately recognised, making me shout,
“Clay!” This was when the McBain brothers separated, looking back at me as I tried to push my way through. This revealed the sight of, Clay, Ruto and Caspian and I couldn't help it, but I pulled from Lucius’ grasp. Of course, being that they were part of his council, he allowed this. He also didn’t protest as I practically ran into them, before trying to wrap my arms around their frozen bodies, as my overly warm gesture made them all tense. I saw Clay look over my head, which wasn’t hard seeing as he was huge! But he must have received some