“Now who’s distracted?” I winked at my soulmate. But then I sobered and looked to Tegan. “Though I am also unclear of what happened between New Year’s Eve and now? You saw her once, right? Where? When? Why don’t we have her yet?”
She looked to my brother and my stomach turned. I knew they’d just explained this but it was a little difficult to follow from my brother’s anxiety riddled explanation. And I wanted to make sure I heard it all right so I could try and help Tegan figure out how to save Saffie.
“What?” I said softly. “What am I missing?”
Haven shook his head. “Time does not work the same in the Seelie Realm. We learned that the hard way ourselves.”
A cold chill slid down my spine. I didn’t like that bit of information one bit. “Tegan?”
She sighed. “It stands to reason that even though it’s been days for us, it could only be mere minutes for Saffie. Or years. When I felt her re-enter our realm, through the jewelry, I was waiting for it that time. We were there in a split second. And yes, we saw her. Emersyn described Saffie’s outfit when she saw her…and that’s exactly how she looked for us. We have no idea how much time is passing for her or if she was dragged farther into Seelie. But I do know, for a fact, that she has not re-entered —”
She gasped and threw open a portal and then dragged us through it with her.
Bright light shined down on us.
Jackson jumped. “Where the bloody hell are we?”
“Babe, tell me you felt her,” Haven’s voice was low.
“Yes.” Tegan frowned and walked forward a few steps, then spun in a slow circle. “I felt her.”
Chapter Ten
Saffie
“Commander Zachariah?”
He froze and stood up straight. I blinked and his body was covered in that golden armor once more. His gold eyes flicked toward the sound of the Knight’s voice behind me. All of the warmth and passion I’d seen in his face vanished. His face paled.
The Knights were behind me. I had to make my move now or I’d never get free. I turned to my right, toward the Knights, sidestepping so my back faced the tunnel wall. I pretended to be scared and cowered into the vines, but I pushed every ounce of my magic into my palm.
“Commander?”
I felt the tunnel split open and cold air rushed over my hand.
Riah snarled. “I warned you she was a fighter.”
OPEN. OPEN. OPEN.
The Knight flinched. “Where are the others?”
The tunnel wall disappeared under me and I fell straight back.
Air whooshed over my face and my stomach dropped to my toes. For a moment I was airborne, free falling into nothing…and then I crashed into something soft yet scratchy. Impact forced my breath from my lungs and the world spun. I coughed and rolled onto my stomach and just breathed. When my lungs were finally cooperating, I pushed myself up to my feet and froze.
Where the hell am I now?
Golden fields of wheat stretched out as far as my eyes could see in every direction. There was absolutely nothing around me. No buildings, no trees, no cars, no people…nothing. Just wheat the color of sunshine touched only by a clear blue sky.
I frowned and spun in a circle. There was absolutely no way of knowing which way to go. The sun sat high which meant it was the middle of the day and it wouldn’t tell me which way was north. I cursed and pushed my hair back, my fingers tangling in the still wet strands. Riah and the Knights had been right there in the tunnel. The last thing I wanted to do was go back in…but I didn’t even know what year I’d come out in.
Something moved in my peripheral vision. I jumped and spun toward it…but there was nothing there. Just wheat swaying in the — my eyes widened. My heart stopped.
There was no breeze.
The rest of the wheat field was standing still.
Except for those.
The wheat stalks stood at least three feet tall all around me so I was barely taller than them. I had a prime viewing point…and nothing else was moving. Not even the long strands of my hair. The air was perfectly still. I stared at the spot twenty feet away, waiting to see if they moved again or if I’d imagined it.
The wheat stalks swayed and swirled like there was something down on the ground.
My pulse quickened. It’s just a rabbit or something.