blocking my True Sight,” he said. “It’s all fuzzy and smoky and… I’m sorry, I can’t see anything in there. But I can tell you there are more spirits coming through the woods. They’re all moving like they have no other choice.”
“It’s like this place has its own supernatural alarm system,” Lumi grumbled. “As soon as we set foot here, the ghosts were basically activated, forced to come here and take us on.”
“That, and the Reapers, too,” Raphael said, gazing into the distance. “I can see fleeting glimmers across the sky, getting closer. There’s no time left. Tae, you need to move!”
I didn’t wait to be told twice. Taking Eira’s and Lumi’s hands, I gave Amelia a brief nod. “Good luck out here.”
“I’m more worried about you three right now,” she croaked.
The three of us rushed across the grassy plateau and up the wooden stairs, which had been painted black and covered in a smooth lacquer. I could almost see our reflections on the surface. We made our way to the top and stopped in front of the massive double doors, which, unlike the walls, had been made from gold, sculpted with ample mythological scenes of warriors and dragons. I couldn’t help but wonder where the story had come from, because it didn’t seem Earthly at all, and it certainly didn’t ring any bell from the Supernatural Dimension or the In-Between. This was folklore from another, unknown world, for sure, eerily similar to the ancient Chinese, though. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, since people from other cultures and other dimensions had made their way to Earth, before.
“I doubt there’s a bell we can ring,” Lumi said.
Behind us, swords screeched and clanged. A vicious fight had already erupted in the few seconds we’d spent crossing the plateau. Our crew was surrounded by ghosts that could touch them and the Reapers we’d left behind earlier. We only had moments to get in before Baethal and his cohort realized we weren’t among those on our team.
I teleported us beyond the double doors, with little concern as to whether that would be possible. The burning pain in my chest had been confirmation enough that I was closer to my target now than seconds ago.
Inside, it was quiet. Wall lamps made of polished wood and silk paper glimmered down the hallway, casting a soft, yellow light. On both sides, rooms were lined up all the way to the end of the corridor, with beautifully painted screens acting as sliding doors. But there was no one inside.
We moved through the hallway, carefully looking to our left and our right. The rooms were decorated sensibly, with soft, dark-colored carpets and low beds, bamboo tables, and chairs with delicate carvings. The paintings on the walls drew my attention—each of them depicted a single character, a beautiful young woman with white skin, lips as red as summer cherries, and long, flowing hair. The scenes varied across the rooms, from the young woman filling a pitcher of water from a white, foaming river to her riding a tall, black stallion, a long-handled scythe in her hand as the full moon rose behind her.
“This is where she lives,” I murmured. “This is her home…”
“So many rooms. I wonder who else is here with her,” Eira replied, eyes wide as she tried to take it all in. Despite her calm voice, her tremors were visible. She was overwhelmed by this entire moment, and I couldn’t blame her. A little over a week ago, she was still commanding a garrison of Cerixian troops, barely aware of who she was and what was about to be thrown at her.
“Can you smell that?” Lumi asked, her nostrils flaring.
I took a deep breath and caught the delicate scent. It was floral, but not too sweet. Intense, but not powerful. The combination made my skin tingle, as the fragrance didn’t seek to invade us, but rather charm and welcome us—a stark contrast to what was happening outside.
“It’s jasmine,” I said, finally putting my finger on it. “Some kind of essential oil, I think.”
At the end of the hallway, two screen doors awaited. Beyond, four colored lights could be seen, like fuzzy watercolors splashed against the white paper. On both sides of the doors, two small black tables had been set. On top of them, fragrance diffusers worked their magic—candles burned beneath the black clay bowls, in which water had been mixed with the very essential oil I’d just mentioned. I could see the greasy pearls