evil that lives at the bottom. It’s a shape shifter that can take any form it chooses. When it’s hungry, it will fly up from the depths in the form of a beautiful Pegasus, or whatever form you find most pleasing, but the moment you approach it, the monster turns into a gaping maw full of teeth and gobbles you up whole.”
“You’re kidding.” Beth turns around, her eyes wide. “He’s kidding, right?”
“We call that one Subcinctus. Sub, for short.” A freed slave, Baralja, still bearing the black bands of his master rides on our other side. “I saw it devour three slaves in one gulp.” He scrubs a hand down his dark beard. “I still have nightmares.”
“Sheesh.” Beth winces. “But that’s the worst of it, right? If we can get past that, then—”
“The worst, they say, is the fall.” Chastain guides his unicorn around a creeping vine that inches along the road. “Of course, no one has come back from it, but apparently the fall is so long as to be endless, and the entire time, you’re contemplating your death in pitch blackness as you plummet.”
Baralja holds up a finger. “And don’t forget the spiders.”
“Spiders?” Beth clutches her upper arms and rubs them vigorously.
“That’s enough.” I click my tongue so that Iridiel moves faster. “I think we get the idea.” Do I want Beth to turn back? Yes. Do I want her utterly terrified? No. And though Chastain and Baralja are well-meaning, it’s probably best that we discuss the horrors of the Abyss when Beth isn’t listening.
“I can handle it.” She straightens her spine. “I can’t read you through the bond, but I can tell you’re trying to keep me from hearing the rest.”
“Sharp one, she is.” Iridiel huffs.
“Shut your yap, beast.” I give him a light kick.
“‘Beast,’ he says. ‘Beast.’ I’m magnificent, and this creature dares to refer to me as a beast.”
Beth leans forward and scratches the top of his head. “He doesn’t mean it. You’re beautiful.”
“I am.” He prances a bit as Beth leans back.
“Stop hurting his feelings,” she whispers.
I can’t be bothered to respond about the unicorn’s feelings, especially when he’s been making lusty advances toward my mate ever since we saddled him up. But I do care about Beth’s. Wrapping my arms around her, I nuzzle her hair. “Don’t be afraid. I’m with you. We will get through the Abyss, all right?”
“I kind of hate spiders.” She makes a yick noise. “I also hate the phrase ‘gaping maw,’ but that’s neither here nor there.”
“You’re safe with me. And I won’t even use that phrase.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” Magic zings between us as the last light of the sun dies.
“We should make camp,” Chastain calls.
“Fine by me.” I point to one of the few tall dunes left, the vines overtaking the smaller ones. “There.”
“These plants are weird.” She peers over Iridiel’s side as I guide him off the road. “They move, and it’s like—I don’t know—like they’re watching us.”
I have the same feeling, but I don’t want to spook her any more. “I’m sure they’ll mind their business once we get the fire going. I’d hate to see all of them go up in flames.” I say it louder than I need to, but I could swear the nearest vines shrink back even more, their dark green leaves folding in on themselves.
The creak of the wagon increases, and I steer Iridiel to the side as Parnon passes. Once he’s stopped, I dismount and lift Beth to the ground.
She stretches again, her back popping. “I’m already sore. How many more days until the Abyss?”
“Four.” Chastain leaves his unicorn next to ours.
“My ass will never recover.” She looks up at the dark night sky.
I wave my hand across her backside, and she jolts.
“Hey, you shouldn’t be wasting magic like that.”
“What?” I turn and head to the wagon.
“You know what, my lord.” She follows me, her petulant footsteps bringing a smile to my face. “You can’t just go healing my ass every time I complain about it taking a pounding.”
Iridiel snorts, Parnon sighs, and I do my best not to laugh.
She must see my shoulders shaking as I reach up to take supplies from the wagon, because she says, “Oh, you know what I meant! I wasn’t saying that you made my ass sore. Or that you’ve been, you know, pounding my ass. That’s not what—”
“For the record, I’ve been the one pounding that fine, fine ass,” Iridiel calls as the other unicorns snicker.
“Ugh!” She stomps off as I help unload the