so she could wrap hers around him. Stepping up behind him, she rested her chin on his shoulder.
“Thank you for being here for me,” she murmured.
“Always, whether or not you think you need me. Now, let’s go save your man,” he said.
Chapter 28
The memory of the dagger in his heart made Asahi rub the aching spot. Fortunately for him, the magic that had killed the invasive alien had healed him. Aminta withdrew to the back of his mind once he had recovered his wits after being on the edge of death. Asahi only felt her through his subconscious now. There was a force pulling him away from the cliff, and he followed it, trusting that Aminta would not lead him astray.
“You were the one who told me to stab you,” Mr. Gryphon growled when he noticed Asahi touching his former stab wound.
Asahi fought to keep from grinning at the irritated, defensive tone in the Gryphon’s voice. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought the animated dagger cared about him.
“I didn’t say stab me. If it helps soothe your mind, I am grateful for your assistance,” he said.
Mr. Gryphon sniffed loudly. “Good. I was just doing what I was told to do by the Goddess,” he reiterated.
“I fully understand that, my friend,” Asahi murmured.
The need to hurry increased the farther inland he walked. He knew he was getting close to something dangerous.
It comes. If it reaches the Gateway, the worlds are doomed, Aminta whispered in his mind.
“What is coming?” he asked.
He stopped when he observed Orion standing in a river. He frowned when he noticed a horse on the bank beside the Sea King. For a second, he wondered if he had stepped onto a western movie set. That idea burst when he glimpsed the horse’s profile. There was a long horn protruding from its forehead.
Okay, more like the Lord of the Rings movie set, he amended.
The thought had no sooner flashed through his mind than a vision replaced it. It showed the alien’s remaining portion that contained the rest of Aminta. It was smaller but more powerful than the others combined. It had used the other parts of itself as a distraction.
“Orion! Get out of the water, now!” he shouted.
Adrenaline flooded him, and he sprinted forward. A funnel of water lifted Orion out of the river and deposited him on the bank. Orion gripped the trident in both hands and pointed it at the water. Xyrie pawed at the ground as the water exploded around them.
The ground shook, and water gushed into the opening abyss beneath the river. Out of the widening gap, the head of a serpent appeared.
Orion pointed his trident at the beast and fired a burst of lightning. The energy bounced off the slick black scales. The creature released a menacing chuckle before it lunged.
Horror changed to astonishment when the unicorn stepped in front of Orion and lowered her head. The horn on her forehead glowed a brilliant incandescent gold. The serpent recoiled.
“Your tricks will not work now,” the alien hissed. “We have found your weakness.”
It will pull the ground out from underneath them, Aminta warned.
“Orion, get back! The ground…,” Asahi yelled.
In the ensuing quake, Asahi stumbled backward. The unicorn turned and bolted across the meadow and into the forest. He cursed when he saw Orion fall into a fissure.
Bracing a hand against the ground, Asahi pushed off like a sprinter. He jumped over the widening gap, zigzagging back and forth as more appeared. The alien serpent emerged out of the destroyed riverbed. Asahi fell and rolled aside when it flew past him.
You must stop it, Aminta cried.
“I have to help Orion,” he growled.
You must stop the alien from reaching the Gateway, Aminta frantically insisted.
“After I save Orion,” he calmly replied.
“Asahi!”
The sound of Nali’s voice caused him to jerk to a stop, and he searched for her. He was surprised to see she wasn’t alone. He instinctively steadied Ashure when she released the pirate. She landed beside them with a rush of wind.
“There is another alien, I take it,” Ashure said, looking at the gaping hole.
“Yes, it headed into the woods. Orion fell into the fissure,” Asahi said, swaying.
“What is it?” Nali asked.
He wanted to close his eyes when she cupped his face between her hands. “We need to see if Orion is alive and stop the alien,” he growled.
“I’ve got Orion,” Ashure offered. “If there’s a lake down there like he said, he’ll be fine. He’s probably talking to an antisocial sea monster hidden