Queen of the Underworld | Book 3

• sixty-seven •

Dedicated to: Lyvectra
You've honestly been a driving force to getting book 3 finished. Thanks for not giving up on this.

Last update of the week. Happy Friday y'all.

//song: let me follow- son lux

Thunder broke overhead and lightning filled the sky.

I could feel and smell the moisture in the air. I looked up at the cloudy sky and felt the small droplets of rain on my face.

I groaned. Great. Just what I needed.

I hugged my arms close against the bitter cold. The wind picked up suddenly making my hair whip wildly.

I began to walk in an arbitrary direction and soon after, the rain intensified. Large droplets fell over me and soon, the clouds opened and it began to pour.

I didn't recognize where I was.

At first, I thought I was in the woods behind my parents' house. But the trees didn't look familiar at all.

At home, there were pine trees and fir. The trees around me didn't look like either of those despite the darkness of the night.

We also didn't have mountains...

How had I managed to get to the forest alone?

It was magic-- there was no running away from it.

Somehow, I'd teleported.

I slowed my fear. Maybe I could teleport back?

I imagined the room I was just in.

I thought of the banquet spread, the people there waiting...

And nothing happened.

I shut my eyes and tried again.

Still, nothing happened.

With a steadying breath, I stepped forward looking around and studying my location.

I carefully moved around the puddles but still, my shoes sunk and came off my feet. I cursed, pulling my foot free from the muddy hole as I leaned on a tree.

A light in the distance made my heart leap.

I ran towards it, finding a rocky, small hill to climb for a better vantage point.

I moved my drenched hair from my eyes as I studied the view. The light from the city in the distance was dim and unfamiliar. The orange light didn't look like the familiar hue of a human city. The buildings that I could make out looked old, almost ancient.

My heart sank.

I was lost.

Utterly and truly lost.

My heart beat violently. My breath hitched. Panic bubbled. I felt it threatening to rise, to take over.

I let out a long breath in an attempt to keep calm. "Don't panic, Emmy," I whispered to myself. "Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic."

I looked at the city ahead. It would take a while to get there but maybe someone there could help me. I let out a long calming breath. "Just one foot in front of the other." I turned, moving carefully down the hill and stopped when I recognized a figure in the darkness.

I looked up, moving my hair from my face.

The man almost blended into the night. He seemed to be molded by it. Everything from his jet black hair to his long coat over his broad shoulders was as dark as the forest around him.