A Curse of Shadows - Page 97

As I look back at Isla, her eyes are already closed and her chest moves steadily. Still, every step toward the door is physically painful.

Yet I don’t stop.

I know what I need to do and I should have done this days ago, maybe then Declan wouldn’t be on the run and Noen wouldn’t be locked in the holding cell. I’m tempted to let him go, but I don’t want anyone to think I’ve changed my mind about considering him a suspect.

The risk of the real murderer running is too great, which is why I decide I also can’t explain to anyone what I’m doing.

Grayson wasn’t wrong. Calling for a meeting with a god is a gamble, but I have a feeling fate is on my side, finally. I have to believe that Isla came back for a reason, and this is it. To stop whatever happened to her from happening to anyone else here ever again.

With one more glance at my now-sleeping mate, I head out of the suite, locking the door behind me. It’s time for some answers.

As I race through the castle, ignoring the staff, I reach out to Cain. “I need you to shut down the portal. If we have anyone coming back soon, they either need to get home now or wait.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he replies. “May I ask for how long?”

“For as long as I need it. I’ll be there in five minutes.”

I can sense his shock. It’s not often I use the portal since going to the other worlds has never held an interest for me. Our kind has rarely been welcomed by the other shifters and magic users. Still, I never prevented our people from exploring. We live long lives here. I know being stuck on these islands isn’t for everyone.

Cain has been our master gate keeper since before I was alive. He’s soon to retire and has been testing replacements. While he only has one role in our world, it’s an important job. This portal is the only one in Lunara and all four kingdoms must agree with the new chosen keeper.

Cain’s eventual retirement from the job is a day that I’m not looking forward to because getting all four rulers to agree on the same thing hasn’t ever been easy, especially when one island benefits most.

In this instance, I have more say because the portal is in Polaris. My people are more at risk and that’s not something I take lightly.

Though that’s a problem for another day. Once I’m outside, I shift, ignoring the wide-eyed stares of my people as my wolf snarls and races his way through the castle grounds. I’ll explain as much as I can later. Right now, I can’t worry about being proper. Not when I need answers more than my next breath.

“The portal is shut down, King Asher,” Cain says. “I have Sampson here with me. Shall I send him away?”

Sampson is one of the potential replacements. Even though Cain seems to trust him, this is too big to have more people present than needed.

“Yes,” I reply, then I cut the connection and reach out to Malimorte. “Are you still with Noen?”

“I am, Your Majesty,” he replies immediately.

“Find someone else to take over, and if you can’t, leave him there alone. He’s not going anywhere,” I say, knowing Isla was right and if she hadn’t wanted to speak with him first today… I might have killed one of my best friends.

“Understood, sire,” he replies without question.

“Once you’ve done that, go to the portal with a comm unit, and stand guard with Cain,” I add. “I’m going to be summoning a god and I’m not to be interrupted for any reason or by anyone except Grayson. He’s the only one with the authority to demand you interrupt me. Do you understand?”

“Yes, my king.” He pauses, then asks, “Is there a threat we should be aware of?”

“Only to my mate, it seems.”

I arrive at the portal and Cain stands outside the doorway, dressed in full uniform and holding his staff that powers the portal. He bows as I shift back to human form. “King Asher.”

“Malimorte will be here soon to stand guard with you,” I tell him. “I’m going inside to summon a god. Unless you sense the foundation of our world at risk, I’m not to be disturbed. The only person who may say otherwise is Grayson Blackwood, and only him. If anyone else shows up to stop me, you have my permission to put them down by any means necessary.”

He swallows roughly. “Yes, Your Majesty. Take the second opening on the left and you’ll find a room already prepared for such a task on the right.”

“Thank you, Cain.”

He bows again as I walk by him. As I enter the cavernous space, light begins to diminish, but that’s not a problem for me as I pass the stone platform for the portal and take the second path, as Cain suggested.

The rock walls are covered in moisture and the temperature drops the farther I get from the main area. I start to wonder if I took the wrong path and nearly turn around when I finally see the shadow of another room.

Slipping through the narrow entryway, I find myself in a ten-by-ten room with a raised stone basin at the center of it. Next to that is a small table with an unlit candle and a bowl of water, nearly everything I need to summon the gods.