FINAL GATE (#3 GHOST PORTAL series)

NINE

If he'd ever seen Ada in shock, this particular moment topped that. If she'd been able to grow pallid, to sweat, to be nauseous and trembling, it'd have all happened to her in succession now, and she'd have fainted.

The light in her face was draining, and her arms hung loosely at her sides as she tried to keep herself floating upright without crumbling. Or so, Avery imagined.

"It's... worse than I thought," she said, finally able to speak after the bombshell delivery of news from the Guide visiting from Arizona. She'd thanked him wordlessly, and noticing the astonishment in hers and Avery's expressions, the blue being had hastened off without adding anything else.

Avery hadn't coped with what he'd said yet. As Ada fought to regain her self-control, he paced, processing. Remembering. Hadn't the demons mentioned something similar when he was in their realm? Something about other dimensions, other portals? He vaguely recalled them talking about other creatures, too—was that what this Guide was referring to?

"Is it true?" He pressed a hand to his forehead as he stared at Ada, doing his best not to startle her. As much as he despised her most days, this information had come as a surprise to her, too. Supernatural being or not, she'd need a minute to recompose herself and to deal with the news. And then she'd get a shot to explain. "Other portals? Other dimensions?"

Ada nodded, but looked like she'd throw up if she opened her mouth to speak again.

"And do they hold in creatures? Like, otherworldly things, I guess?" Avery squinted at her, not wanting to push but knowing time was limited and he needed answers fast. "Monsters? Aliens? What do you know?"

Shaking her head, Ada turned to the newly rebuilt house, shrugging. "Not much, I'll confess. Creatures... maybe? Yes? Avery, I'm sorry, but things are, like I said, much worse than I thought. All the information is jumbling in my mind and I... I need a moment."

He billowed over and stood in front of her, blocking her view of the house, trying to get her to focus on him. "I understand that, I do. But you made this whole speech about me being the human you needed, how you wanted me to stay here... So has that changed? Because if I have to get on board with another suicidal plan of yours, I need to be prepared." His fists tightened. "And you brushed me off on this topic before, if I remember correctly. I asked you about this, and you wouldn't answer. Now would be an appropriate time to tell me more, wouldn't it?"

With a sigh, Ada spun away from him again, now facing the forest. Her spine tensed as she hunched forward, her arms growing shaky. "There are other portals to other dimensions, and those dimensions hold creatures, yes. But that's about all I know, and I swear that's true." She lifted an arm as if to tuck her hair behind her ear, but paused halfway. "I have no control over those portals; only the ghost portal is under my supervision. But these foreign gates, if they've been opened... they need to be shut, and quickly, before anything comes out."

Avery strolled up to her, but this time didn't get in her way. He stood beside her, sensing her energy chilling over with more intensity than usual. She was freaked.

"What might come out? What type of creatures are in those realms?"

"I..." Ada bit her lip and glanced at the grassy ground. "I don't know, and that's what scares me. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with what these beings are, what they can do, and why they were locked up. That information wasn't included in my starter package all those centuries ago."

Avery massaged the sides of his head. "I need to sit down." Ada gestured towards a few logs where he'd sat before, but Avery shook his head, instead heading for his car. "No, like a real seat."