The Baron and his Lady

Thirty-five: Last jump

Outside world
Claus' pov

It had been twenty minutes since Tristane opened the portal and Lucian went back inside. When he was convinced it was time to reopen it he had gathered his magic. I saw the trunk turned into something like a mirror. I caught a glimpse of trees and a wide grassy land. But no one was there.

Where is Lucian?

"He's not here." Tristane said.

"Yet. Hold it until he comes back." I said.

He scoffed, "I'll give him enough time. But I will close this as soon as it gets bad."

I nodded. All this witch business had been bad enough, we can't afford another one. Alpine Forest was bustling with animal activity but no one dared come near. They must've sensed the magic and were too afraid to approach.

"Didn't Lucian say something horrible happened there?" I asked him.

"He did not define what horrible was, but you can see it from here. It's a freaking paradise."

He was right. Even though the opening was small I could see the cloudless sky and array of endless woodland. An isolated paradise indeed. No signs of anything horrible in sight. Has Lucian been seeing things?

There was a crackling sound and I saw Tristane flinched. "What happened?"

"The magic is fighting back. Emma never opened it this long."

"Can you still hold?"

He nodded but sweat had beaded his forehead. His lips were pale.

Lucian. Hurry.

I stared at the other side. How far was he out there?

"Mayhap, I can go inside and find them."

"No."

"Tristane, they might need help."

"No, Claus."

"What if they were injured? I can go. I can run carry at least one of them."

"You go inside and the magic will eat you." He stared at me with warning, "The other side was made to hold two people and it does not recognize you. Take one step inside and you'll find yourself eaten."

"Define eaten."

"Don't push it Claus. I am not letting you inside."

"What do you mean I will be eaten?"

He did not want to tell me but what can he really do? "You'll be torn apart. First they'll go for your blood then tear your flesh out, you'll be...devoured."

I felt my skin crawl with chill, "That does not sound a good way to die."

"No, it does not. And remember, you are borrowing Patrick's body. You harm yourself you harm him."

"He is her father, will that not recognize their blood?"

"No. Emma recently recreated the spell to accommodate Krista and it only knows her."

My shoulders slumped, the witch was dead but was still holding our necks.

"Is there anything we can do?"

"Yes."

"What?" I asked.

"We wait."

Damnation.

We wait then.

The beyond
Lucian's pov

I was half running and half walking towards the portal when Krista gained consciousness. She stared at me like I was a dream.