Chapter 4 The Undercity

I screamed and Kail shielded me, moving to my front. His body expanded, shoulders broadened, his shadow spreading across the floor. He snarled and I felt the vibration in my chest, the air around him felt extremely hot. He caught the creature by the throat and threw it on the wall.

Laura was at my left side within the blinking of an eye, her eyes flaring bright. Her movement was swift,throwing another attacker across the room with the kind of strength her slender frame shouldn't have possessed.

The curly-haired man took my right, with shadows gathered around his fists like dark smoke, lashing out when a creature got too close.

The three of them fought like they'd die for me for no reason.

But there were too many.

Kail's shoulder was bleeding badly, and it incapacitated him from fighting harder. Laura's movement also slowed. The curly haired man's shadows flickered across his broken wrist.

One of the creatures slipped past them and lunged towards me, his. burning eyes locked on my throat.

I screamed and threw my hands up, a useless human reflex, and braced myself for the impact.

But it didn't come..

I opened my eye and saw the creature crashing on the wall, away from me.

Ryan stood where it had been. I recognized him. One of my regular clients too. His chest heaved as he scanned the ruined shop, and his expression turned to ice.

“Enough.”

The word wasn't loud, but it carried weight. The remaining attackers froze. Ryan stepped forward. “Tell your masters she's under the Ashen Lord's watch now. If they want her, they have to go through him.”

The creatures retreated, scrambling through the broken window and door into the dark.

“Miss Cadell.” Ryan turned to me. “Are you hurt?”

“I don't think…..no. What were those things? Why did they come for me?

“The Ember Court. They've been tracking something, and it led here.” He stepped over the broken glass.” I felt a pull too, since Saturday morning, but tonight it spiked so hard I could barely stand. And it lead me…….here.”

"You keep saying that. What pull? No one will tell me anything."

“I don't know what it is, but it’s connected to you, and whatever you are, it's important enough to kill for. More soldiers will come. You can't stay here.”

“Then where am I supposed to go?”

“You’ll go with me to the Undercity, you'll be under the protection of the Ashen Lord.”

“The what?” I blinked.

“The Ashen lord, ruler of the Demon Faction. He wants to understand what's happening, because it's affecting his people, and he can't allow you to die before he finds out what is going on.”

I let out a laugh. “I'm not going anywhere with you. I don't know what an Undercity is, I don't know what a demon faction is, and I am not leaving my life behind because some you guys fought off strangers in my shop.”

Ryan's jaw tightened. “Miss Cadell…”

“No. I'm done. Everyone get out.” I pointed towards the door.

“I need to clean this up and call my insurance company. I don't have time for…..”

“The Demon Lord will come for you, and he will do whatever it takes to make sure you go with him to Velmoor, and you won't like it that way miss.”

“The words landed like a slap. I went very still.”

“Huh?”

“The Ember Court,” Ryan said quietly. "They've been tracking you. Which means they've been watching you, and so was the Demon Lord. So it's better you come with me now to save yourself.”

My blood turned cold. “You're lying.”

“I wish I was…..so Miss Cadell, are you willing to come with me now?”

My mind was spinning. What was the possibility of me going to the strange city and getting answers? I had to go to see things for myself and get to know why this mystery demon lord is invested in me.

“Fine, I will,” I said, grabbing my jacket. “But if this is a trap, I will find a way to make you regret it.”

“Okay, the car is waiting outside.” Ryan said.

“I’ll be there.” Then I picked my phone and texted Isla: ‘Something happened, but I'm okay. I'll explain when I can.’ Then I put it in my back pocket.

Before I could take a step, it buzzed almost five times. I just turned it off and headed for the door.

Before getting into the car, I looked at Kail, Laura and the curly haired man. Then I quickly asked Ryan, “Are they going to be okay?”

“Yeah, they will, the Undercity has healing magic.” Ryan said and opened the door for me.

I scoffed. “This is getting weirder every passing minute.” I muttered under my breath.

“Wait.” Laura caught my wrist, the left one. “This mark, It's beautiful.” She said tracing the exact spot Isla did earlier.

I just looked at her and smiled and pulled my hands gently, then I got into the car.

The car drove through streets I didn't recognize, growing darker every mile we passed.

Then I looked out the front windshield, my heart skipped a beat and I screamed. “Stop the car!!!”

A massive stone wall loomed directly ahead, filling the entire road, rising so high I couldn't see the top and we were accelerating straight at the solid stone. There was no gate, no opening, nothing, just an ancient wall that was about to turn us into a mixture of metal, blood and broken bones.

But the driver didn't stop.

“What the hell are you doing? Do you have a death wish? Oh my gosh Ryan tell her to stop.” I said as I shook him, tears almost falling from my eyes.

Then we hit the wall.

I gasped and grabbed the seat in front of me with both hands, closing my eyes. My whole body was shaking. My heart was slamming against my ribs so hard I could feel it in my throat. I braced myself for the impact but felt nothing.

I opened my eyes It wasn't solid. It was like plunging through water. My skin prickled. My ears popped. For one endless heartbeat I was nowhere at all, suspended in darkness that wasn't quite darkness.

I tried to steady my breathing. “What the hell was that?”

“We hit the wall.” I gulped and looked at Ryan.

He smiled. “It prevents the humans from entering the undercity.”

Then I turned to look around.

A city beneath the city, glowing streets, floating lanterns. Buildings bent at impossible angles. A woman with folded wings. A child with scales. Market stalls selling lightning in jars.

“Woah,” I whispered, my palms pressing flat against the glass. “How do you hide a whole city?”

The driver turned around wide eyed. Ryan was also staring at me.

“What do you see?” Ryan asked.

“Everything. Blue shimmering light seeping from the cracks, glass walls. That woman is selling Storm Essence.” I said pointing towards the store.

“It’s not possible, humans can't see through the glamour. You're just reading labels.” Ryan said, straightening his position.

“Of course, I can see everything. Look, that woman with wings is waving the driver lady.”

Ryan stiffened and looked at me, the driver lady also turned.

“You're not supposed to see any thing Miss Cadell. The glamour at the boundary is extremely strong.” He paused. “Even half bloods can't see it clearly, only flickers.”

“Okay, let's add that to the list of things you need answers to.” I said and turned back to enjoy the scenery before me.

The impossible city sprawled around me in vivid detail. We drove through iron gates that opened on its accord. An estate rose ahead. Dark stone, towers bending at impossible angles, windows glowing amber.

The exact color my hands had glowed Friday night.

The car stopped. I stepped out and something hit me before I even looked up.

Then the doors swung open on their own, the blue torches flickering against the stone wall casting long shadows.

I stayed close to Ryan and tried to look like I wasn't terrified.

The hall was full of people or creatures. I had stopped trying to find the right word to call them.

Some stood in clusters. They were all different, all strange in ways I was still processing.

And then I saw him. I squinted my eye and took another step. My brain refusing to connect what I was seeing.

He wasn't doing anything remarkable. Just standing with his arms crossed and his sleeves pushed up, head slightly inclined toward someone beside him who was speaking quickly. He was listening without expression.

Something cold and electric moved up the back of my neck.

The stillness, the way he stood like the concept of being watched had never once made him uncomfortable in his entire life.

It was him.

The man from the shop.

And what the hell is he doing here?