Page 60 of Thorn & Ash
Mona’s chest tightened with apprehension. “Can anything be done?”
Evander met her gaze, and they were so close that she could see flecks of gray and white burning in his silvery eyes. She felt she should withdraw, but she couldn’t. Even if she wanted to, she had to cling to him to avoid falling from his grasp.
“I’m doing everything I can,” Evander said at last. “But my abilities only reach so far. Whatever is causing all this is lurking in the shadows, undetected.”
Mona pressed her lips together, thinking of the earth magic Evander had told her about. She did feel a swelling presence inside her, waiting to be unleashed. Could she help?
But that was ridiculous—why would she help? This realm meant nothing to her. She needed to find Prue and get out. That was all.
The thought sent panic and anguish roaring inside her, though she couldn’t explain why. She shut her eyes to block out the pain.
“Are you all right?” Evander asked.
Mona took a deep, shuddering breath. “I feel things that I can’t explain. Things my body remembers but my mind doesn’t. It’s very frustrating.”
She opened her eyes to find Evander smiling. “You always did like a puzzle to solve.”
Mona blinked at the warm familiarity of his tone. Before she could respond, Evander inhaled deeply, his brow furrowing. “Her scent ends here.”
“What?”
“Prue. I can’t smell her anymore. Hold tight while I land.”
Mona obeyed, gripping his neck more firmly as he circled low, ducking below the treetops to land on a patch of decaying grass. Ahead of them, another strange mist obscured most of the forest. When her feet met the ground, Mona swayed, suddenly dizzy. Evander’s arms were around her in an instant, steadying her. She leaned into him without thinking, her body growing hot from his close proximity.
“This isn’t Tartarus, is it?” Mona asked.
“No.” Evander gazed around, his eyes solemn.
“Another decaying area?” she guessed.
He nodded. “I call them voids. And they’re spreading. I don’t know how to stop it.” He sniffed again, his brows furrowing. “I’m catching snatches of her essence in there, but my senses can’t penetrate the barrier. The void is impeding my abilities.”
Mona looked up at him, then glanced to the wings still outstretched behind him. “You have a heightened sense of smell?” Was he part animal? Somehow, the idea didn’t frighten her as much as it should.
Evander met her gaze. “Yes. A part of me is tethered to the dark magic ingrained inside all of us. It would make sense that this magic wouldn’t be able to function properly in a void.”
“All of us?” Mona asked. “You mean you and your brothers? Or your father?”
Evander stared at her, stunned, his mouth opening slightly.
Mona felt the blood drain from her face as she realized why he was so surprised. He had only mentioned one brother to her. So how had she known about his other brothers, or his father?
“I—I—” She faltered, unable to form words.
“Yes,” Evander said quickly, as if to spare her from her bewilderment. “I’m referring to anyone with my blood. Our magic manifests itself differently in all of us.”
Mona nodded, still shaken. As she searched within herself, she knew Evander had five brothers, though she couldn’t explain how she knew this. She also knew his father lived here, but not his mother. The further she dug into the recesses of her mind, the more the memories faded away like smoke.
“Mona.” Evander gently grasped her elbow. “We can rest for a moment before we go in.”
Mona’s gaze darted to the strange fog awaiting them. Her insides quivered with anticipation. What would this void do to her, a mortal? Would it kill her?
Evander seemed to read the unease on her face. “It’s harmless. Your magic doesn’t work down here anyway, so the void has no concern with you.”
“You speak as if it’s a living thing,” Mona whispered, her eyes never straying from the mist.
“It is. It’s growing and multiplying like a living organism. I just don’t know what—or who—is causing it.”