For YOUR Eyes Only:
Below is the first chapter (parts I and II) from my new series, The City of Broken Dragons.
It is very new, unedited, and it's highly likely it will change. However, as my newsletter subscribers and members of my Street Team, I would love to share it with you!
I hope you enjoy this first glimpse into the world of Neethris!
Chapter 1 (parts I and II): The Plunge
from
The City of Broken Dragons
A new series by D.H. Nevins
A rogue gust of wind snatched at my body, and I flattened myself against the rock face to keep from losing my footing. Rough edges of stone dug into my soft hands, the crumbling surface making my fingers slip. I glanced down at the chunky heels on my shoes and firmed my jaw. Rune—the idiot in front of me—wasn't dressed properly either. And if he could do it, then so could I.
God, I hated him. I should have punched him in the face when I had the chance, right in the middle of Professor Bakshi's lecture on classic literature. It would have been worth the risk of expulsion. Considering how much I was paying for this term of university, that was saying something.
Yet I had chickened out. And now I was trailing him like a damned stalker. I was far enough behind that I was mostly out of sight… as long as he didn't turn around. I couldn't explain what I expected to find, but there had to be something. I knew I was grasping, needing a reason to justify the burning hatred I had for the guy. I stabilized my footing and focused, reminding myself that my instincts had rarely led me astray, and there was something seriously off about him. I felt it in the depths of my gut, and it went well beyond not trusting him. He gave me a vibe of danger—of wretchedness. It had manifested itself into an almost obsessive kind of hate, and for my own sanity, it was time to stamp that out. Following Rune was the only plan I had. I had hoped it would put my dark thoughts to rest, one way or the other. But this? I had never expected this.
Without a solid motive, I was following a finely-dressed dumb-ass as he scaled a damn cliff. I shook my head at the ludicrousy of the situation. This wasn't me. Missing my books and my solitude, I longed to simply go home to my apartment to read. Like usual. What the hell was I doing?
Another blast of wind pulled at me, and I squished the side of my face against the rock. I held my breath, cursing Rune under it. The jerk didn't appear to be bothered by the gust. He leaned into it while his black silk jacket flapped against him. A subtle flash of paisleys on his Asian-style jacket winked at me in the sun, making me want to gag. He looked stupid. Like usual. His clothing was always a little too fancy and incrementally too strange for attending university lectures. Perhaps he was only expressing himself. But if you asked me, what he wore was simply odd. To make it worse, he always embellished with something that was a little too flashy, like audacious golden plates on his dress shoes, a shiny, metallic belt or a ridiculous jeweled watch. And now, dressed like an adorned kung fu master in brogues, he was navigating a treacherous path high above the ground, going who the hell knew where.
And like my own kind of lunatic, I was trailing him. Of course, I blamed him for it. Rune brought out the worst in me. As I replayed his snide remarks to me in class, I became careless with my footing, and my shoes were not up to the task. I had been ecstatic when I had found the pricey Fluevog shoes in a second hand store. But their poor excuse for treads were no match for the loose scree I stepped upon—and they couldn't grip. My foot slipped and shot out over the edge. There was nothing but empty air under my shoe and then, far below, masses of broken rock. I gasped and pulled my body against the cliff.
Ahead of me, Rune paused. He half-turned his head. I held my breath. I could see his profile now, and although he was handsome, that never tempered my reaction. Instead, it was the strangest and keenest feeling of hate that locked up my limbs. And it was always the same. Black emotions crackled in cold tendrils down my back, right to the base of my spine.
I swallowed it down while I glared at him, loosening my iron-tight grip on the rocks. With apparent ease, Rune shimmied along the narrow path. His hands glided over the rocks, seeming to know all the holds by heart. It took every bit of my audacity to keep up with him. But this was it… I knew I was getting closer to discovering his secret—for uncovering him for what he was.
He slipped around a corner, and as much as my footing would allow, I hurried to get him back in my sight. Yet when I made it to the edge of the rock, I wasn't prepared for what I saw.
Rune stood on a narrow ledge, facing out over the gaping air below. And then he jumped.
God, I hated him. I should have punched him in the face when I had the chance, right in the middle of Professor Bakshi's lecture on classic literature. It would have been worth the risk of expulsion. Considering how much I was paying for this term of university, that was saying something.
Yet I had chickened out. And now I was trailing him like a damned stalker. I was far enough behind that I was mostly out of sight… as long as he didn't turn around. I couldn't explain what I expected to find, but there had to be something. I knew I was grasping, needing a reason to justify the burning hatred I had for the guy. I stabilized my footing and focused, reminding myself that my instincts had rarely led me astray, and there was something seriously off about him. I felt it in the depths of my gut, and it went well beyond not trusting him. He gave me a vibe of danger—of wretchedness. It had manifested itself into an almost obsessive kind of hate, and for my own sanity, it was time to stamp that out. Following Rune was the only plan I had. I had hoped it would put my dark thoughts to rest, one way or the other. But this? I had never expected this.
Without a solid motive, I was following a finely-dressed dumb-ass as he scaled a damn cliff. I shook my head at the ludicrousy of the situation. This wasn't me. Missing my books and my solitude, I longed to simply go home to my apartment to read. Like usual. What the hell was I doing?
Another blast of wind pulled at me, and I squished the side of my face against the rock. I held my breath, cursing Rune under it. The jerk didn't appear to be bothered by the gust. He leaned into it while his black silk jacket flapped against him. A subtle flash of paisleys on his Asian-style jacket winked at me in the sun, making me want to gag. He looked stupid. Like usual. His clothing was always a little too fancy and incrementally too strange for attending university lectures. Perhaps he was only expressing himself. But if you asked me, what he wore was simply odd. To make it worse, he always embellished with something that was a little too flashy, like audacious golden plates on his dress shoes, a shiny, metallic belt or a ridiculous jeweled watch. And now, dressed like an adorned kung fu master in brogues, he was navigating a treacherous path high above the ground, going who the hell knew where.
And like my own kind of lunatic, I was trailing him. Of course, I blamed him for it. Rune brought out the worst in me. As I replayed his snide remarks to me in class, I became careless with my footing, and my shoes were not up to the task. I had been ecstatic when I had found the pricey Fluevog shoes in a second hand store. But their poor excuse for treads were no match for the loose scree I stepped upon—and they couldn't grip. My foot slipped and shot out over the edge. There was nothing but empty air under my shoe and then, far below, masses of broken rock. I gasped and pulled my body against the cliff.
Ahead of me, Rune paused. He half-turned his head. I held my breath. I could see his profile now, and although he was handsome, that never tempered my reaction. Instead, it was the strangest and keenest feeling of hate that locked up my limbs. And it was always the same. Black emotions crackled in cold tendrils down my back, right to the base of my spine.
I swallowed it down while I glared at him, loosening my iron-tight grip on the rocks. With apparent ease, Rune shimmied along the narrow path. His hands glided over the rocks, seeming to know all the holds by heart. It took every bit of my audacity to keep up with him. But this was it… I knew I was getting closer to discovering his secret—for uncovering him for what he was.
He slipped around a corner, and as much as my footing would allow, I hurried to get him back in my sight. Yet when I made it to the edge of the rock, I wasn't prepared for what I saw.
Rune stood on a narrow ledge, facing out over the gaping air below. And then he jumped.
The Plunge (Part II)
My blood was roaring in my ears. I scrambled forward. I had moved up just in time to witness the impossible—his body disappearing in its descent. About half the way down to the tumble of rocks below, he was there, and the next moment… he had vanished. With careful footsteps, I made my way to the ledge he had stood upon. There was no trace of him—I saw nothing upon the rocks below, nothing around or below the ledge, and no evidence he had a hidden rope, parachute or device of any kind. He was simply gone.
I tried to focus as my hatred for him boiled over once more. "Stupid," I muttered to myself. I was angry at myself for trailing him and furious at him for leading me out here. And for what? A disappearing act?
"Impossible," I decided, shaking my head. And it was. It had to be. I needed to get closer. There was an explanation here, and I had to find it. Moving farther onto the ledge, I shifted to stand in the exact spot he did. Yet the moment I did, the oddest thing happened—it was as though I had penetrated a bubble of vicious static. Rippling along my body, a fuzzy, electrical field buzzed through me, making my fine hairs lift and my skin itch. My heart spiked as I realized what could be causing the charge—the only logical thing it could mean—an imminent lightning strike. Looking around, I panicked. I was out on a bloody cliff. I had no escape, and no place to shelter. I cast my gaze around the sky, but what I saw didn't fit. Thin wisps of cirrus clouds framed a clear, cerulean sky. Lightning could not be at play here. Yet the field of static was too strong to discount, and too unusual to ignore.
The buzzing persisted, and with it, I also noticed a slight, but insistent pull, building in strength by the second. The pulling dragged at my core almost like an anchor, an invisible force convincing me to follow. It strengthened with every breath, while an inexplicable noise from the static was hitting a crescendo in my head. Logically, I should have turned around that very moment and made my way to lower, safer, more rational heights. Yet logic had no bearing, it seemed. Before I could even examine what I was doing, I gave into the pull.
I jumped.
Air rushed by my body as I free fell, my blood freezing in horror at what I had done. The cliff face flew past my peripheral vision, as even my ability to scream seemed to be lodged in my throat. And then… everything changed. The dry, summer air became salty and moist. The cliff—now made of gray rock rather than beige—was flying by in front of my body rather than behind. There was nothing but open air behind me now. Had I turned in the air? And the rock-strewn ground was gone. Turbulent waves rollicked below my fast-approaching feet, crashing against the base of the cliff. I was in a place that was wholly unknown to me.
"What—" I heard Rune yell. But the rest of his words were cut off as I crashed into the sea.
A rough hand grabbed me by the collar and hauled my face to the surface. Only to yell in it, it seemed. "Ember! What in all hells…! Are you crazy?" he demanded. "You nearly killed me—and yourself, you stupid, dimwitted idiot."
"Redundant," I gasped.
His amber eyes hardened like sharp, cold jewels, and his arm muscles bunched. It was clear he was about to push me back under the water.
"Shock," I said, sputtering as a small wave hit my face. His arm relaxed by a fraction, so I continued. "It's just the shock. I can't believe… this can't be real." I shook my head as I stared around us with wide eyes. "How…" I believe I was asking, but my mouth seemed to have disconnected from my brain. It was babbling of its own accord, broadcasting my disbelief for the world to hear. "Where… where are we? I can't believe this. I can't…"
My words seemed to make him even angrier. He cursed. Then, eyes narrowed, Rune hauled me to a sandy strip of shore, which was empty save for a small cabin with a large, wooden deck that stretched across the sand. Green-gray fishing nets sat in tidy heaps along the edges of its planks, and the windows were empty and quiet. The serenity of the place did nothing to allay his mood—or mine. Dumping me the moment the water became shallow, he stormed onto the shore, then turned to glare at me. "You're trespassing! Stalking. I don't know… who the shit knows what you're thinking in your self-absorbed little mind. But this is over the top. Beyond! Do you hear me? You can't be here, Ember."
I fell in a heap as a wave crashed over my torso, knocking me face-first into the shallows. Yet I wasn't about to cower before this jerk. I sat up. My black hair covered my vision like a curtain, and it stuck against my mouth as I attempted to suck in air. I pushed my hair out of my face, ignoring the grit that covered my skin. With the water trying to hold me down, I splashed to my feet, feeling my chunky heels sink into the swirling, melting sand. Losing patience with them, I leaned over and ripped them off my feet. Then, brandishing a shoe in either hand, I straightened to glare right back at him.
"I knew there was something off about you," I accused, pointing a shoe at him. "I knew it! And now look at what's happened. What the hell is this? Where are we?"
"You. can't. be. here," he repeated, separating the words as if I were simple-minded.
"Fine. I don't want to be here! Just tell me what the hell's going on, and then I'll go, okay?" His only response was to push his sodden hair off his face, swiping at the rivulets of saltwater that ran into his eyes. I huffed and continued. "This is crazy…! Is it a trick? An illusion?" I pointed my shoe at him again as if to emphasize my point. "Just tell me. Then I'll leave."
"Neethac," he bit out, along with a string of other gibberish, as he turned away—then turned back, and then turned away again. He threw his hands in the air. "Gods! You're such an idiot." He scrubbed his fingers through his hair as he turned in circles. When he finished, the blond color made his hair look like a mass of messy straw. "This is just great. Freakin' perfect." He moved his hands to his hips and stared hard at the planks under his feet, before he turned his gaze on me once more. His narrowed eyes were hard, as were the angles of his face and the line of his jaw. There was no softness there. "Now you're stuck here, you imbecile. You can't go back. It's against the rules… and I can't let you."
Each of his words seemed to hit me with a physical force, slapping me into a different train of thought. "What?" I sputtered, not certain I heard him right. Rules… What rules? He can't let me go back? For the first time, reality truly seemed to sink in. It was clear that when we jumped, we ended up somewhere else. And whether we were 30 miles away or on the other side of the world, the fact that I was far from home was bad. Really bad. Terror seized me as I realized what that meant. No insulin. My hands fumbling, I dropped my shoes and felt for the small case in my pocket. My fingers brushed the solid, rectangular shape, and I let out a breath. Still there, I assured myself as I watched the next wave push my Fluevog shoes up onto the sand. My eyes fixed on them as my brain spun. I had to figure out how I got here, where I was, and how I could get home. And damned if I was going to tell this prick about my health. That was none of his damn business. But I did need to get back. And soon.
He huffed out a breath as he moved toward my shoes, seeming transfixed by them as they tumbled higher onto the beach in the surf. Scooping them up, he said, "Nice shoes." I almost squeaked in surprise, but he hadn't finished speaking. "Clearly, all your good genes went into your taste in footwear." He stepped onto the low deck and tossed the shoes to the side. They clattered across the wooden boards, leaving a trail of wet splatters. "There was nothing left for intelligence."
My rattled mind had hit its limit. This was too much—after years of struggle and feeling like I couldn't keep up with my peers, I had become a solid, honor roll, straight-A student, for God's sake. After I had found my way forward, I had vowed to never, ever allow anyone to bring out those feelings in me again. And not Rune—especially not that asshole.
Without warning, I was seeing red. He had already turned and started walking to the shed door when I did the unthinkable: I attacked. Lunging forward, I intended to scoop up the closest shoe and swing it with wild abandon at his head. At least, that was how it had played out in my head. But my attack was poorly executed. Far from fast, I needed to splash my way out through the last few feet of water before I even made it to the deck. He had stopped walking then, his body turned from me as he waited for my move. And when I had grabbed my sodden shoe to swing at his oversized, ego-stuffed head, he ducked out of the way in a fluid motion. Then in the next breath, one of his hands had trapped my shoe in my hand over my head, and his other hand had a wicked-looking golden knife pressed against my throat.
I dropped my shoe, while he kept my hand suspended in the air. "Whoa, whoa. Okay." Shit… who the hell carries around a damn medieval knife? "My mistake." I raised my other hand over my head as well, while my spirit seethed at my surrender. "I'm sorry you felt so threatened by my shoe that you needed to pull out a knife." I waited for my words to sink in.
His nostrils flared. He pushed me away from him as he lowered the knife. "Nothing about you is threatening."
I snorted. "Your actions disagree." His look sharpened, and I felt a thrill at hitting one of his sore spots.
"Do you know how many times I wanted to pull this knife on you since you trespassed here? And it isn't because you're threatening." Lifting the dripping hem of his jacket—the silk likely ruined from his plunge into the seawater—he stuck the knife into a realistic-looking leather scabbard. "Because you're not."
"Oh no? Why do you need a blade, then?"
"It's because I'm supposed to kill you for being here," he said, stepping toward me. "But a bonus reason for ending this would be because I hate you. Because I find you so gratingly annoying, I would rather spend time in every conceivable hell rather than endure another moment in your company."
"Wow."
"Can't take it?"
I matched his stare, wanting, once again, to punch him in the face. But the asshole has a knife… My fists tightened, but stayed by my sides. "I've had enough of this shit for one day," I blurted, needing to get away from him. Never breaking my gaze, I gave Rune a wide berth as I stomped around him, working my way toward the sand and the sea beyond. "For one, you're crazy," I told him, holding up my hand as I stopped to pick up one shoe. "And maybe I shouldn't have intruded, but your asshole meter has just gone way over the top, buddy." I kept moving, never turning my back on the guy. I reached down and gathered up the other shoe as I passed it. Almost tripping my way down to the beach, I then splashed ankle-deep into the water. "And secondly, the feeling is mutual. In fact, I'll do what I can to stay out of hell, just to be certain I won't have to be there with you." I turned and waded into the water. "But I'll start with today. I'm outta here."
He folded his arms over his chest as he watched me splash my way into the surf. "This should be fun," he said, his voice flat. "How, exactly, do you plan to get back?"
I paused, looking at the sea before me. We had somehow arrived in this place by passing through the air above the water. I glared at the empty space above the turbulent waves, hating that I couldn't get to it. And even if I could, what was I supposed to do—fall up?
"Shit," I muttered, still staring over the water. It was impossible for me to retrace my steps. Impossible! Every damned thing about us being here defied explanation. And this unhinged asshole behind me held the only knowledge as to what the heck was going on—and how I could get back.
Gritting my teeth, I counted to three. Dammit. I need him, I realized. But he was batshit crazy. And he had a knife. It doesn't help that he hates me as well, I reminded myself. My options, however, were nonexistent. I straightened my shoulders. "Fine," I said, turning back to face him. "I'm listening."
"Doubtful."
I narrowed my eyes at Rune, sizing up the situation. It was time to play along with him… at least for now.
*End Chapter 1*
I tried to focus as my hatred for him boiled over once more. "Stupid," I muttered to myself. I was angry at myself for trailing him and furious at him for leading me out here. And for what? A disappearing act?
"Impossible," I decided, shaking my head. And it was. It had to be. I needed to get closer. There was an explanation here, and I had to find it. Moving farther onto the ledge, I shifted to stand in the exact spot he did. Yet the moment I did, the oddest thing happened—it was as though I had penetrated a bubble of vicious static. Rippling along my body, a fuzzy, electrical field buzzed through me, making my fine hairs lift and my skin itch. My heart spiked as I realized what could be causing the charge—the only logical thing it could mean—an imminent lightning strike. Looking around, I panicked. I was out on a bloody cliff. I had no escape, and no place to shelter. I cast my gaze around the sky, but what I saw didn't fit. Thin wisps of cirrus clouds framed a clear, cerulean sky. Lightning could not be at play here. Yet the field of static was too strong to discount, and too unusual to ignore.
The buzzing persisted, and with it, I also noticed a slight, but insistent pull, building in strength by the second. The pulling dragged at my core almost like an anchor, an invisible force convincing me to follow. It strengthened with every breath, while an inexplicable noise from the static was hitting a crescendo in my head. Logically, I should have turned around that very moment and made my way to lower, safer, more rational heights. Yet logic had no bearing, it seemed. Before I could even examine what I was doing, I gave into the pull.
I jumped.
Air rushed by my body as I free fell, my blood freezing in horror at what I had done. The cliff face flew past my peripheral vision, as even my ability to scream seemed to be lodged in my throat. And then… everything changed. The dry, summer air became salty and moist. The cliff—now made of gray rock rather than beige—was flying by in front of my body rather than behind. There was nothing but open air behind me now. Had I turned in the air? And the rock-strewn ground was gone. Turbulent waves rollicked below my fast-approaching feet, crashing against the base of the cliff. I was in a place that was wholly unknown to me.
"What—" I heard Rune yell. But the rest of his words were cut off as I crashed into the sea.
A rough hand grabbed me by the collar and hauled my face to the surface. Only to yell in it, it seemed. "Ember! What in all hells…! Are you crazy?" he demanded. "You nearly killed me—and yourself, you stupid, dimwitted idiot."
"Redundant," I gasped.
His amber eyes hardened like sharp, cold jewels, and his arm muscles bunched. It was clear he was about to push me back under the water.
"Shock," I said, sputtering as a small wave hit my face. His arm relaxed by a fraction, so I continued. "It's just the shock. I can't believe… this can't be real." I shook my head as I stared around us with wide eyes. "How…" I believe I was asking, but my mouth seemed to have disconnected from my brain. It was babbling of its own accord, broadcasting my disbelief for the world to hear. "Where… where are we? I can't believe this. I can't…"
My words seemed to make him even angrier. He cursed. Then, eyes narrowed, Rune hauled me to a sandy strip of shore, which was empty save for a small cabin with a large, wooden deck that stretched across the sand. Green-gray fishing nets sat in tidy heaps along the edges of its planks, and the windows were empty and quiet. The serenity of the place did nothing to allay his mood—or mine. Dumping me the moment the water became shallow, he stormed onto the shore, then turned to glare at me. "You're trespassing! Stalking. I don't know… who the shit knows what you're thinking in your self-absorbed little mind. But this is over the top. Beyond! Do you hear me? You can't be here, Ember."
I fell in a heap as a wave crashed over my torso, knocking me face-first into the shallows. Yet I wasn't about to cower before this jerk. I sat up. My black hair covered my vision like a curtain, and it stuck against my mouth as I attempted to suck in air. I pushed my hair out of my face, ignoring the grit that covered my skin. With the water trying to hold me down, I splashed to my feet, feeling my chunky heels sink into the swirling, melting sand. Losing patience with them, I leaned over and ripped them off my feet. Then, brandishing a shoe in either hand, I straightened to glare right back at him.
"I knew there was something off about you," I accused, pointing a shoe at him. "I knew it! And now look at what's happened. What the hell is this? Where are we?"
"You. can't. be. here," he repeated, separating the words as if I were simple-minded.
"Fine. I don't want to be here! Just tell me what the hell's going on, and then I'll go, okay?" His only response was to push his sodden hair off his face, swiping at the rivulets of saltwater that ran into his eyes. I huffed and continued. "This is crazy…! Is it a trick? An illusion?" I pointed my shoe at him again as if to emphasize my point. "Just tell me. Then I'll leave."
"Neethac," he bit out, along with a string of other gibberish, as he turned away—then turned back, and then turned away again. He threw his hands in the air. "Gods! You're such an idiot." He scrubbed his fingers through his hair as he turned in circles. When he finished, the blond color made his hair look like a mass of messy straw. "This is just great. Freakin' perfect." He moved his hands to his hips and stared hard at the planks under his feet, before he turned his gaze on me once more. His narrowed eyes were hard, as were the angles of his face and the line of his jaw. There was no softness there. "Now you're stuck here, you imbecile. You can't go back. It's against the rules… and I can't let you."
Each of his words seemed to hit me with a physical force, slapping me into a different train of thought. "What?" I sputtered, not certain I heard him right. Rules… What rules? He can't let me go back? For the first time, reality truly seemed to sink in. It was clear that when we jumped, we ended up somewhere else. And whether we were 30 miles away or on the other side of the world, the fact that I was far from home was bad. Really bad. Terror seized me as I realized what that meant. No insulin. My hands fumbling, I dropped my shoes and felt for the small case in my pocket. My fingers brushed the solid, rectangular shape, and I let out a breath. Still there, I assured myself as I watched the next wave push my Fluevog shoes up onto the sand. My eyes fixed on them as my brain spun. I had to figure out how I got here, where I was, and how I could get home. And damned if I was going to tell this prick about my health. That was none of his damn business. But I did need to get back. And soon.
He huffed out a breath as he moved toward my shoes, seeming transfixed by them as they tumbled higher onto the beach in the surf. Scooping them up, he said, "Nice shoes." I almost squeaked in surprise, but he hadn't finished speaking. "Clearly, all your good genes went into your taste in footwear." He stepped onto the low deck and tossed the shoes to the side. They clattered across the wooden boards, leaving a trail of wet splatters. "There was nothing left for intelligence."
My rattled mind had hit its limit. This was too much—after years of struggle and feeling like I couldn't keep up with my peers, I had become a solid, honor roll, straight-A student, for God's sake. After I had found my way forward, I had vowed to never, ever allow anyone to bring out those feelings in me again. And not Rune—especially not that asshole.
Without warning, I was seeing red. He had already turned and started walking to the shed door when I did the unthinkable: I attacked. Lunging forward, I intended to scoop up the closest shoe and swing it with wild abandon at his head. At least, that was how it had played out in my head. But my attack was poorly executed. Far from fast, I needed to splash my way out through the last few feet of water before I even made it to the deck. He had stopped walking then, his body turned from me as he waited for my move. And when I had grabbed my sodden shoe to swing at his oversized, ego-stuffed head, he ducked out of the way in a fluid motion. Then in the next breath, one of his hands had trapped my shoe in my hand over my head, and his other hand had a wicked-looking golden knife pressed against my throat.
I dropped my shoe, while he kept my hand suspended in the air. "Whoa, whoa. Okay." Shit… who the hell carries around a damn medieval knife? "My mistake." I raised my other hand over my head as well, while my spirit seethed at my surrender. "I'm sorry you felt so threatened by my shoe that you needed to pull out a knife." I waited for my words to sink in.
His nostrils flared. He pushed me away from him as he lowered the knife. "Nothing about you is threatening."
I snorted. "Your actions disagree." His look sharpened, and I felt a thrill at hitting one of his sore spots.
"Do you know how many times I wanted to pull this knife on you since you trespassed here? And it isn't because you're threatening." Lifting the dripping hem of his jacket—the silk likely ruined from his plunge into the seawater—he stuck the knife into a realistic-looking leather scabbard. "Because you're not."
"Oh no? Why do you need a blade, then?"
"It's because I'm supposed to kill you for being here," he said, stepping toward me. "But a bonus reason for ending this would be because I hate you. Because I find you so gratingly annoying, I would rather spend time in every conceivable hell rather than endure another moment in your company."
"Wow."
"Can't take it?"
I matched his stare, wanting, once again, to punch him in the face. But the asshole has a knife… My fists tightened, but stayed by my sides. "I've had enough of this shit for one day," I blurted, needing to get away from him. Never breaking my gaze, I gave Rune a wide berth as I stomped around him, working my way toward the sand and the sea beyond. "For one, you're crazy," I told him, holding up my hand as I stopped to pick up one shoe. "And maybe I shouldn't have intruded, but your asshole meter has just gone way over the top, buddy." I kept moving, never turning my back on the guy. I reached down and gathered up the other shoe as I passed it. Almost tripping my way down to the beach, I then splashed ankle-deep into the water. "And secondly, the feeling is mutual. In fact, I'll do what I can to stay out of hell, just to be certain I won't have to be there with you." I turned and waded into the water. "But I'll start with today. I'm outta here."
He folded his arms over his chest as he watched me splash my way into the surf. "This should be fun," he said, his voice flat. "How, exactly, do you plan to get back?"
I paused, looking at the sea before me. We had somehow arrived in this place by passing through the air above the water. I glared at the empty space above the turbulent waves, hating that I couldn't get to it. And even if I could, what was I supposed to do—fall up?
"Shit," I muttered, still staring over the water. It was impossible for me to retrace my steps. Impossible! Every damned thing about us being here defied explanation. And this unhinged asshole behind me held the only knowledge as to what the heck was going on—and how I could get back.
Gritting my teeth, I counted to three. Dammit. I need him, I realized. But he was batshit crazy. And he had a knife. It doesn't help that he hates me as well, I reminded myself. My options, however, were nonexistent. I straightened my shoulders. "Fine," I said, turning back to face him. "I'm listening."
"Doubtful."
I narrowed my eyes at Rune, sizing up the situation. It was time to play along with him… at least for now.
*End Chapter 1*
