Magic Undying (Dragon's Gift: The Seeker #1)(5)

I reached out and tried to stick my fingers through the seam. They hit a hard surface and stopped dead, glowing slightly green in the light of the portal.

Damn.

I glared at the portal, my mind racing. The green glow was a bit like the blue glow of my Phantom form. I glanced behind me, making sure no one was watching.

Idiot.

No one would be just watching me. Attacking me, maybe. But not just watching.

Still, it felt like there were eyes on me. Probably just paranoia.

I called upon my power, embracing my Phantom form and letting the shivery magic flow through me. It took longer to catch on because of my injuries, but it worked. The magic chilled my skin, turning me blue and transparent.

When I was fully transformed, I reached out again. This time, my fingertips sunk through, tingling where they touched the portal.

Jackpot.

I grinned as I gripped the edge of the portal like a blanket, and tugged. It resisted at first, but I yanked harder, giving it everything I had.

The portal tore away, peeling back to reveal a woodland scene in a place that was definitely not the Underworld.

I grinned, then knocked on my head for good luck, hoping that wherever I was going was close to home. As I climbed through, my heart panged to leave my sword behind, but I was getting out of here, and that was all that mattered.

As I stepped into the woods on the other side, I couldn’t help but shudder as the demon’s dying words echoed in my mind.

He’ll come for you.





Chapter Two





The woods on the other side of the portal were definitely on Earth. The smell was so natural and distinct—dirt and trees and the fresh scent of water from the burbling river to my left. The sun was right where it should be—glowing orange and familiar. I didn’t know if Underworlds had suns, but this had to be Earth. The trees were big, and thank magic, they looked like the ones native to Oregon, where I lived.

My muscles relaxed the tiniest bit, and my chest filled with bright, clear joy. I was almost home.

In the silence of the forest, I could hear my heartbeat.

I was grateful that the old ticker was still beating away, but it was also a reminder of how weird I was. I’d escaped hell and I was alive, complete with heartbeat.

That shouldn’t be possible. And that was dangerous.

But I was back. And I was going to take it.

Somehow, I’d escaped the Underworld.

Did that make me immortal?

I shivered as goosebumps prickled my skin.

I didn’t want to be immortal, watching all my friends die of old age. But I also didn’t want to be in hell. And if I didn’t get out of here soon and cover my tracks, I might be dragged back.

I turned to see what the portal looked like and winced.

A glowing green scar sliced across the air in front of me, a segment of the portal hanging loose like a torn curtain. Through it, I could see the beautiful garden.

“Dang it.” There was no way this was how the portal normally looked. A human could walk right through it.

Still in my Phantom form, I grasped the edge of the portal and tried to tug it up so that it covered the hole in the ether that led to the unknown Underworld. If I could just knit the seam back together and return it to normal, it should be good.

The edges of the portal stuck together, kind of. It didn’t look as neat as it had before, with the glimmering green seam outlining the haze of the portal, but it was better than before. If you didn’t know what you were looking for, it could pass.

I stepped back and resumed my human form, delighting in the feel of the cool breeze against my skin.

As I turned to head toward town, something massive hurtled out of the portal and slammed into me. It plowed me into the ground, swiping out with its claws as it struggled to its feet.

Pain sliced through me where its razor-sharp claws had torn into my upper chest. I struggled up, my skin chilling as I caught sight of the massive demon in front of me. It was the biggest, meanest looking one I’d ever seen—pale gray with massive horns. His magic smelled like a garbage fire.

This was the Warden!?

He roared and surged toward me. Panic thundered in my chest as I called upon my power, desperately reaching for my Phantom form. The icy magic flowed through me, turning my body blue and incorporeal just as his clawed hand swiped out again.

It passed right through me. His eyes widened at the sight, something strange flashing through them.

He shoved his hand into his pocket, then threw something to the ground. Glittery gray smoke poofed up, and he stepped into it, disappearing.

A transport charm.

What the heck? Why would the Warden run from his prey?

Oh shit.

That hadn’t been the Warden. It’d been some random demon, and I’d let him escape.

Some demon hunter I was.

Pain welled at my chest now that some of my adrenaline had faded. I staggered, glancing down at the wound.

Green fluid dripped from it, glowing bright despite my Phantom form.

Oh no.

Poison?

I sucked in a ragged breath, wincing. I had to get out of here.

I spun and hurried away from the portal, calling upon my dragon sense as I went. More than anything, I wanted to find my home in Magic’s Bend.

Magic shivered through me as I ran through the forest. When my dragon sense latched on, I almost jumped. I hadn’t realized how close I was. Not more than twenty miles. I must’ve been in the woods on the outskirts of town.