A Clash of Storms (A Shade of Vampire #50)(72)

“You mean to say our children have barely aged a few weeks, while we’ve been living without them for twenty years?” Victoria asked what I couldn’t, as my voice had finally left me from the shock.

“Indeed.” The Daughter nodded. “We hoped that this disruption in time would give the rest of the world a solid advance. We hoped that by the time the darkness from Eritopia would eventually break free, you would all be far more advanced, with stronger allies across the universes, able to destroy it before it consumed everything in its path. We are sorry for your loss of time, but we had no other choice.”

“What darkness?” Derek boomed, glaring at the Daughter, who kept up her calm and dignified demeanor.

“Azazel, a powerful Druid who embraced evil and poison and nearly destroyed the kingdoms of Eritopia.”

“Why haven’t we been able to remember our children?” Tejus asked the question we all had on the tips of our tongues, sending a pang through my stomach at the thought of Phoenix and Serena.

“It was safer this way, for everyone involved,” the Daughter replied. “We couldn’t risk anyone discovering Eritopia, so we made it so that no one knew about it in the first place. It affected all those who entered the shroud obscuring the galaxy, including your children. The moment they entered Eritopia, they ceased to exist outside of it. For this, as well, I am deeply sorry.”

“Oh, you’re sorry.” Tejus was furious. “That’s fine, because you’re sorry. That fixes everything. Except it doesn’t! Take us to our children! Now!”

The Daughter analyzed us carefully and quietly for a short while, then vanished, leaving behind the same wisps of glimmering pink dust that she’d emerged from. We were all suddenly free to move, enraged and unable to stand still as we tried to figure out where she’d disappeared to.

A low buzzing sound captured our attention, and we all turned toward the exit again. On the wall next to it, on the right side, a bizarre-looking doorway had appeared. A portal of sorts, with a bright white light emanating from it, causing us to squint in order to look at it.

We were all forced to take a few steps back, as the light intensified before a dark silhouette came through it. A tall young creature set foot into the Great Dome, and it took me a couple of seconds to adjust to the brightness until I recognized him.

“Field!” I heard River gasp before she darted across the hall and immediately took the Hawk in her arms.

Sighs of joy and relief flooded the room as Sky, Rock, Blue, Fly, and Ben swiftly joined in a collective hug. Field laughed as he kissed River on the forehead and shook the hands of his brothers and adoptive father, Ben, who then pulled him into another embrace.

I ran to him, touching his face, then his shoulder, as the others huddled around us.

“Field,” I gasped. “Are you okay? Where are Serena, Phoenix? Jovi, Aida, Vita? Are they okay?”

“Yeah, Hazel.” He nodded with a warm smile. “Please, don’t worry. We’re okay. We hadn’t known how time passed for you here. We only knew you wouldn’t remember us until the shroud was lifted. But it’s okay now. We’re okay. We made it, and we have a lot to talk about. Just don’t cry anymore; it breaks my heart…”

I hadn’t even realized I was crying until he said it. I wiped my tears and swallowed the others back.

“Field, honey,” I said. “Take us to them, please…”

He took my hand, and moved toward the bright portal.

“Wait, Field—is it safe for us to travel there?” Sofia interjected with a concerned look on her face.

“Yeah, it’s nighttime there right now, so you vamps have nothing to worry about, and this light here isn’t sunlight. It’s a spell,” Field replied. “Just don’t be alarmed. We might seem a little different than the last time you saw us…”

He looked at Victoria and Bastien as he said that, but I didn’t have the focus or the patience to dig into the meaning behind that glance. I squeezed his hand, reminding him of my desperate need to see my children.

“Let’s go, Field,” I said, my voice trembling. “I need to see them now…”

He entered the bright light, and I followed, along with the others. I felt the warmth envelope me, relaxing my muscles as I walked through the interdimensional portal. I closed my eyes, delighted to feel something akin to sunlight on my skin.

As soon as the light faded, I heard my boots click on a stone floor.

“Mom? Dad?” Serena’s voice broke through.

I opened my eyes and found that we had emerged into a massive throne room clad in black marble and limestone, with old portraits, giant iron chandeliers, and blazing torches on the walls. And in the middle of it stood the Daughter we’d seen earlier, along with six more dressed like her and looking an awful lot like her, despite the variation in hair color, along with a younger one and a little girl. They all seemed to be related, their facial features similar, their eyes violet and their silk garments and jewels screaming ‘royalty’.

Next to them stood Serena and Phoenix, along with Aida, Jovi, and Vita, surrounded by several other creatures I didn’t recognize. But they all looked dirty and bloody and worn out.

I instantly focused on Phoenix and Serena.

“My babies,” I gasped, no longer able to hold my tears in, a mixture of joy and grief overwhelming me.