House of Darken (Secret Keepers #1)(83)

“Explain to me properly about this network you all use?” I asked, looking for information and a distraction.

“The network is an energy grid which spans across Overworld, connecting everything,” Lexen said. “It runs just below our land, and flows between the magical elements. In Darken it’s the stone of our mountains. Imperials have the Cascading Justices. Royale have a current through their legreto, their water. Leights are the forests, all of them connected, all of them alive.”

“It’s mostly where we get our energy and powers from,” Daniel added. “Overlords have extra ties with the network. Ties we are born with. Especially within our own section.”

“So Laous is pretty powerful right now?” I mused, realizing that the danger was far from over.

Daniel nodded. “Yes, he is. In normal circumstances I could call for a clear path to the exit from this place, but to do so now would alert Laous’ warriors…”

I sucked in some hot air, trying to calm myself. Lexen or Daniel getting hurt was too awful to think about.

Further conversation was cut off as we stepped out of the cave for the first time. We stood on the edge of Shaken Ridge, in a section that almost seemed like an in-between place, where the ground didn’t try and throw us around, but we weren’t on the fire step yet either. Below us was a world of red. Heat smashed against me hard enough that I took a step back. This was impossible. There was no way for us to get through without burning to death. There didn’t look to be a single path, just an ocean of lava and spouting fire holes.

“There are two paths through this land,” Daniel said, reading my mind. Or the disbelief that was no doubt on my face.

“One requires a level of athletic ability which might be difficult for you,” Lexen added, sending a smirk in my direction.

I flipped him off. “You saw me in one gym class.” Which was exactly the same as every other gym class I’d ever been to, but I could totally pretend I had some sort of athletic skills hidden away.

“So what’s the other path?” I looked between both of them, hoping it wouldn’t involve climbing.

Lexen took a few steps back, lifting his arms in the air and dropping his head forward. I stumbled toward him, worried about what was happening, but before I got more than a step, Daniel grasped my biceps, holding me back. A rumble had both of our heads shooting up. Lexen was staring at me, his eyes a pure shining white. All of the black was gone. What looked like white electricity was streaming across his body, but I couldn’t tear my gaze away from his eyes long enough to see what was happening.

“I’m going to let you go,” Daniel said slowly. “Lexen’s having some problems sharing. But you have to promise you won’t go to him. He could hurt you if you get too close.”

“I promise,” I choked out.

Daniel released me, placing both of his hands in the air. He seemed to be silently communicating with Lexen. I was missing a lot of the finer details because I couldn’t seem to focus on anything but the Daelighter standing before me covered in white light.

An icy blast hit me, stinging my hot skin. Wings burst from Lexen’s back, huge and black, spanning out ten feet on either side. His skin took on a scaly texture as his body grew bigger, until he was almost twice his normal size. The white bolts of power that still ran across him slowly died off as he changed.

I swallowed hard, pressing my hand to my chest as I stared. “I’m starting to understand what he meant when he said he took on attributes of his dragon,” I spluttered.

Daniel snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. “This is the power of the Draygo people. There are not many of them left, and Lexen is the only one to be born an overlord. Which makes him extra powerful. He does this hybrid shift using Qenita’s energy, which means he is undetectable through the network. A power unlike any other.”

Shut. The. Hell. Up! Seriously. I just kissed a freaking dragon-man.

“Will he be able to fly us the entire way down?” My question was far tamer than my thoughts.

Daniel shook his head. “No. Technically, we should be dead to even exist here. The Cascading Justices drain the living, even Imperials. It’s why we mostly remain on the incubation level, where the network is the strongest and feeds our energy.”

This was all too technical for me, especially when trying to wrap my mind around being dead. “Lexen will be able to skip at least two of the levels,” Daniel added. “I can get us through the rest.”

I nodded, sucking in a few much-needed breaths. Lexen tilted his head, his movements less human-like than ever before. The last of the light across his body faded; only those flames in his eyes remained. As he stepped closer to me, I was surprised by the fact that I had no urge to run. It was just a twelve foot man, parts of his skin covered in white and black scales, with huge wings towering above us … no worries.

I examined his face, the same stunning and masculine features, a sheen of scales running down his cheeks and across his forehead. He still felt like Lexen to me … an amazing, beefed up, dragon version. I mean, who didn’t think dragons were cool? When he reached us, he swept me up into his arms, chest rumbling loudly as I sank against him.

Daniel was silently waiting, watching closely. I could tell part of him didn’t trust dragon-Lexen as much as he did normal-Lexen. I wondered why I didn’t have that same reservation. Maybe I was naturally stupid.