Copyright © 2020 by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
E-book published in 2020 by Blackstone Publishing
Cover design by Kathryn Galloway English
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in
any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for
the use of brief quotations in a book review.
The characters and events in this book are fictitious.
Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental
and not intended by the author.
Trade e-book ISBN 978-1-982548-09-4
Library e-book ISBN 978-1-982548-08-7
Young Adult Fiction / Romance / General
CIP data for this book is available from the Library of Congress
Blackstone Publishing
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Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstonePublishing.com
To Kevin Cast, my little brother and the “real” Kevin—
faithful HoN fan and excellent brother.
Yes, of course that’s a picture of you on the cover of Lost.
1
Other Neferet
It took a moment for Other Neferet’s vision to clear. First, she felt solid ground under her feet, and then she was aware of Lynette’s hand, still clutching her own as it had been when they left the highlands of Scotland and stepped into the portal between worlds. Neferet blinked several times. The blurriness that infected her sight made it seem as if she was trying to see underwater—were the water hazy and poorly lit.
Then her gaze suddenly cleared, and Neferet realized instantly where she was. She and Lynette had materialized in Woodward Park on its north side, near a cluster of azalea bushes and porous Oklahoma dolomite boulders. Though it seemed only seconds had passed from the moonlit moment Oak opened the portal between worlds and the moment they stepped into this mirror version of their own, the sky now blushed with dawn in the east, signaling that several hours had passed. Neferet reacted without hesitation. She went on the defensive.
“Come, we must conceal ourselves,” she spoke quietly to Lynette.
She pulled her handmaid and friend with her as the human walked dazedly like she might topple over at any moment. Neferet led her deeper into the azalea bushes where they sat on the boulders that created a small, cliff-like structure that elevated the bulk of the park, placing it atop a man-made hill that also held the top tier of the adjacent Tulsa Rose Gardens.
“Sit. Collect yourself while I reconnoiter,” she told Lynette, and while the handmaid blinked and rubbed her arms as if trying to get rid of a chill, Neferet peeked through the bushes.
The well-tended, winter-brown lawn stretched before her to the sidewalk that framed Twenty-First Street. Neferet stared at the apartment complex and the modest brick homes that faced the park. They were so much like the ones in her world, though most of these houses still had Christmas lights decorating their facades—a human frivolity she hadn’t allowed in her Tulsa.
She glanced to the right, where the rocky ridge curved gently to what should have been a shallow grotto—but which was instead drastically different than the Woodward Park Neferet knew.
A wall had been built with the same Oklahoma dolomite, completely concealing the grotto. It appeared to have a stone roof as well, which met the side of the ridge. Neferet’s green eyes narrowed as what she at first mistook for shadows moved when several men came together under the wan, 1920s replica park lamp.
“Sons of Erebus Warriors,” she spoke softly to herself while she observed them. There were half a dozen Warriors, dressed in full military regalia, complete with swords at their sides and bows slung over their broad backs. They emerged from the concealing bushes and oaks behind them in the main part of the park to meet above the entombing grotto.
“Stay here,” Neferet whispered to Lynette. “I need to know what the Warriors are saying.”
Lynette surprised her by grabbing her hand. “No! I won’t be parted from you.”
The woman’s hand was cold, but her grip was strong and sure.
Neferet nodded slowly. “You are wise, dearest Lynette. We must stay together. Follow me. Quietly. If the Warriors discover us I will have to order my children to kill them instantly, and that will alert the House of Night that something is amiss.”
Lynette stood, looking a little more recovered from their miraculous journey. “I understand. I’ll be quiet.”
They crept closer, hugging the rock wall and staying between it and the concealing bushes, until they were close enough to hear the Warriors. It was then that Neferet recognized the Warrior who was acting as leader, though when he turned to face her, she was shocked to see his fully formed Mark proclaiming to the world he was a red vampyre.
“Are all the cameras set?” Stark asked one of the Warriors.
The muscular young vampyre nodded. “They are. The video’s definitely not high resolution though—not until the better cameras arrive later this week, which we’ll install right away. But these will work fine during the day, at least.”
“That’s when we need them to work. We’ll be here watching at night. Did you or any of the other Warriors notice anything strange at all around the tomb tonight?”
“Quiet as the dead but for one weird incident,” said the Warrior. “Earlier, like right around midnight, a group of young human women—probably early twenties—walked down the sidewalk. They started to approach the grotto, but when they saw us they must’ve changed their minds because they kept walking, though they stared a lot and looked pretty pissed.”
Stark’s voice was filled with frustration. “I don’t understand those humans. It was just over a year ago that Neferet and her tendrils of Darkness ate an entire church full of people, and then held a couple hundred more hostage at the Mayo before slaughtering them too. They were all humans. What the hell do they think she’d do if they could break her out of here? Hold hands with them and
