Stark frowned at her. “I thought you said that there was only love here.”
“I said it with love.” She returned his frown with a grin. “Okay, so, Neferet didn’t die when she fell from the stadium, right?”
“Right,” said Kevin. “She escaped to the Scottish highlands. Loren Blake somehow got into contact with her and told her about the Other World.”
“Great—and probably also told her that the Neferet over there is immortal and entombed.”
Stark nodded. “Yeah, we think so. She killed Loren, so we have no way of knowing how much he told her.”
“Though he didn’t know all that much,” continued Kevin. “He did manage to leave us a clue about Skye before he died. We followed the clue and met with Queen Sgiach.”
“Seriously? What’s she like?”
“Intimidating and really smart,” said Kevin.
“Scary and beautiful,” added Stark.
“She sounds awesome.”
Kevin nodded. “She is. It’s because of her that we’re here. She called the sprites and Oak told her that Neferet used Old Magick to go through the portal to Zoey’s world.”
At the mention of Oak, Aphrodite looked away.
“Crap,” Kevin said. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything about Oak.”
“No, it’s okay. It’s just weird thinking about how I died. Like, I remember being in your arms and getting sleepier and sleepier, and then I woke up in the presence of the Goddess—which was amazing. I just don’t remember the part about what Oak did to me to make me die.”
Stark spoke solemnly. “You gave her your humanity for the red vampyres and fledglings. It was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Aphrodite met his gaze and smiled. “Thanks. That was a nice thing to say, Bow Boy.” Then she shook herself and the aura of joy resettled over her. “So, Neferet is over there. Why are you two here?”
Kevin said, “We need to get to that other world to warn Z. I was going to figure out a payment and call the sprites so I could use Old Magick again, but—”
“No!” Aphrodite interrupted. “Don’t call the sprites. Do not keep using Old Magick.” Her gaze went from Kevin to Stark. “Either of you. Old Magick isn’t normal. It’s leftover magick from when all of the worlds were created, and it’s too powerful for mortals. Eventually, it’ll turn you into the Old Magick equivalent of a human crackhead—or worse.”
“That’s why we’re here,” said Kevin. “Sgiach told us that Nyx’s Realm connects all the versions of our world, and that if our blood sacrifice was accepted,” he pointed at Stark’s bloody arm, “and my connection to spirit and to you was strong enough—you’d be able to guide us to the portal that opens to Zoey’s world.”
Aphrodite blinked several times. “Huh. Who knew?”
“Wait, you don’t know how to get us to the portal?” Stark asked.
Aphrodite shrugged. “No, but I also don’t know how I materialized these clothes or the beach I spent some time on when I was first here that looked a lot like the one on Grand Cayman’s Rum Point.”
Stark looked completely confused. “What does that mean? Can you help us or not?”
“Of course I can help you. I just won’t be able to explain how, that’s all.” She turned and began walking into the grove. Without looking behind her she said, “Are you coming, or what?”
“Coming!” Kevin said, hurrying after her.
Stark grunted and grumbled something, but also followed.
The beauty of Nyx’s Grove dazzled Kevin. He’d thought the Craobh, the sacred grove on the Isle of Skye, was amazing, but compared to what surrounded them now it was like a poor copy of a masterpiece. The grove they walked through was every color of green Kevin could have imagined and, along with the glistening white and silver boulders and the thick carpet of moss, there were flowers everywhere. Their colors were incredible—the most brilliant blues, yellows, reds, and purples he’d ever seen. And their perfume was intoxicating. It changed every few feet from jasmine to honeysuckle, then to wisteria and moonflower—and those were just the scents Kevin could identify.
“I want to say that this place is beautiful, but that doesn’t begin to describe it.”
Aphrodite sighed happily. “Yeah, you never lose the wonder you feel when you first see it either. And this is just a tiny piece of Nyx’s Realm. I honestly think it stretches on infinitely. It changes too, and becomes what you need when you need it. It’s really hard to explain.”
Kevin nodded. “I think I get that. It’s like me trying to find words to say how incredible this is. I can feel it, but I can’t say it.”
“Exactly!”
Aphrodite smiled up at him, and Kevin felt such a surge of joy that he reached out to put his arm around her, which passed through her body like there was nothing there.
“Sorry,” he said quickly.
“Don’t apologize. It doesn’t hurt me—it only hurts you. Kev, I can feel you, but it’s in here.” She pressed her hand against her chest. “Not out here. And feeling you in my heart is so, so much more.”
Kevin nodded but couldn’t speak because along with love for her within his heart were pain and loss and grief.
Stark was peering around, looking through the magnificent flowers, flourishing trees, and shimmering boulders that had opened to reveal the moss path on which they had been walking. “Do you think we’ll see any other ghosts—er—I mean, spirits?”
Aphrodite shrugged. “No telling. I’d kinda doubt it though. Well, unless you need to see someone who’s here. The grove always knows what you need and sends it to you. But who knows if it works the same way for you guys because you’re not dead. Plus, you’re on a pretty specific mission and I’m not thinking that includes much sightseeing.”
Stark went silent, and Kevin wondered what dead person he wished he could see.
“Do you have a house here?” Kevin asked Aphrodite.
Her laughter made little flashes of light happen around her that reminded Kevin of the fireflies that used to fill Haikey Creek Park in Broken Arrow on
