I hadn’t been inside this part of his home before, and I was curious to see what was on the other side. “I feel something. There’s a huge gathering of energy behind here,” I said as we paused at the massive entrance doors. They looked to be barred on our side with long, metal planks, and I wondered if the other side was the same, or if Dannie had just done this to tie the creatures in.

Shadow flicked his hands and the planks, which no doubt weighed a damn ton each, were jerked out of their cross-barred placement and flung into the fire-razed land behind us.

The doors opened easily, making it clear that the intention had been to lock them in, not keep someone out. Definitely the work of a Danamain.

When it was open, we stepped into a dark, dank room.

My eyes adjusted fast, but with the persistent low light of the realm now, there wasn’t a whole lot of free natural light to pick up the smaller details. To counter that, Shadow’s flames lit up, and I did the same. When it came to Dannie, it was safer to be totally sure we weren’t walking into any traps.

As soon as we had light, it was immediately obvious where the damp smell in this room came from. The front entrance was coated in what looked like moss, grey and brown moss that had grown across the walls and furniture before dripping down to coat the windows that lined this front entryway.

“Don’t let it touch you,” Shadow warned, his voice an annoyed snap. “It’s a lot like the tar that almost killed you last time we were in the realm. Only this is worse. The porous underside of this creature is filled with razor-sharp needles that dig into your skin to suck your energy out.”

“It shouldn’t infiltrate my skin now,” I reminded him, while still sidling closer because the thought of being coated in a layer of bitey moss… Yeah, no thanks.

“No risks, Sunshine. No more damn risks.”

I nodded because it was a good plan.

As we walked through slowly, I was relieved to see that the moss was wary of our fire and didn’t venture closer. It slid across the walls, showing just how quick it could move to attack any normal being entering or leaving this castle. A second layer of defense, in Dannie’s insane plan.

“She must have had a reason to keep the creatures locked in here,” I said softly, finally breathing freely once we’d made it past the entrance. “Something to do with her plan once she had the Nexus complete.”

“No doubt they would form part of her new world,” he said shortly, before focusing on the next obstacle in our way.