Then a bell sounded—a deep, unearthly resonance that made my skin crawl.

I had a bad feeling we’d just woken the dark gate.

“We need to move,” Vincentia said with an edge in her voice.

Perhaps she was getting the same uneasy vibrations as me.

Maran cast her light ahead of us, and we hurried after it. The second cave was exactly as I’d seen in the dream but colder. Darker. More... wrong, somehow.

Shiny black stone had been used to construct the church and, in the sphere’s light, it looked surreal. Though time and erosion had claimed three sides of the old building, the chancel end stood whole, the stained glass window beautiful and not dulled by time or grime.

That unearthly tone rang through the shadows again. I nervously glanced behind us. There was no sound or sensation of movement, but instinct was practically screaming that we needed to get out of here. Now. Before it was too late.

“You’ll find the sword in the church.” I stopped and called more the wind into the small cave, readying it for action even as I listened to her whispers and images.

Lugh, Cynwrig, and Mathi were on the island, but would they get here before the Annwfyn?

As much as I hoped so, instinct said otherwise.

Maran strode forward, Vincentia two steps behind her. When I didn’t immediately follow, Frances gave me a shove. I half spun and half raised a fist, so very tempted to unleash the wind.

But I turned and stomped after the other two women instead.

We moved through the remains of the doorway into the nave and continued down to the chancel. The stained glass window loomed above us, seeming to glow under the sphere’s bright light. The glass-black sword dominated the center window. Moisture ran down the fuller and dripped from its point, splashing wetly on the black stone chest that sat underneath it.

Just as I’d seen in the dream, but with condensation rather than blood.

But blood would flow in this place. Mine, and others.

I shivered and rubbed my arms. Vincentia walked around the altar and stopped in front of the chest. “The sword’s in here.”

Maran stopped beside her. “You sure?”

Vincentia nodded my way. “This is what she described when she was talking at the pub.”

The tome sound again, closer and stronger than before. Darkness was coming, be it the Annwfyn or something else.

We had to get out of here. Had to run, while there was still time.

I took a step back, only to be stopped by a fist in my spine. I swore and elbowed her hard. As she “oofed” in pain, I swung around and growled, “Do not touch me again.”

“Frances,” Maran snapped, “go watch the door. Bethany, get your ass over here and open this chest.”

“What makes you think I can open it?”

Vincentia looked at me. “I believe there was something about only a pixie gifted with prescience can unlock the final door? And I’m certainly not shedding any blood in this godforsaken place.”