Rhyland seems a bit off as we make our way down the hallway toward the main floor located in the trunk of the tree. He’s probably freaking out about Raven. He even let me carry her without an argument, so yeah, he’s got to be pretty damn distracted.

As he trails at my heels, he remains silent as we weave back and forth down hallways. This tree is one of the most strangest places I’ve ever been in, which is saying a lot since I once got stuck inside an ogre—it’s a long story.

The tree is located in the center of the shimmer blob and has different floors built inside it. The bedrooms are located in the branches while the kitchen and living room are on the main floor in the trunk. Slanted hallways create paths to and from each room and branches, vines, and leafs cover just about everything. Most of the furniture is made of wood, along with the doors and walls. And outside? Well, from what I’ve seen, there’s nothing but a world of light, but Harper assures me that just beyond the light are fields, trees, mountains, waterfalls, and a sparkly sky. But I’ll have to take her word for it since I haven’t had a chance to scope out the land yet.

“Where is she?” I ask Harper as we turn down yet another hallway. “Because I feel like we’ve done a full circle through this tree by now.”

“Well, technically you can’t do a full circle in the inside of a tree since it’s shaped like a tree. But you can do a full tree.” She tosses me a grin from then quickens her skipping. “And as for the witch doctor, she’s waiting in the basement.”

“There’s a basement in this place?” I ask astounded. “Wouldn’t that be in the roots?”

“Yep. All the best tree homes have them. And magic lacing the dirt wall makes the room soundproof and also so that no magic can penetrate it.”

“So if we do get ambushed while we’re here we should go there.” I make a mental note of that.

She nods. “But we won’t get ambushed. Shiny would never allow anyone else in here without talking to me about it first.”

I hope so or else we might not be as safe as we thought. My gaze descends to Raven, lying limply in my arms. Then again, are we even safe now? Because it seems like every time we eliminate one problem another rises, as if the queen’s magic can reach us here. Maybe that’s exactly what’s happening too. I’m not positive, though. And I wasn’t lying when I said that Raven’s current condition might have been caused by a bad reaction to Rhyland drinking her blood. But I have no idea why. I’m hoping the witch doctor can give us some insight to that.

“Here we go,” Harper announces, coming to a stop in front of a set of wooden doors. Then, clearing her throat, she lifts her hand and knocks. “Breezy, are you decent?”

“Why would she not be decent?” I ask, trading a questioning look with Rhyland.

But he’s staring in the opposite direction, frowning, and the dark circles underneath his eyes have become more prominent.

“You okay over there?” I ask, shifting Raven’s weight in my arms.

He blinks at me, his eyes glazed over. “Huh?”

My lips plummet to a frown. He’s acting very strange.

“Maybe you should take a walk and let me handle this,” I suggest. “You’re getting a weird look in your eyes and I’m worried you’re… Well, I’m not sure.”

“I’m fine.” He blinks a couple of times and the dazed look fades. “I’m just stressed out about her.” He glances at Raven and swallows hard. “I want to be in there for this. I actually need to ask some questions for Raven, if she doesn’t wake up in time.”

“What questions?” I ask. When his worried gaze flicks to Harper, I inch closer and lower my voice. “You might as well tell me now so I’m not surprised when we get in there. And Harper’s going to hear anyway.”

He dithers, appearing torn. “Raven mentioned just a bit earlier that right before the curse was put on us, the queen told her that the more Raven suffers, the more she gains power.” He gives a hesitant pause. “Then she referred to Raven as a moonlight abomination.”

“Really? I wonder why?” I sound about as surprised as a vampire when they walk into their surprise birthday party, which isn’t very surprised at all—vampires get very unenthusiastic when it comes to surprise parties.

He narrows his eyes accusingly. “Did you already know that?”

I shrug. “Don’t we all already know some things that most of us don’t know?”

Frustration bites at his tongue as he says, “So the queen told you already?”

I shake my head. Then, glancing over my shoulder to make sure Harper isn’t paying attention, I lean in and lower my voice. “Actually, Raven’s father did. A long, long time ago, back before all of this happened. He didn’t use the term abomination, though. Just told me that she was a very powerful and unique moonlight creature.”

“Then why in the hell didn’t you tell me?” he hisses.

“Because her father made me take a Blood Oath to keep it a secret.”

“But that was life cycles ago.”

“I know, but the Blood Oath still held. Now that you’ve figured it out on your own, though, we should be able to talk about it.”

“But why didn’t her dad want anyone to find out?” His jaw ticks. “Well, except for you apparently.”

I roll my eyes. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch. It was completely by accident that I found out. I was actually spying on him and dad one day when they went back to have a drink in the office, like you and I did sometimes, and they said something about her being this unique and powerful moonlight creature and that no one could ever find that out or else her life could be in danger and maybe even all the worlds if her power was used in the wrong way. I gasped when I heard and they realized I had been spying and made me take a blood oath never to talk about it with anyone who didn’t know what Raven is.”

He shakes his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe all this time I didn’t know.”

“I’m sorry. If I could’ve told you, I would’ve.”

He stares down at Raven worriedly. “If the queen called her an abomination back when the curse first started, then it means she’s known all along that Raven is powerful. Which means the curse was probably a set up.”

“Yeah, but we already knew that.”

“But what we don’t know is how the queen has been channeling power from Raven’s suffering and what she plans on doing with it.”

“Maybe it’s how she’s making the Created,” Harper suggests, popping up at my side and startling the shit out of Rhyland me.

I throw a quick, skeptical look at Harper. Yeah, I trust her with my secrets, but this isn’t my secret. It’s Raven’s, the one creature in this world beside my brother that I’d do anything to protect.

“I’m sorry,” Harper quickly apologizes when she notes my uneasiness. “I know you guys were trying to have a private conversation, but I couldn’t help but accidentally overhear while I was eavesdropping and I thought I’d tell you my theory.”

“Okay.” Wariness laces my tone.

“Well,” she starts, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I can’t help but wonder if perhaps the queen is channeling Raven’s power and making it her own so she can create the Created from the energy by transferring the powers of one creature into another.”

“But I thought the Created were created from mixing different species blood. I mean, how else are faeries getting Wicca powers and vampires possessing dragon fire? They’d have to possess the blood of a witch and a faerie.”

Harper shakes her head. “That’d make them more like me, and I’m not the same as the Created.”

“True,” Rhyland agrees, reclining against the wall behind us. “And the Created, they’re not really half of something and half of something else. Like Nadine. She doesn’t have witch blood inside her—that much I could tell when I blasted her with a curse. She can just channel Wicca energy.”

I can feel a blood headache coming on. “But how is that possible when she doesn’t have witch blood running in her veins?”

“Maybe because the queen’s extra power she’s stealing from Raven has somehow given her the ability to siphon powers from one creature and put them into another,” Harper suggests with a casually shrug.

Nothing about what she said is casual, though. In fact, it’s fucking terrifying.

“Siphoning? But that’d mean that she could actually create any creature she wanted, even rare, nearly impossible ones to find,” I say. “And she could create them whenever she wanted. Well, unless she can’t always channel Raven’s power.”

“Do you know how dangerous it could be if she created certain creatures,” Rhyland whispers. “I mean, think about if she put a giant and a dragon together. Then there’d be a damn giant dragon flying around big enough to probably wipe out an entire land.”

“There’s even worse creatures hiding in our worlds than dragons and giants,” Harper utters worriedly. “A lot, lot worse. And who knows what she’s created already. And how many.”

“I know. And every time the curse resets, the population of the Created grows,” I remind all of them.

“But then why is she trying to kill Raven now?” Rhyland pushes away from the wall and brushes the back of his hand across Raven’s cheek. “If she gains power from Raven through the curse—through her suffering—then why try to end it?”

“That’s another thing we need to figure out,” I mumble, staring down at Raven passed out in my arms, the fire burns flaking at her skin on the base of her neck. “Our To Do List is getting pretty fucking long. We really need to start working on getting stuff scratched off.”

“After we talk to the witch doctor, I’ll set out to find a dragon,” Rhyland offers, his fingers linger on Raven’s cheek. “That is, if everything turns out okay with her. I can’t leave until I know she’s safe and healthy.”

“And I can go gather everything we need to do an anti-possession spell,” Harper offers. “I’ll probably have to transport to another shimmer blob, but that usually isn’t too complicated.”

“And I can go scope out the Land of Moonlight,” I say. “See if I can find the army of the Created. Maybe spy on the queen a bit. I’ve always been good at that.”

Rhyland swiftly shakes his head. “No, you need to stay here.”

“Like I’m just going to sit here and do nothing,” I argue. “Do you not know me at all?”

“I know that you’re her Blood Protector and I’m not going to just leave her here alone unprotected.” His gaze is firm, his voice stern. “I also know that despite all this madness going on, I’m still the king, which means you take orders from me.”

“Fine,” I say flatly. “My king. But you’ll have to leave us some of your blood for her to drink.”

He nods, looking dazed again. “Good idea.”

Honestly, I’m unsure if I’m pissed off or impressed with him offering to leave and making me stay here. Doesn’t really matter, though. In the end, I want to protect Raven, so I’ll do what I have to.

“Oh, I think she’s ready,” Harper announces with a clap of her hands as the set of doors finally creak open. “Is everyone ready?” She doesn’t wait for us to answer, skipping inside the room.

“Why does she act like we’re going to a party or something?” Rhyland whispers as we inch toward the doorway.

“Who the hell knows,” I mutter. “But I wish I could share her enthusiasm.”

“Me too,” he agrees, sounding as worried as me.

While Harper may be able to bounce around and be cheery, Rhyland and I understand that a lot is riding on if this witch doctor can help us.

Lives are riding on it, in fact.

Maybe even all of the worlds.