It only takes a few minutes to find the portal Devin and Ezra describe. It sits in the very centre of the forest in a small clearing. In the almost pitch black of the wood it is incredibly difficult to spot and I wouldn’t have seen it had Ezra not pointed it out to me. The portal is door-sized but in the shape of an oval, and just around the edges there is a line of shimmering gold.

“How do you know it’s almost dawn on the other side?” I ask. Apart from the golden edge, there is nothing but darkness and trees beyond the portal when I look at it.

“I poked my head through, dawn is on its way,” Devin says, stroking his hand through Mr Tickle’s fur. I can hear him purring in contentment.

“I see.”

“Are you ready?” Ezra asks.

What a stupid question. Of course I’m not ready, but I am willing to step into a strange new world to save Rhain and rescue my friend. I would walk into hell for that. “Yes,” I say.

“Then let’s go.” Ezra takes my hand and, giving me no time to think about it, pulls me through the portal.

The moment my body passes through, I feel as though I am walking in slow motion through thickened mud. I can hear the loud pounding of my own heart as a muffled silence descends. A second later I feel a sharp tug on my hand as Ezra pulls me through the other side.

“Holy crap,” I say, dropping Ezra’s hand and turning on the spot. Devin follows shortly after. We are standing on the edge of a forest, different to the one we just left. The trees are three times as tall as any I’ve seen on Earth before and an almost luminescent green, bright even in the dim light of the breaking dawn. I feel a strange sense of unease as I look at the trees looming over us.

“Is that the Forbidden forest?” I ask.

“Yes,” Devin confirms.

I swallow the fear spreading through my chest and take a deep breath. Clover is in there somewhere. As I suck in the air, I feel myself go a little lightheaded from the abundance of oxygen. The air smells different, cleaner. My eyes trail to the horizon where I see a huge castle perched atop a hill, towering over the land below. Behind it the first tendrils of dawn begin to rise.

“We have less than half an hour to find Rhain before the sun rises fully,” Ezra says, noticing the panic in my eyes.

“But how will we find him?”

“He will be at the Light fields, I am sure of it,” Ezra says, the pain in his eyes clear. I remember what happened to his wife and child and I reach out to him. He steps away from me, his face grim.

“Are the Light fields far from here?” I ask.

“On horseback, it will take us only ten minutes to get there.”

“But we don’t have any horses,” I say, just as four horses trot towards us. Sitting atop one is a man with blonde hair and startling lilac eyes.

“Greetings, I hear you are in need of transport?” He jumps down from his horse as it whinnies in protest.

“Nostra, how did you know we were back?” Devin grins.

“I have eyes and ears everywhere, brother.”

“We have no time for this. Rhain has gone to the Light fields and you, Nostra, should not be outside the hidden village. It is not safe,” Ezra chides.

“You are correct, Ezra.” Nostra turns to me. “It is a pleasure to meet you, daughter of Clan Lux.” He takes my hand and presses a gentle kiss against it. “There is much we need to talk about, but first you must find Rhain and bring him home. There is little time.”

He climbs back on his horse and Devin hands over Mr Tickle.

“Well, hello,” he says. Mr Tickle purrs then settles himself between Nostra’s legs atop the horse’s back. He looks strangely comfortable and utterly relaxed.

Ezra hauls himself up onto a beautiful black horse. “We won’t be long,” he says to Nostra.

Nostra catches my eye and winks, before flicking his wrist. The horse Ezra is sitting on turns away from us and begins trotting back along the path Nostra arrived on.

“Wait,” Ezra says, pulling on the horse’s reins trying to get it to turn back around.

Nostra looks between me and Devin. “This is not a job for Ezra, not when that place holds such terrible memories for him. I’ve spelled the horse, he won’t be able to get off until we reach the village.”

“Damn it, Nostra, get me off this horse!” Ezra shouts.

On another day, I might have found it funny, but the sun is steadily rising and time is running out for Rhain, for us all if we don’t get to him in time.

“You do realise Ezra is not going to forgive you for this,” Devin says, a look of mirth on his face.

“Well, we are immortal. I have many years to salvage our friendship. Now go, take Phantom and Israel. They are my fastest horses. If time becomes your enemy, the horses will take you to a safe place where you can hide from the sun until night falls once more. Make haste, my friends.” With that, Nostra gently presses his heels into the horse’s flank and trots after Ezra.

Devin puts his foot in the stirrup and flings his leg over Phantom’s back. Clearly he has ridden before. He pulls on the reins so he is facing me. “Up you get then,” he says.

I look at Israel, a beautiful chestnut female. She dips her head as if in greeting.

“I don’t know how to ride,” I say, nerves getting the better of me.

“Of course, your form of transport is entirely different to our own. You must ride with me then, Israel will follow.” Devin holds his hand out and I take it. A moment later I am settled behind his back.

“You might want to hold on,” Devin laughs as he presses his heels into Phantom’s sides. The horse jolts forward and I have no choice but to wrap my arms tightly around Devin’s waist as the horse thunders along the dirt path.

The thrill of going this fast with Israel running alongside is exhilarating. The feel of the wind in my hair and the strength of the horse beneath us is intoxicating. It’s as though we are flying. I watch the scenery rush by; to the left the Forbidden forest is vast and continues for as far as I can see, to the right there is nothing but miles and miles of undulating land, lit by a moon that’s three times as large as the one from home. In the distance, I can just make out the snowy peaks of three mountains reaching up into a dark sky filled with thousands upon thousands of stars that glitter like a cave full of diamonds. As the horse begins to slow, I pull back from Devin and gaze upwards. A shooting star flashes across the sky and for a brief moment I feel strangely at home.

Before long, the horse comes to a stop. Its chest is heaving from the effort of running, and there’s a light sheen of sweat over its body. Devin slides down to the ground, patting the horse gently. Phantom whinnies and shakes his head side to side.

“Do you need a hand?” Devin asks.

“I’m fine,” I say as I swing my leg over. Unfortunately for me, the ground is much further away than I think and I stumble backwards, expecting to hit the ground but instead finding myself in Devin’s arms.

“Careful, Accacia,” Devin whispers into my hair. I feel the pounding of his heart against my back and the sudden touch of his soul in my head. Rhain needs you to be all in one piece when he makes love to you.

I don’t respond. I can’t. Somehow, Devin saying those words makes me feel all kinds of confused. Not because of what I must do for Rhain, but because of how Devin is making me feel. I pull away from him, casting my eyes back the way we came. I can see the horizon changing into a light purple edged in pink as dawn begins to break.

“We don’t have much time. Can you see Rhain?” I say, worry creasing my brow. We are standing at the top of a slight hill. Below is a large field filled with tall, evenly spaced, cylindrical blocks. The blocks start just where the edge of the Forbidden forest ends. Towards the centre I can just make out the shape of a man.

“There,” I say, pointing. The desire, that until now has been dampened by Devin, explodes within my chest. Seeing him there alone like that does something to me and I run towards him, my body reacting before my mind can even process what it is doing.

It doesn’t take me long to reach Rhain, and I slow down as I near him.

“Rhain…” I whisper, uncertain now. I had pushed him away, and this is the result.

He whips around, the shock on his face quickly replaced with fear. “Cia, what are you doing here? Dawn is about to break.” He looks to the east, to the light that is brightening there. “You need to leave. NOW,” he shouts.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“The sun will rise shortly and you will perish. You must go. Please, Cia.”

“I’m not leaving without you,” I say, grabbing his arm. The simple touch of my hand against his bare skin sends shudders of desire through me. Devin does nothing to dampen them and this time I am glad.

“But the Claiming. I cannot go on like this,” Rhain says, looking at me desperately. “I am not strong enough to fight it anymore. I have to be free of this pain.” He drops his head, unable to look at me. He is shaking so much that he can barely stand.

“You will be free of this pain once we undergo the Claiming, once we make love,” I say, my own desire sending my words out in a heated rush.

His head snaps up. “You changed your mind?”

“Yes. You have risked your life to protect mine and now it’s my turn to save yours…” My words are cut off as he storms towards me, taking me in his arms. His kiss is fierce, urgent, and takes my breath away entirely. Before long, my hands are entangled in his hair as my tongue explores his mouth. I can feel the desperate need of his desire pressed up against me as my own body responds in kind.

“Sorry to break up the party, but we need to leave,” Devin says from behind us. We pull apart, panting. Devin glances at me, his expression closed. “Come now.” He points to the rising sun, fear etched on his face.