Double Down on Demons (Pandora's Pride Book 1) by Annabel Chase

Author:Annabel Chase [Chase, Annabel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Palm Press LLC
Published: 2020-04-05T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

“Was there no closer stop?” Liam complained. “I bet we’re still a hundred miles away.”

“You know portals can’t always be precise,” Tate said. She flicked a glance in my direction. “How are you feeling?”

I was bent over, clutching my stomach. “I think breakfast will stay where it belongs.” Emil’s quick portal was still better than a long car journey. Short-term pain for long-term gain.

Liam put his hands on his hips and surveyed the area. “I really wish I could create portals.”

“Another reason we need Evadne,” Leto said.

“Her portals aren’t as good as Emil’s,” Saxon said. “Remember that time you ended up in Knoxville and the rest of us went to Miami?”

Tate laughed. “Dude, that was totally on purpose.”

“We should start walking,” Saxon said. “The longer we stand here complaining, the more time Supai has to carry out his plan.”

One thought of the desperate children and my feet were spurred into action. After half an hour of dusty paths, Saxon slowed to a halt. “Are we sure this is the right way?”

I understood his concern. There seemed to be bleak desert--nothing but landscape between us and the horizon. Not even a remote highway was visible from where we stood.

Leto sniffed the air. “I’m not too much help in a place like this. I don’t recognize any of the smells.”

“I don’t either, but I feel confident it’s the right way,” Liam insisted. He shaded his brow and pointed. “Look. There’s a sign of life.”

I peered into the distance to see an enormous tree towering over the barren land. “A tree? That’s your sign of life?”

“That’s not just any tree,” Liam said. “It’s so massive that we can see it from here. I bet it’s sacred, which means there’s likely civilization ahead.”

Tate shrugged. “It’s not a bad theory.”

“Should I fly ahead and take a look?” Saxon asked.

“There’s no point,” Leto said. “We’re all going in the same direction.”

The closer we got to the tree, the more its monstrous size became apparent. It was at least seventy feet high and thirty feet around with thick, twisting branches that seemed to stretch and reach toward unseen objects.

“It reminds me of Medusa’s head,” I said.

Leto offered a good-natured smile. “Yes, maybe she’s buried here, lying in wait for travelers, and a giant Gorgon will break out of the ground and turn us all to stone.”

“I kind of hope she does,” Liam said. “I always thought she was rather attractive and I’m due for a new lady friend.”

“Typical Liam. Any port in a storm,” Tate said.

I snorted. “More like any mirage in a desert.”

The hot desert air dropped about ten degrees as we approached the tree. It was impossible to walk past without stopping to admire its canopy of branches and massive trunk. Liam jumped up and gripped one of the branches, swinging like a monkey.

“We don’t have time to play,” Saxon said. “Let’s keep moving.”

“Come on, you old curmudgeon. We can’t pass by a tree like this and not climb it. It’s unnatural.” Liam pulled himself upright onto the low branch and continued to climb.

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