Ashe was rushed from his bed before he knew it. Gloved hands guided him upright and toward a new destination. The only confirmation that anything had changed was Danny’s whispered comment: “Phase Two.”

  Ashe managed to grab his walking stick and followed in silence as the building shifted around him. His mind was still blurred with sleep, his bladder uncomfortably full, his mouth still unbrushed. Down the elevator they went, then along a corridor that smelled of damp concrete and old metal.

  The guards—and Danny—stopped. Ashe heard the beep of a lock, an access key of some sort.

  “Access granted.”

  Then a door creaked open, steel crying against steel.

  As he stepped in, his senses were overwhelmed. He had expected the smell of dust, creaking chairs, and the click of a few keystrokes. Instead, the sharp scent of antiseptic washed over him, like a hospital wing. The constant ping and chime of machines came from all sides, and the chatter of overlapping voices made it impossible to pick out any single person.

  A light push to his back forced his frozen body into motion once more. The sound of the steps ahead drained away, and he lowered his walking stick until it tapped the floor, tracing for obstacles. As the wall approached, someone moved in front of him and opened a door.

  As he was funneled inside, the sounds of the room behind them grew muffled, fading to a faint hum. He felt drained somehow by that short interaction. It was too early in the morning for something like that. The scrape of a chair against the ground sounded behind him before it bumped into the back of his knee, forcing him down into it. He sat there, head tilted, waiting for the expected speech from Danny.

  But none came. Only a quiet breath that didn’t belong to a guard.

  Ashe could tell something was happening above his head, the awkward silence broken only by the sound of fabric rubbing against fabric. Finally, a sigh—loud and annoyed—escaped, as if someone had just lost an argument.

  “Uhh. Fine.”

  Then a voice spoke, soft and fluid. Scottish maybe. Or something northern. He couldn’t quite tell. Her speech was rapid, laced with the lingering irritation of whatever she’d just been told she had to do.

  “My name is Annabelle, but call me Anna. I’ve been told I have to babysit you for the jump.” He could almost feel her rolling her eyes. “In case you try to get yourself killed.”

  He almost choked on his tongue as he sat there. A herald was assigned to escort him into a portal?

  He spoke, despite the panic that coursed through his body. “Portal? What portal?”

  Danny interjected without warning. “Phase Two is a portal evaluation. Controlled environment. Replicated F-rank. But due to recent developments we feel it best to have a few escorts for the jump, you will be accompanied by Annie and…” He’d paused right before saying the wrong name. Clearly, he was messing with her.

  The words were cut off as Annabelle’s voice filled the room, more powerful and forceful than before. “Goddammit, don’t call me Annie, Gramps.”

  A small giggle came from Danny’s direction before he continued. “A few of the guards will also join you. They have all completed portals before, so there should be minimal risk.”

  The words were meant to calm his nerves, but the presence of so many people did the opposite. The chance that his senses would be overwhelmed, that he’d freeze in a fight, only rose. But this time he didn’t say anything. He didn’t suspect he had the authority to ask for changes.

  “So let’s go.” His voice came out too high-pitched, adrenaline disguising itself as excitement.

  Danny spoke up. “Slow your horses. First, you should have knowledge of the portal, the creatures, and the protocol in case one of the other species manages to interfere.”

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  Ashe wanted to ask further questions, but at the same time he felt out of place. He bit the inside of his cheek, stopping himself before he could say something stupid.

  Danny pressed something into Ashe’s hand. “Press the button on that if something goes wrong. It will pull you from the portal instantly.” He paused as he watched Ashe fumble with the new device.

  It felt like an AirTag, with a button at its center. Ashe nodded, the signal that Danny could continue.

  “Annabelle will be at the entry point. If at any point she says ‘out,’ you’re done. You exit the portal in that moment. She will also only come to your aid if you request it or are unable to move.”

  “Fine,” Ashe said. It didn’t sound like he had much choice in the matter.

  “One guard will accompany you further into the portal and help like any teammate would.”

  Ashe looked at him. He couldn’t hold his tongue any longer. “Can you just leave all the guards at the portal entry? I’d rather work alone. The sound of others is distracting.”

  The room went silent for a moment before Danny spoke. “No, but if your concern is noise, we can have him stay back twenty paces. Is that okay?”

  Ashe shrugged. He guessed that was better than nothing.

  “Alright.” Danny clapped his hands as he said it. “Suit up.” The words hung in the air for only a few seconds before movement filled the space. The cacophony of organised chaos lasted only a few minutes, until the rush of air hit Ashe’s face.

  The air became dry, pulling moisture from his throat.

  “Ready?”

  “Yeah.” His mouth watered and his limbs trembled. Fear or excitement—he couldn’t tell. Maybe both.

  “Then get in the portal.”

  What portal? Ashe couldn’t feel one. It didn’t have the same smell of sickly rot. But when he heard boots trudge forward and disappear into nothingness, he followed. A slight pressure on his temple grew with each step. Before he knew it, his stomach lurched and his feet left the ground. That part wasn’t different from the normal portals, but everything else was.

  The world smelled of sweat, almost sweet, like stale sugar. The air was heavy, brushing against his skin in a way that felt uncomfortably like a touch. He pushed the thought aside and focused, trying to listen to whatever was inside.

  But the sound of breathing, leaves crunching underfoot, and the howling wind made it impossible to hear anything beyond his immediate vicinity. He tipped his walking stick downward and moved forward.

  Despite the distance between him and the guard assigned to follow him, he could still hear the footsteps, causing him to flinch more than once. It was strange. Other portals had started instantly, enemies attacking the moment he entered. But this one wasn’t quite right, like an imitation of something living.

  Maybe that was the point—replica or not, it was made to feel safe.

  When Ashe heard the soft click of approaching steps, he knew what it was in an instant. Spiderlings. They were known as the easiest of the mobs, and that was for good reason. They were loud, small, and didn’t have any long-range attacks. The only thing you had to watch out for was them dropping from the trees.

  Ashe clicked the button on his walking stick, the sword appearing beneath his hand. He felt a faint, dull pain so low he almost didn’t react. He had to force his mind into action. He wobbled as he jumped sideways, less coordinated than normal. Without his instincts reacting for him, he was less effective, less fluid in his movements.

  Then he heard someone behind him. “Behind you!”

  “Shut up!” The words came out harsher than he’d wanted, but he didn’t need distractions. That was why he hadn’t wanted anyone with him. The distraction cost him. Something latched onto his shoulder. He whirled, swatting at it. Then he felt a slight, dull pain—the precursor of a bite. He didn’t have time to react; the guard’s shout had stolen that from him. Pain sparked, sharp and hot. The bite landed and didn’t let go.

  He would use that. He had learned that pain meant information.

  He turned the sword in his hand and stabbed backward. Thick sludge, warm and smelling of rot, ran down his body.

  He was in the process of dry heaving, the taste of vomit filling his mouth, when he felt his pain-sense activate again, this time from below, in his foot. Without thinking, he lifted his foot and hurled it toward the sound of moving legs. Like an insect being squashed, only louder.

  After that he stood there, still struggling to breathe, forcing air in through his mouth to avoid the worst of it. The necklace vibrated, and the guard spoke, this time more hesitant, quieter than before. “Well done.”

  Ashe waited for the second wave. In portals, there was always a second wave, but none ever came. The world began to shift. Before he knew it, the smell of antiseptic was back. But something was still wrong. The crawl up his spine that he’d thought had been caused by the portal was still there. A faint buzz at the back of his mind, like a fly, made the unease grow.

  Ashe turned his head and covered his ears, but nothing changed. It felt instinctive, automatic, and completely useless.