The Bridge Beyond Her World (The Boy and the Beast Book 2) by Brandon Barr

membership, Loam’s citizens will be able to travel to other worlds within the Guardian’s protective web—but only to worlds that are at the same level of advancement. Blind travel through the portal is prohibited, unless of course you are a Missionary. This is to protect your world from Beasts.”
    Winter felt herself drawn to the Missionaries. She recalled Karience’s brief tutorial aboard the starship. If one traveled through the portal unaccompanied, they wound up on a random world. She imagined how dangerous this could be, but also felt its excitement.
    Another question entered her mind. “Where were the three Emissaries murdered?”
    Karience seemed surprised by her question. “At Anantium’s Royal hall. There.” She pointed to the towering castle jutting from the northern horizon.
    “We are safe here, then?” asked Winter.
    “Yes,” smiled Karience. “This is protected space. You are safe here. Come, it’s time to see the God’s Eye.”
    Ahead, the path emptied into a large circle of dirt rimmed with scrub brush and haggard, wind-beaten trees.
    “What was here before you arrived?” asked Winter.
    “Nothing,” said Karience. “The Royals left the portal unguarded. Anyone could walk through at any time. In the three thousand years of their rule, no one had ever entered their world, so they were not aware of the danger. When our three Missionaries stepped through, they walked into the city unnoticed.”
    “How can three Missionaries all go to the same world?” asked Aven. “Wouldn’t each go to a random world?”
    Winter smiled, she was glad to find Aven showing interest.
    “Remember the idea of a person’s wake. Once the first person enters, they leave a wake behind that anyone can follow, and that wake is sustained for as long as people continue to enter one after another. This is also the reason we have the Shield Force, since an entire army can come through because of one person’s wake.”
    The idea of an army arriving on Loam was rather disturbing to Winter. All those hundreds of years, the Royals had never known of the danger.
    Karience came to a stop at the edge of a cliff. Winter could see the source of the soothing crash and crackle. The sea seemed to be constantly beating against the rocks on the shore. Suddenly a memory caused her to take a step back. She’d remembered the vision she had when she was pushed off the platform. She had fallen from a great cliff, and below was a beach with crashing waves.
    “What’s wrong?” tapped Aven.
    “Nothing…too close to the edge.”
    “We are here,” said Karience. “This is the God’s Eye. The portal to other worlds.”
    Winter searched her surroundings. Nothing looked like a portal. Nothing appeared unusual. Aven looked just as confused.
    “What did you expect it to look like?” came a voice from out of a rock. Suddenly part of the rock fell away from the main hulk, and Nephitus’s face appeared as a mask was taken off. Several other figures came out from different places. They wore clothing that perfectly mimicked the surroundings they’d stepped out from, their faces covered in a cloth material that had the design of brush or rock.
    Nephitus came up beside her and Aven. Only then could she see the strange object in his hands. Some form of weapon that blended perfectly against his body.
    “Are you ready to go through?” Nephitus asked.
    “Where is it?” asked Winter.
    “There,” he pointed. An old, bent tree with a few scraggly leaves clinging to it was the only thing she saw. It hung over the precipice of the cliff.
    “Come,” said Karience, putting a hand on Winter’s shoulder. “It is the same on every world. An old tree, a cave, a pile of rocks, a shallow pool, somewhere, as much a part of the landscape as the rest of the world, is a portal.”
    Winter stared at the bent tree.
    Her heart was filled with an awe that tingled all the way down to her fingers, as if they were being warmed on a cold night by a roaring