Book Four: Chapter 167

“Scavengers,” Lily said, her voice low, almost a hiss, as she glanced over her shoulder at the shadowy shapes moving in the distance. Her black eyes narrowed, and the tip of her tail twitched slightly. “Looking for an easy meal when someone crosses over. They’re opportunists. They’ll take anything left behind.”

Mike squinted, scanning the darkened landscape around them. The underworld here felt denser, the air heavier than near the house, and the shadows seemed to shift unnaturally. “This part of the Underworld seems a little more dangerous than over by the house,” he said, his voice quiet but tense. He adjusted the strap of his backpack, feeling the reassuring weight of the supplies inside.

“The house has a Cerberus watching it,” Lily said, nodding toward the distant structure where the three-headed dog lay in quiet vigilance. “This place? Not so much. Actually, I don’t know that we want to