They stepped out between two trees and Vi took a deep breath.
“That was much better than when I did it,” she said with relief.
“I’d imagine,” Sarphos said. “The shift transforms things from what they are, to what they can be—though that shift is a special one made only by the royal family. We call the transition ‘the between’—which is a place you don’t want to be stuck in.”
“I believe it…” Vi looked behind her, but there were just the same pale trees of the Twilight Forest standing sentry to a quiet night. All traces of the Twilight Kingdom were gone.The shift transitioned what was to what could be. She still had many questions about the magic, but they could wait. There were more pressing matters now. “Come on, this way.”
Luckily, they’d come out in a location where Vi could hear the stream. She just had to hope they hadn’t emerged too far from the cave… and that it was the same stream.
“So what brings a human to the Twilight Forest?” Saphos asked as they walked. “We don’t get too many in our borders these days.”
“I’m just passing through.” Vi had no desire for small talk. This was business. She wasn’t about to be his friend. “I would’ve been gone by now if it weren’t for my friend’s injuries.”
“Where are you going after you pass through here?”
“I have to find my father.”
Saphos fell silent. The quiet made the walk seem even longer, fraying the nerves at the ends of Vi’s patience. All she had to go by to find Taavin was the stream, so she nearly wept tears of joy when her eyes landed on something familiar. She recognized a boulder—at least she thought she did. She picked up her pace.
“Wait, why are we running?” Sarphos called.
Vi’s feet flew over the wet stones, slipping and splashing in the water. Her pant legs were damp up to her knees. But Vi paid it no mind. She was used to running in forests.
What she wasn’t used to was this overwhelming, sickening, lightheaded feeling of worry and fear and excitement all wrapped into the shape of a single man.
She came to a stop at the unassuming cave, her chest heaving. “He’s in there.” She hoped. “Let me go first… there’s not much room.”
“All right.” Sarphos leaned against the large boulders, catching his breath. “Call me when you’re ready. I’ll just be… you know… recovering from the most exercise I’ve had in months. Don’t mind me.”
It was easy to ignore his mutterings due to the racing of her thoughts. What if Taavin was gone? What if she’d somehow gone to the wrong place?What if he was…
She didn’t finish that last thought.
Vi rested her hand on the rock, took a breath, and pushed through the narrow opening. She emerged into the near darkness, immediately aware of Taavin’s form. But he made no sound or movement.
“Taavin?” Vi whispered, summoning a spark for light. “Taavin, please.” She crouched down, shaking him lightly. But for the first time, he didn’t respond. Her hand flew to his neck, seeking a pulse and breathing a sigh of relief when she found it.
“Sarphos!” Vi shouted, deafeningly loud in the small space. Taavin still didn’t wake. “Sarphos, he’s not moving!”
Sarphos pushed his way through the opening with a grunt, holding out one of the faintly glowing stones she’d seen illuminating the Twilight Kingdom like a lantern. Vi barely had time to shift herself onto the other side of Taavin to give the healer room. Her hands wrapped around Taavin’s, clutching tightly, as if he’d slip away from her for good if she let him go. Her eyes drifted up to the morphi as he finished pulling his bag through.
“This is him?” Sarphos’s expression darkened as he stared down at Taavin. His eyes narrowed in a way that Vi could describe as nothing other than pure loathing.
“Yes. You said you would help him,” Vi reminded him, the statement coming off more as a curt demand. Then she added, softly, “Please help him.” Taavin’s pulse was so weak underneath her fingers. It felt as though he could leave the mortal realm any moment.
Sarphos’s eyes dragged away from Taavin’s prone form, turning to Vi. They stared at each other for several quick breaths—Vi’s hastened in panic, Sarphos’s in what looked like rage. She braced herself, ready to outright threaten the man’s life if that’s what it took.
She was ready to burn down the whole world to save Taavin.
“You told me it was your friend… You didn’t tell me your friend was the worst, most despicable, wretched creature on this earth: the Voice.”
“Wretched?” Vi would’ve been more angry if she wasn’t so confused. “He’s not—”
“Was this your plan all along, to lure me here?” Sarphos looked over his shoulder, through the crack in the rocks. “Where is your legion of Swords?”
“I don’t want to kill you. I don’t wish you ill at all.” Vi made every attempt to speak calmly, but Sarphos’s rising mix of panic and prejudice was making it difficult.
“Then why would you bring me before the Voice? You’re one of them, aren’t you? Faithful?”
