Cassie’s stomach twisted.“We need to go.”
“Cassie ...”Elora said slowly, “I don’t think it’s going to let us.Whatever this Chamber is, whatever power it has, it’s stronger than us.”
A gust rushed through the clearing, swirling their hair, chilling their sweat-damp skin, but not a single leaf overhead stirred.
Cassie’s heart slammed painfully against her ribs.Panic built fast, hot, rising in her throat.She pressed her hand over her stomach protectively.“Elora?—”
“Don’t freak out,” Elora said, though her own voice trembled.“I’m freaking out enough for both of us.”
Cassie almost laughed.Almost cried again.“Great.Wonderful.Love that for us.”
Silence fell again so heavy it felt like it might force her back to the ground.Then, so faint Cassie thought she imagined it, a whisper threaded through the trees.Not audible words.They hummed in her mind.
Near.Closer.Come.
Cassie’s breath hitched.“Did you hear—” her words cut off as she tapped her temple.
“Yes,” Elora whispered.
Their eyes met.Fear and determination and something like resignation flickered between them.
Cassie nodded once.She straightened her spine and reached for every ounce of determination inside.She harnessed the strength that had gotten her through the terror of Lorsan, the drink Rapture, the fear of losing Elora, of never seeing Trik again when she’d been in the hands of the dark elf king, and wrapped it around her like a shield.“Okay, we’ll keep going.We’ll see this damn poor decision through to the end.We watch each other’s backs, but if it begins to become physically dangerous, then we come up with a new plan.”
Elora rolled her head on her neck, as if preparing for a battle.She bounced on the balls of her feet and shook her arms out at her sides.“We got this.There was a momentary lack of courage.It’s over now and we’ve got our big girl pants back on.”
Cassie knew that Elora was simply saying what they bothneededto hear.She wasn’t sure she’d call what they were doing courage.It was dumb.But they’d made their bed.So, they’d both pretend for the other’s sake.Side by side, they stepped forward into the waiting forest, straight into the pull neither of them could escape.
CHAPTER10
“Hope is a fickle thing.”~ Oakley
Oakley stopped walking and dropped his pack.“I just want it noted,” he said flatly, “that we’ve been tromping through a sentient murder-forest forhoursand only now has anyone suggested maybe checking whether my sister and Cassie areactuallymissing.”He sighed and ran a hand across his face.“It’s like we’ve gone brain dead as we’ve fought our way forward.”
Syndra halted a few steps ahead of him.Tamsin stopped beside her, a bored look on his handsome face, though she knew he was anything but bored.He was alert, always alert.
“We were confirming patterns,” Syndra said calmly.“No need to panic Trik yet if he’s unaware that she might not even be there.”
Oakley stared at her.“You’re making the assumption that he isn’t already losing his mind with worry because the girls are more than likely out here.Why would the forest give you guys that vision of them if theyaren’tout here?So, we’d be doing the king a favor by checking in on him.”
“He has a point,” Tamsin offered.
“Thanks, your endorsement is inspiring,” Oakley huffed.
“Don’t be petulant," Tamsin said patiently.“It’s unbecoming of a warrior.”
Syndra watched as Oakley pursed his lips, obviously irritated by her mate’s words, but he held his tongue.
The clearing they’d pushed into was barely a clearing at all, more a reluctant pause in the trees, the light thin and filtered, the ground uneven beneath their boots.Nothing here felt welcoming, but at least it had stopped actively trying to turn them around.For now.
Syndra turned back to studying Oakley’s face.Beneath the sarcasm, his fear sat raw and unguarded.
“I hear what you’re saying,” she said.“But, we waited because once we asked, there would be no more hoping that it was just a vision of what the Chamber wants and not what isactuallyhappening.”
Oakley exhaled sharply.“Hope is a fickle thing, but I’d ratherknow.”
Syndra nodded.“Okay.”She lifted a hand, “Before you say anything else, I’m putting him on speaker.”
Tamsin arched his brow.“Wise.Keeps us all in the loop.”
