He turns to face us, his back to the creatures only a few feet away. His eyes fill with tears as he looks past us, out over the ravine. The sunrise shines in his dark eyes.
With all his might, he pushes Oak and me sideways to the ground. Neither creature lets up. They lunge on top of him, forcing him backward, closer to the drop.
“He’s going to fall!” Oak gasps.
“No, he’s leading them over the edge!” I add. “He’s trying to help us.”
Bardot fights for only a moment, thrashing against the strength of the two soulless creatures. Both beasts quickly overpower his muscular frame. Their claws rip into his flesh, mixing the crimson liquid with the rising sun. My gaze meets his one last time as a smile blossoms on his face, brighter than the first light of the new day.
In his final attempt, he seizes the beasts with both hands, binding them together forever as he throws his body backward over the edge.
A wicked laugh erupts from Bardot as the creature shrieks, falling to reunite with his brother once more. Brothers bonded so deeply that they will face the darkest realm together.
Oak and I sit in stunned silence, the threat to our lives dissipating with Bardot over the ledge. Dawn breaks over the mountaintop, and golden rays beat down on my skin, chasing away the darkest night of our lives. The vibrant glow of pinks and oranges works together in perfect harmony, like conjoined twins in the sky.
“Things just got complicated, didn’t they?” Oak sighs, rubbing his shaggy blonde hair, scooting closer to me.
I rest my head on his shoulder as we gaze out over the vast valley and sea before us, a new dawn breaking over the horizon. Our gaze turns toward Andorwood, its darkness contrasting sharply with the rising sun, sending a chill down my spine. We sit in silence for a moment longer, catching our breath, our lungs still expanding rapidly.
“We need to head back to the castle soon. I can only imagine the rumors spreading now that Thatcher’s back first. We need to fill Maines in on everything,” I finally speak, breaking the silence.
“I wish she were here. Not in danger, but here now. I’ve grown quite fond of her being around,” Oak says, looking over the ravine.
“She would have known exactly what to do. She’s amazing like that,” I reply, my voice quiet.
He sighs, pondering. “I’ve never met anyone quite like her.”
I don’t respond. Instead, I stand and pull him to join me. We need to find Silas and Rohhit; I know exactly where they are. The rising sun quickly starts to shine down, chasing away the shadows. Yet, I can’t shake the feeling that the shadows swirling around us are only going to become darker.
“Let’s go,” I say, mustering the last of my strength and heading toward my future—whatever the hell that means.
Chapter 27
The feeling of needles moves through my body as I shift, feeling more like I’m dragging myself through mud instead of shadows. Exhaustion weighs heavier on me than the grief I feel for the twins. They were brought into this world together and left together, as they always wanted.
The forest clearing comes into view. I slow my shifts as Oak appears beside me, breathless. “Oh, thank Gods, we’re here.”
He collapses onto the soft grass beneath our feet. Like a magnet drawing me forward, I walk across the clearing, unafraid of the open space. The brown hues of the trees combined with the vibrant wildflowers remind me of how gloomy the deep forest can be. The bright morning sky, with its white and blue, peeks through the green treetops as Silas and Rohhit come into view. Tucked behind an old oak tree, they sit, speaking to each other while Silas gestures wildly. I can sense his anger from here. My heart begins to race at the sight of him.
My Silas.
His senses perk up at my presence, and relief floods my entire system like a shock wave. I fall to my knees. Oak lies face down, basking in the sun’s rays shining through the clouds. Silas is near me in an instant, throwing his arms around my body.
“My hands,” is all I manage to say. Silas grabs my arms, examining them. He flashes a look toward Rohhit as he makes his way over to us.
“Look at this,” Silas mutters to Rohhit. “Have you ever seen this?”
I glance at my hands for the first time. The adrenaline wears off, and pain takes over. Black veins snake up my fingers, a blinding pain pulsating through my palms.
I gasp, snatching my hands back. “Don’t touch me.”
Silas shifts his eyes to Rohhit, and a silent conversation passes between them.
“I’m right here! What is this?”
“I’ve never seen this. When did it show up?” Rohhit asks.
“Well, I definitely didn’t have this before I started the trial.” My mind snaps back to the ritual and the burning sensation I experienced when I had the vision. “The ritual. It happened then,” I say with certainty.
