For a moment, I wonder if this is what death feels like—a peaceful slip into nothingness, devoid of fear and sorrow, just your body drifting into the darkest realm to be embraced by a world of calm. I’m weightless, the world is soundless, and I let my eyes close. This time, I don’t fear whether they will open again.
“Briar?”
I hear the whisper, but I still can’t see anything. My eyes won’t adjust to the darkness, and my head throbs. In the shadows, I feel around, reaching for my shoulder. The pain has subsided, but a tenderness lingers on my mangled skin over my tattoo. I try to speak, but my throat is too raw and dry to make a sound.
“Is that you?” the voice calls, as if coming from down a narrow tunnel.
My mind races. That deep voice is familiar, but it’s not Silas’s. I blink, hoping my eyes adjust, but only darkness fills them. I open my mouth to speak, but the words stay trapped.
“Hello?”I think to myself.“I must be dead.”
“No, you aren’t. At least, not yet," the voice chimes in.
“What the fuck?”
“Yeah, that’s you alright.”
“What is happening?”I ask in my mind.
“Briar, it’s Rohhit.”
Chapter 25
Iremain surrounded by total darkness, hoping my eyes will adjust so I can see where I am. I know I heard Rohhit a few times before, but that stopped once I got the tattoo.
The tattoo.
The creature tore my left shoulder apart. The protection has been shattered.
Oh Gods. Kalix.
“Rohhit?” I speak aloud this time.
My voice escapes my mouth, feeling like needles shooting through my throat. I try to swallow, but the pain and dryness are overwhelming.
“Briar, I don’t have much time, so I need you to listen,” Rohhit’s voice echoes in panic.
“Wait, how is this possible?” I interrupt.
“We are vessels—Realm Walkers. Carobon has completely taken over my body, but I can still hear him—his plans. You need to locate the Forgotten Archives. Have you heard of it?”
“Yes, it’s here in Andorwood," I respond quickly.
“The answers lie within, Briar, about how to eliminate Kalix and Carobon for good. A ship is making its way to Andorwood, carrying resurrected creatures. Carobon, Calia, and Nolan havebeen working tirelessly since you departed from the mainland. They are trying to rebuild Cammon. It isn’t good. They are coming to Andorwood to destroy what the Archives hold. You need to be prepared to protect it."
“We know, and we are as best we can be.” I pause. “Rohhit, are you alright?”
“For now.”
“Keep holding on,” I beg. “Don’t stop trying.”
“Each day gets harder to hold on. I feel myself slipping, like I’m getting farther away from my own mind each day.”
The darkness starts to overwhelm my senses, and I can barely hear Rohhit anymore. I feel like I’m blinking, but my eyes don’t move. I try to lift my arm once more, but it feels stuck, as if it’s being weighed down.
“Rohhit,” I shout. “Can you hear me?”
“You need to leave, Briar. You can’t stay here. Follow Silas’s voice.” His voice, barely a whisper, slithers into my mind. “Follow your tether.”
