“I need that stone in your pocket,” Nolan says, as he steps forward. “Now, or I’ll make sure every single person on that island dies.”
“Just let me go to him,” I plead.
“I don’t think so.”
“Please,” I beg.
Darcy lifts his head, and the pain that sits behind his aged eyes shakes me to the core. Our time is running out, and I need to get to him.
“Nolan, I swear to the Gods,” I snap, and point my axe in his direction.
I step forward, but am stopped by an invisible force that keeps my feet rooted in place. I attempt to lift my leg, but it’s as if a weight keeps it pinned to the ground.
“Give me the stone,” Nolan barks.
“No.”
“Then he will die,” Nolan says. “And his blood will be on your hands because you couldn’t fucking listen.”
Nolan lifts his hand again, and I watch in horror as time slows and he moves his fingers to snap again, likely to bring down another injury to Darcy, lying helpless on the ground.
“Stop!”
Nolan pauses, and a sinister dazzle fills his eyes.
“I’ll do whatever you want,” I whisper. “I’ll give you the stone.”
Nolan smiles. “Amazing choice.”
The invisible force keeping me still lessens, and I sprint toward Darcy, crashing to the ground beside him, turning my back to Nolan. His pained, aged eyes stare into mine, and I prop his head in my lap.
“You’re going to be fine,” I whisper. “I’m getting us out of here.”
“Don’t give him the stone,” Darcy deeply rasps.
“Trust me,” I squeeze his hand, and shake my head that nothing of the sort will happen.
I wink at him, and while Nolan turns toward the shore, I put the shining green jewel in Darcy’s jacket pocket and pull out the fake stone. Nolan snaps his gaze back to us and taps his foot on the soaked wooden deck.
“Hurry up,” he barks.
I extend my hand containing the dark green jewel. Nolan studies it for a second before smiling and reaching for the stone.
“If you weren’t so weak, Briar, you’d come to realize the actual powers you had from the Great Wiitch. Carobon has done many things for me.”
“Clearly,” I snap. “He’s a talented tattoo artist, I see.”
“He’s changed me for the better, you sarcastic bitch, and I can’t wait to watch you suffer. It’s coming, sis, and I’ll smile through every scream that rattles your throat.”
“Do you ever shut the fuck up?”
He huffs a laugh, and stares into my eyes. A shiver runs up my spine, but I don’t back down. Instead, I think of driving my axe into his chest.
“He’s here,” Nolan whispers.
Nolan begins to tap into his power, and a bright light shines around him, brighter than the sun. I watch him intently, staring through the blinding light. A large hand snakes up to Nolan’s shoulder, and through the blaze, I see his face.
Rohhit.
