My eyes burn as I adjust to the brightness surrounding me, standing in a field of golden flowers. A calm, warm breeze moves my hair in all directions, and the scent of a perfect spring day floods my senses. It’s quiet, and the pain has stopped. It’s serene.
It’s…peaceful.
I drag my hand across the tall flowers. The delicate petals tickle my skin, their silken texture surprising me. I glance at my fingers, noticing the lack of black fingertips and dark veins traveling up my hands and forearms. My skin is smooth and sun-kissed, and my long, dark hair flows in gentle curls to my hips.
I move in a circle, observing my surroundings. The fresh blue sky shines around me, and billowy white clouds cast shadows as a break from the warm sun.
I squint my eyes to see across the field and smile. A tall, broad figure looms in the distance. His shoulder-length black hair is pulled back into a low, messy bun, and his eyes are the ideal shade of crystal blue. I step forward, angling my head. The brightness from the blinding sun stings, causing me to place my hand over my eyes to get a better look.
Barlowe.
The balminess of the sun caresses my face, and our surroundings provide a sense of tranquility. I step forward, the soft ground cushioning each step as I glide through the tall flowers swaying in the breeze. With every step I take, he moves further away.
“Barlowe?” I shout.
I start to run, my feet pounding against the ground. My legs feel heavy, making it impossible to move at full speed. His towering figure begins to fade like a distant memory.
“Hey,” I say again, but muffled this time.
He turns toward me one last time, and even with the distance separating us, I see a tear form on his bottom eyelid. He reaches for me, but is pulled away by a force I cannot see. A desperate whisper leaves his lips, but the wind drowns out his words.
“Wait, no. Stop.”
He turns to mist in front of my eyes, leaving my chest heaving as I try to catch my breath.
The golden flowers surrounding me begin to lose their color, their delicate petals curling at the edges, fading to a dull gray. The flowers droop all around me, dying, and I whip my head in every direction, watching the vibrant colors vanish along with my brother. The ground beneath me withers, and the soft grass turns to chalky ashen mud as the sun's warmth disappears, leaving a cold wind to bite at my skin. I stand in shock as panic floods my veins.
A murder of crows flies overhead, their cries filling the air with their screeching. My peaceful surroundings transform into a decaying wasteland as I stand, transfixed in horror.
“It doesn’t have to be like this,” a cold voice calls from behind me.
I close my eyes, tears streaming down my cheeks, but I don’t turn to see who is speaking. I know.
“Would you like to live with your family here? With your brother? Your mother?” Her voice taunts and promises. “I can restore the serene lands you just saw. You can be happy here, unbothered and at peace.”
I don’t respond. I stand motionless—defeated and terrified.
“All you have to do is surrender, Briar. I'll take it from here, and you can stay in this place. No pain, no suffering, simply here with them.”
I tip my head toward the gray sky, and when I open my eyes, I’m once again standing in a field of flowers. Their scent is overpowering, and the warmth of the sun once again warms my ice-cold skin.
I slowly turn to look at Kalix.
Her flowing raven hair sways in the warm breeze, and she’s dressed in a sheer black dress that reveals her skin underneath. Her eyes—black as the darkest night—shine into mine, and I can’t help but see how similar we look when my eyes shift. Crimson and black veins mark her skin, and a similar soft red flows through her hair, reminding me of blood leaking from her skin. A single crow perches on her shoulder, and she gazes at the large bird, petting it with her own claws.
“Aren’t you tired? Tired of fighting? Tired of being in pain and worrying?” She smiles broadly, rows of sharp teeth glistening in the sun. “If you let me in completely, I can take it all away. You will live comfortably.”
“This isn’t real,” I whisper.
“It can be,” Kalix responds. “For you.”
“It’s all a trick,” I rasp. “Just like the other illusions you’ve cast before.”
I look at my hands, and through the bright haze, I can see my black fingertips starting to return.
Briar.
My gaze looks in all directions.Silas. I feel his voice desperately claw into my mind.
