Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
BELLAMY
W e finally emerged from the end of the village and came to a stop at the bottom of the mountain. Steep stairs were cut into it that wound up and around the side toward the castle.
Driscoll shaded his eyes and looked up. “Are we really sure we want to go up there?”
“You don’t have to do anything,” I signed. “I’m not forcing you to come.”
I’d wanted to do this by myself, and he and Leoni were the ones who barged into my plan, and now when the reality of it was settling in, he wanted to run. I shouldn’t have been surprised.
Leoni translated my message, then shoved Driscoll forward. “This is what he does. He whines. A lot. But he’s not going to run.”
I just shrugged, and Leoni let out a soft sigh, then turned, shoving up the sleeves of her blue tunic, then fanning herself. The humid air had curled bits of her red hair, making it spring from its tight bun. We climbed the stairs, having to stop and take breaks, drink water. The heat of the jungle was suffocating, and the more we climbed, the tighter that heat wrapped around us. Sweat plastered my hair to my face and forehead. My skin was sticky and hot, and I was so thirsty. We were almost out of water. We’d need to find some for the journey back... back to where? We hadn’t figured that out yet. Hadn’t even talked about it.
We stayed silent, not sure what might be awaiting us when we got to the plateau where the castle was perched. The only sound was the rustle of the wind, the gentle rush of the ocean waves in the distance. The higher we got, the more of the island I could see. From up here, it was breathtaking. The canopies were a stark green, the black-sand beaches were glittering and sprawling, and the ocean was turquoise, the sun glinting off it. It was a perfect day on the island—except for the damned heat. My dress stuck to the small of my back. At least the long sleeves shaded my skin from the sun.
We got to the top of the stairs, and a rocky plateau spread out before us, filled with wild jungle life, the castle rising high into the sky. To the side of the castle was a large garden that was gated off. Once upon a time it might have been something grand, but now all the bushes and trees were overgrown, weeds sprouting everywhere and overtaking everything.
I gasped. There. The nettle weed. It crept over a large trellis and spread across the ground in a tangled, thick mess, covered in pink flowers the color of rouge. It looked beautiful. But underneath those pink petals were the thorns waiting to prick you should you try and pick a flower. The nettle weed spread out and up the castle walls. It was all over the garden. My heart thumped hard at the sight of it.
“There it is,” Driscoll whispered. “Now we’ve seen it, so let’s go back down the mountain and come up with a better plan. You know, one that’s not just ‘let’s waltz right into the garden and just hope we survive.’”
I shook my head, a stubbornness rising in me. He didn’t understand what it was like to be trapped in the Wilds, knowing your brothers were cursed and there was nothing you could do but wait to be freed. I’d done nothing but wait. I wouldn’t do so any longer. I’d seen the vision. I knew my path forward. I started toward the garden, but Leoni held out an arm.
“How are we going to get it?” she asked. “That doesn’t look like something we can just easily pull from the ground.”
I just shook my head and pushed her arm away, creeping forward.
“No shears? No gloves?” Driscoll asked, raising a brow.
It was clear he wouldn’t drop this until I gave an answer. “Gloves and shears would defeat the purpose. Breaking dark magic like this requires a great sacrifice.”
Leoni translated and Driscoll just huffed while staring at my hands. “They’re so pretty. Soon they’re going to be all scarred and ugly and deformed and?—”
Leoni elbowed him.
“Right.” He cleared his throat and patted me on the shoulder. “You’re doing a really great thing. Super nice. Your hands don’t matter. Who needs hands anyway?”
“You should’ve just stopped at ‘you’re doing a really great thing.’” Leoni shook her head, eyes rolling upward.
I shoved past him and walked toward the garden. The sun stretched over the grassy land in front of the castle, but the garden was shaded. I didn’t see any shadows, no sign of this Spirit Shadow luring about. It was so still, so silent, I might’ve thought this place abandoned.
A black iron gate caged the garden, even though weeds and invasive vines had snaked through the bars from the outside. No one had come storming out of the castle yet.
“You know,” Driscoll whispered as we walked toward the garden. “Maybe Spirit Shadow sleeps during the day. I mean, it would make sense, right? Maybe he’s averse to the sun like his shadows are.”
I’d never read anything like that about Spirit Shadow, but it would make sense. That could also be why he hadn’t discovered us yet. Hope swelled in my chest as I unlatched the rusted gate. It swung open with a loud creak. Leoni winced.
“Well, let’s hope he’s sleeping,” she said, “because if not that certainly would have alerted him.”
A chill skittered up my spine at the thought of him emerging and swooping down over us. That was how I’d always imagined Spirit Shadow. Like a mighty bird, all terror and fury raining down. I shook the thoughts away and walked through the garden, then knelt in front of the nettle weed that grew over the ground. Small thorns sprouted from the edges of the bright green leaves, all covered by the dark pink flowers. I shoved the satchel deeper under some brush just in case Driscoll or Leoni got any ideas about trying to snatch it and run.
The plant snaked out across the ground in huge patches. I wouldn’t need the leaves, but the stalks were what I would use to knit these sweaters.
I swallowed, hand hovering just over the thorny stalk.
“What is she waiting for?” I heard Driscoll ask from behind me where he and Leoni stood.
“Do I look like a mind reader?” Leoni asked back.
I thought of my brothers, of all the ways they’d always protected me and looked out for me over the years. I could do this for them. I’d come so far, and I’d actually gotten here. I’d made it. Now came the real sacrifice.
I stretched out a trembling hand to grab the stalk and yank it free, knowing that once I felt this pain, it wouldn’t stop. Driscoll was right. I wasn’t vain, but my hands would become deformed, swollen, infected from the poison. I blew out a frustrated breath at my hesitation, but before I could snatch the first stalk, a cold settled across the back of my neck, the hairs raising.
It felt good at first, a reprieve from the heavy heat, but then it crept down my spine and trickled over me like dread.
I shot to my feet and whirled just as Spirit Shadow lowered to the ground in front of me, throwing Driscoll and Leoni onto their backs. Shadows swirled over him, forming into a giant beast with glowing red eyes and long sharp teeth. I couldn’t see much underneath the shadows, just the beastly wisp of a monster looming above. Flashes of pale skin peeked through the whirling shadows, but that was the only indication there was anything under there.
The beast took a step forward, towering over me. Leoni and Driscoll lay on the ground, both unconscious.
My anger flared as I gestured to them. “There was no need to do that. They aren’t a threat to you.”
A deep voice emanated from underneath the shadowy beast. “And how do I know that?”
So he could understand me. I supposed that made sense. My father had taught me and my brothers this sign language, always told us it was an ancient one used to communicate in secret. It was our secret language, and I was thankful my father had taught it to me.
I stepped toward the beast, refusing to let it see me cower. “You’re a spirit. Surely you’re not afraid of some mortals in your garden?”
“Calling me a coward? Not very original, I have to say.” Even his voice carried power. It boomed, commanded attention.
I straightened, my chin raising. “I have a lot more insults at the ready if you want me to go on.”
“Feisty.” He chuckled. “I like that. But unfortunately for you, it won’t save your shadow. I’ll take it, as well as your friends’ shadows, and then I’ll send you back out into the jungle, and you can yell all the insults at me that you wish.”
“I just want the nettle weed.” I gestured to the thorny plants clustered at my feet. “Let me take it, and I’ll be on my way.”
He took a step forward. “Nettle weed?” he asked. “You mean the briars? You think I’ll just allow you to steal from my garden? You think I’ll just allow you to walk away?”
I tipped my head toward it. “It’s not much of a garden. And yes, that’s exactly what I think.”
The beast threw its head back and laughed. “The answer is no. You and your friends will spend the day in my prison cells while I sleep. When the night comes, your shadow will be mine.”
The beast’s red eyes shifted, and he looked toward the castle. Its tall shadow stretched over the gardens, shielding us from the hot sun.
I wondered what he was staring at.
Then shadows emerged from the walls of the castle. I hadn’t even realized they were there, lurking on the surface, but now they veered toward us, arms outstretched, ready to carry us away.