Chapter 28 #3
Desperation fuels me as I reach deep within myself, calling upon my power.
It ripples and grows inside me like a building storm.
I pull away from Hunter and Tristan and thrust my palms forward.
With a burst of energy, light sizzles in front of us, burning off the fog.
In its place is a small clearing. The wraiths in its path disappear into thin air, dissolving like smoke.
“They need the fog to exist,” Tristan says, a wide grin on his face. “Do it again!”
Already, the fog is closing back in.
“No!” Hunter shouts.
I look back to find his eyes, wide with fear for me.
“Sienna don’t,” he pleads. “You can’t keep doing that, you’ll burn out again.”
“She can do this!” Tristan yells.
“No, she can’t!” Hunter insists. “She’s not some weapon for you to use.”
Tristan points wildly at me. “She’s stronger than you think!”
“I’m not calling her weak! I’m just trying to protect—”
“Stop it!” I scream. “I can do this!”
Even as I say it, my pulse is pounding too fast. My skin feels flushed with heat, my bones hollow. I have no idea if I can do this, but I’m going to try my damn hardest to get us out of here. We can not become wraiths too, lost in this mist for all eternity.
I blast more fog away. As we run, Tristan beams at me.
Something in his eyes almost looks like pride.
Hunter stops protesting, but his eyebrows draw together in concern.
He tries to help, calling his own light power, but the most he can do is create a measly orb of light.
It does nothing against the fog, or the wraiths that chase us.
We push forward, understanding that we cannot stop again, not even for a moment.
The wraiths wail, unable to reach us. For now, we have some semblance of safety—if I can keep this up long enough to escape this cursed place.
But it’s getting harder. Shadows flicker at the edges of my vision.
Each blast takes more effort than the last and the power doesn’t rise so easily anymore.
Exhaustion nips at my bones. I grit my teeth with determination to stay focused.
We keep running. I break another opening in the fog, but my light sputters like a candle flame caught in the wind. I pretend not to notice. I pretend I’m fine.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the fog begins to thin. The wraiths grow distant and we stumble out of the battlefield, breathless, but alive.
My knees threaten to buckle by the time we find a spot to camp for the night. We huddle near the safety of a patch of innocent-looking trees. Nothing cursed or haunted here, as far as we can tell.
As he builds a fire, Hunter shoots me worried glances.
Tristan, on the other hand, seems unconcerned as he stretches out on the leaf-covered ground to stare up at the darkening sky.
It’s as if he never doubted me for a second.
His faith in my power sends an unexpected thrill through me, but it doesn’t stop the dread that’s pooling in my stomach.
I’ve pushed my power too far, too soon after recovering from burnout. My core feels hollow. Empty.
And it’s terrifying.
“Are you sure you’re alright, Sienna?” Hunter asks. The worried creases around his eyes are amplified by the firelight.
I tuck my arms under my red cloak to hide the shaking. He doesn’t need to know that my chest aches and my core feels scraped clean. The light is gone. Nothing rises when I call it. There’s only emptiness.
We made it out of the fog just in time.
“You burned out, didn’t you?” Hunter asks, his voice quiet.
I bite my tongue, refusing to admit he was right. “We didn’t have a choice.”
Hunter nods. “I know. You were remarkable out there. Truly.” He heaves a shaky breath. “We would have died without you. Thank you.”
Tears threaten my eyes, but I’m not sure if they’re from relief or fear. I don’t know how long this burnout will last. And I’m afraid of what could happen to us without it.
Hunter sits next to me and reaches for my hand, but I pull away.
“Don’t,” I say a little too sharply.
Hurt flashes across his face, but he nods. “I get it. Just …” He pauses, searching for the right words. “When you need me, I’m here.” He hesitates, then stands and walks away.
The night is quiet, but for the crackling fire and the hoot of a distant owl. We sit in silence, each lost in our own thoughts. The horrors of the battlefield slowly fade into the recent past. Above us, the skies are gorgeously clear. I’ve never been so thankful to see stars in all my life.
Along the darkened horizon, the Spires stand haloed in moonlight.
Their icy peaks are a clear mark of Annwyn territory.
We’ll reach the base of those mountains by tomorrow evening.
Then, Tristan will finally tell me what happened to my grandmother, our deal complete.
After that, Hunter and I will have to find a safe harbor somewhere my father can’t reach us.
A pit forms in my stomach. Tomorrow, I’ll have my answers. I should be filled with excitement. Years of searching will finally come to an end. So why am I inexplicably filled with sorrow? A twinge in my heart tells me exactly why.
My eyes dart to where Tristan sits, staring up at the stars.