Chapter 16
“My shadow. Find me.”
I snap my eyes shut, blocking out my mother’s sweet voice. The magic within me protects me from listening, and I can block this out more than the others. I turn my head to see Rohhit doing the same, and an internal struggle occurs as he ignores the voice in his mind.
“This way!” Rohhit grabs my hand as he dodges the fallen branches with grace.
I’m in awe, watching his body move as if it’s weightless.
“They went this way. If we see any creatures, we need to be prepared. Okay? You need to be ready to fight if we have to, Briar! I’m not sure what state we will find Oak and Silas in. ”
He releases my hand as we move toward a cluster of trees so dense that no sunlight can penetrate the canopy.
We step into the woods, and the wind pauses.
The stillness sends a shiver up my spine.
Silas and Oak stand together, unmoving, like before.
But what stands before them is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
A creature—half as tall as the surrounding trees—leans down in front of their faces, its long neck extending from its body.
A black cloak hangs off its thin brown form, resembling tree roots.
The creature notices us through the brush and stands, towering over us.
Its wide, hollow eyes lock onto ours, and I feel a wave of nausea.
The darkest black fills its eye sockets, ready to consume the souls of its victims. Looking into those eyes, I’ve never felt more hopeless—as though it drains all the joy from me.
“Briar. Please help me. Come closer, little shadow.”
Rohhit remains frozen beside me.
“It’s speaking to me, Briar,” Rohhit whispers, his voice tight with fear. “In Nolan’s voice. I… I want to move closer, but I’m resisting. I’m not sure for how long I can, though.” His face scrunches, using every ounce of strength to ignore the temptation.
With the creature in view, its voice no longer mimics people in our lives but reveals its real voice-harsh, piercing, and utterly terrifying.
Its voice hisses into the open air, spreading through us like a disease.
Somehow, Rohhit and I both resist, but the tension is unbearable.
Rohhit glances my way as I widen my stance, my ankle still bleeding beneath me.
I call my magic to the surface. Rohhit does the same, lightning crackling around his large body—a blinding and powerful aura.
As I step forward, my shadows swirl around me like a dark hurricane.
The creature smiles, revealing rows of rotting, sharp teeth.
I smell its breath as drool drips down its chin.
The stench of death from past victims fills the air like a cloud.
We run toward Silas and Oak as a blast of darkness bursts from my palms, slamming into the creature’s chest. Rohhit fires a flash of lightning immediately after, the creature stumbling backward, giving us only a second to focus on the others.
I step in front of Silas. “Nastronde, you need to wake up!” I snap my fingers in front of his face. “I need you to help us! Please.”
He doesn’t respond.
I move to Oak, repeating the same action as Rohhit continues blasting Lumor magic toward the creature.
Where are Thatcher and the others?
I spin toward the creature, another powerful blast leaving my hands. Shadows snake around it, knocking the creature down with a thud that reverberates through the forest floor. We’ve bought some time, but not much. I feel my magic becoming weaker with each push.
I cup Silas' face. “Please, Silas. Blink. Come back! Come back to me. We need you. I need you!”
I squeeze his almost limp hand tightly, but he doesn’t respond. There’s something there, though—an echo of a deep connection.
He remains in a trance, his piercing green eyes fading. The creature’s illusions are showing him horrors, pulling him into unspeakable nightmares. “Silas,” I beg, slapping his face. “Please, damnit!”
I glance toward Rohhit, who’s struggling to wake Oak with no success. But when I look back at the creature, it’s a second too late. The creature swings its arm, and I scream as I’m thrown through the air.
My back slams against a tree, my lungs struggling to catch a breath.
My ears ring, and my vision blurs. I can make out the creature’s silhouette stepping closer, ready to finish the job.
The world seems to pause as the trees fade, my eyes adjusting to the impact.
The creature’s voice vanishes, and I swear I hear my mother’s voice this time urging me to get up, to keep fighting.
Rohhit sprints to my side, shooting bolts of light at the creature, doing everything he can to hold it off.
“Are you okay? Briar! Can you hear me?” Rohhit screams in my face, but my mind is scrambled from the blow.
Rohhit wraps me in his arms, knowing his magic is diminishing.
We don’t have much time left. He shields me from the encroaching death behind us.
Through hazy eyes, I see the faint halo of light around his body—it’s fading fast. A light shield remains around us, offering me some comfort in the chaos.
Silas looks around frantically, searching for something or someone.
When his eyes land on me, the intensity in his gaze is unmistakable.
His hands tremble as he brushes a strand of hair from his face—he’s afraid, not just for himself, but for me.
A flash of relief appears in his eyes at the sight of me unharmed.
Rohhit unwraps his arms from my body, his hands still quivering slightly. “Are you alright?”
I don’t break my stare from Silas as I get up from next to Rohhit, “Yeah, I’m alright, I think.”
“Are you okay?” I return the question.
“Yeah, Briar. I’m fine.” Rohhit smiles.
I nod and rush to Silas, looking him up and down for any signs of him being injured.
“I’m fine,” he snaps.
“You don’t seem fine!” I snap back.
His shoulders slack, “I’m glad you are okay. But don’t worry about me.”
He steps closer, his large frame looming over me as he places each hand on my arms. Our gazes meet, and a fire ignites between us.
“We need to get back to the beach,” Rohhit says, breaking the silence. He grabs Oak’s arm and pulls him up. “We’ve made it this far, now let’s make sure we all make it back to the pier.”
Oak nods. “Let’s get the fuck off this island.”
I nod, pushing toward the beach. “Let’s go, and if we run into the others, I have a plan.”
The waves crashing against the white sand are almost serene, peaceful—like we hadn’t just come inches from death. We gather our thoughts, grabbing the bags we were instructed to retrieve for the trial.
Thatcher emerges from the dark forest behind us, water and blood mixing on his clothes. “That was quite a show you all put on. Briar, I’m impressed. We watched the entire thing.” Thatcher stalks toward me with Cromwell, Graven, and Bardot close behind.
“We could have died, you asshole.” I spit.
Thatcher moves toward me, a dark energy rippling off his body—my eyes widen at the sight. He grabs my arm, pulling me toward the water’s edge. My blood seeps back into the black water, but Silas steps in front of him, shadows flickering at his feet.
“Touch her like that again, and those Serpyndens and the creatures of the forest will look pleasant compared to what I’ll do,” Silas warns. His green eyes are burning with hatred.
Thatcher pushes me forward, causing me to stumble into Oak and Rohhit.
Thatcher seems hesitant about fighting me with the others surrounding us.
“Fine. You all are about to be useful to me. Here’s how the competition will go.
You’re going first. Face those things.” He points to the still water, a chill creeping over my skin as something waits beneath the surface.
“When they’ve dragged you to your deaths, we’ll swim back to the dock.
She doesn’t stand a chance with that leg. ”
“You’re a fucking coward,” I say, stepping forward to challenge him.
I nod toward Oak, Rohhit, and Silas. “But okay, Thatcher. We’ll go first.” The island feels much larger now as I plant my feet in the sand.
I glance at them, hoping they understand and will follow me.
The beach has likely witnessed its share of deaths, with the bones of the fallen buried beneath the sand.
Thatcher laughs as I walk with Oak, Silas, and Rohhit into the icy water.
My blood turns the waves red from my bleeding ankle.
I turn once more. “Now!” I scream, sending a black flame from my palms into the chests of the remaining competitors.
The blast knocks Thatcher and the others all to the ground.
I spin with adrenaline-fueled speed, diving headfirst into the freezing darkness, the bags heavy on our backs.
The cold waves rush over me, the sound of Thatcher’s curses fading behind us.
I catch up to the others as we swim for our lives, but the waves seem to hesitate.
The Serpyndens wait beneath us, ready to strike.
Being at the back, I’m the first target. Claws rake across my legs. A scream escapes me, knowing I’ll be dragged under unless I hurry. Oak and Rohhit lead the way, with Silas swimming beside me to help me fight through the pain. They’re prepared to confront whatever challenges us.
Behind us, Thatcher, Cromwell, and the twins enter the water.
Fury drives them forward, but I’m unsure who I fear more: Thatcher or the Serpyndens hiding beneath the surface.
I see Oak disappear under the waves again, and Rohhit stops swimming, yelling for Silas.
Silas dives under, but the sense of relief lasts only a second.
The waves envelop me once more. I’m jerked underwater, and the pressure of the grip surrounding me is suffocating. It’s not claws that hold me down but the hand of a man. I look down to see Thatcher’s wicked grin through the dark water.