Six Months Earlier
I whirl around.
Without thinking, I slam the gates shut. A wave of relief washes over me as I hear them click and lock back into place. But there was a flash of something—so fleeting that I almost believe I imagined it. Yet when my fingers brushed against the cool metal, an image seared into my mind. An image of the gods...I think. I can’t be certain, but I swear I saw Ryella, the Goddess of Darkness and Shadows, with her head bowed.
Nyx moves next to me and grabs the gate, rattling it vigorously. Small pieces of ensnared branches crumble under his touch and fall from the metal bars. “It doesn’t open for me,” he says, turning to look at Colton.
“I imagine that’s a good thing,” Colton replies, eyeing me as if I’m a puzzle he’s yet to solve.
“I want to know what purpose these gates serve, but we have more pressing matters to deal with first,” I say, extending both my hands.
Nyx instantly takes my hand, stepping in close to me. Colton takes my other hand, but I can’t help noticing the slight hesitation in his touch, which sends a pang through my heart. I focus, channeling us back to the heart of Eguina.
The beating takes root in my mind, a chilling prelude even before we materialize in the cavern at the center of the tunnels. As our feet touch down, I feel the crunch of decayed roots underfoot, and a shiver runs up my spine. The sight before me is something I doubt I’ll ever grow accustomed to. In fact, I yearn for the day when I needn’t witness it again, once healed.
The heart continues to thud, a dismal echo of its former vitality—now more black than red. The glistening sheen that once covered its surface has turned lackluster, and the vessels branching out across the chambers appear almost dried up in places, especially since Euric drained my magic from it, leaving it more ghastly than before. With each beat, a gush of dark, viscous liquid spurts from its apex, trickling down the gnarled roots before dripping onto the floor.
“What the fuck is that?” Nyx exclaims.
I turn to him, reminded that they are unaware of its significance. Colton, releasing my hand, steps closer to the heart, his gaze intense and investigative.
“Is this the beating you mentioned hearing before? I hear it now,” Colton remarks in awe.
“Yes, it was beckoning me. I suspect I was the only one who could hear it, because I’m the one intended to save it.”
Releasing Nyx’s hand, I move closer for a better view.
“It’s dying,” Colton murmurs, and I lightly brush his shoulder in agreement.
“Is this another of Euric’s secrets?” Nyx asks, impatient.
Meanwhile, Colton and I remain captivated by the heart. Despite its eerie presence, its beauty and power are undeniable.
“This,” I begin, “is the heart of Eguina. Drew was accurate in saying that the heart of all magic is here in Zomea, though I doubt she meant it so literally. This heart specifically is the nexus of all life and magic in Eguina, and Euric has been leeching its magic,” I explain.
“This is why magic has been weakening in Eguina,” Colton says, his gaze shifting to me. His emerald eyes are glowing bright, a stark contrast to his disheveled sandy-blond hair. I nod in agreement, and he lets out a breath, running a hand through his hair, twisted strands falling lightly over his shoulders.
I catch eyes with Nyx, who adds, “So this is why magic was fading and the monstrous creatures were spreading. It wasn’t you. Euric was meddling with things he shouldn’t, disrupting the balance. What was happening here had immediate effects in Eguina.”
“Yeah, I think so,” I confirm. “It was never about Gholioth blood needing to be returned to Zomea. It was always about my father getting what he wanted regardless of the consequences.”
“And why exactly was he siphoning power from this heart? And you mentioned ‘this heart.’ Are you saying there’s more than one?” Colton inquires.
I fill them in on everything that transpired before their arrival at the gates, where they found me confronting Euric.
“So there are other continents, similar to Eguina, and that’s what the portal we discovered in the tunnels leads to?” Colton asks.
“Yes,” I reply sorrowfully. “He showed it to me to convince me of his truth. The land was ravaged, desolate as far as the eye could see.”
Nyx’s tone hardens. “I always knew Euric was power-hungry. That’s precisely why my father exiled him from Nighthold and why I ended him the first time.”
Colton steps closer, his hand gently brushing my cheek. “Hey, regardless of his motives, I know this must be tough for you,” he says.
I swallow hard, not wanting to dwell on all of this here in the tunnels.
“I’ll tell you the rest later. Right now, I need to touch the heart again and let it absorb some of my dark magic. It’s the only force potent enough to heal it.”
I step forward, feeling the pull as I raise my hands.
“Wait,” Nyx says, concern etched on his face. “You’ve already touched it once, and you said it weakened you. What if you’re not ready for more contact? What if you’ve already given too much?”
“I can do this. I need to,” I assert firmly, facing Nyx. “Step back.”
I glance at Colton, and my look has them both giving me the space I need.
Guided by instinct, my hands press against the wet surface of the heart. As I do, my head falls back, and time seems to warp around me. I feel as if I’m merging with the heart’s fluid coursing through its chambers. My mind is inundated with images, sweeping me through a torrent of visions: lands I don’t recognize, scenes flashing by too swiftly to grasp. Then an intense cold grips me.
I sense hands on my shoulders, pulling me back against a warm body, and I sink to the ground, my strength ebbing away. My eyelids are heavy, and I blink several times, struggling to clear my vision. As I do, I notice the heart beginning to transform, its color growing more vibrant, its form fuller, its beats strengthening.
Next thing I know, Nyx squats before me, still worried. Warm arms encircling my waist, and I must be sitting in Colton’s lap, my back resting against his chest. I’m too weak to move, barely able to speak. Something did happen.
“I’m alright,” I whisper. “This is how I felt before. It won’t last long.”
Nyx stands, starting to pace, a visible tension in his movements. “I don’t like this,” he mutters, or at least I think he does. I’m too exhausted to dwell on it, succumbing to the weariness that envelops me.
“I’ve got you,” Colton murmurs in my ear, his arms tightening around me. The urge to succumb to sleep tugs at me, but I resist, leaning into the warmth of his embrace. Being here with him, I realize how much I’ve missed this closeness. Since awakening my dark magic, a distance had crept in between us, but now in his arms, I feel a profound sense of rightness.
I attempt to reach out through our tether, seeking to gauge his feelings, but my strength falters, and his shielding is too effective.
“We need to get out of here. The heart is stable now. Let’s take her back to the bridge,” Nyx suggests, his voice carrying from a few feet away where he paces restlessly.
“No.” I muster the energy to object, feeling a gradual return of my strength. It’s not enough to stand but sufficient to hold a conversation. “I want to go to the palace. I need to find Athalda and rest before facing everyone again.”
Nyx halts, turning toward us. “Palace?” he questions. His lack of knowledge about my time here with Colton is evident.
“Where Euric and Athalda were staying,” Colton explains. “With Euric gone and Lyra embracing her dark and scary side, it should be safe.”
I resist the urge to elbow him, instead retorting playfully, “Hey, I’m not scary.”
His laughter echoes through the tunnel, a sound that has been absent for far too long, warming my heart.
“Speak for yourself, my shadow,” he whispers, teasing, and I can’t help the smile that begins to curve my lips.
But then a sharp pain pierces my chest, as if I’ve been stabbed by an icicle. My smile falters, and an icy chill starts to spread throughout my body.