Chapter 23 - Tara #2
I realize then that we’re at the point where we left the witches and shifters last time. Just Jasper and I took the other path alone.
“Over here,” I say, my voice coming out a little above a whisper. “We’ll go ahead.”
The wolf that I’m on moves to the front of the group, and now I’m face-to-face with the darkness. It feels as though anything could jump out at me from its depths.
But no part of me wants to go back—I’m here for Jasper.
At my command, the wolf moves forward, and we lunge ahead.
Guided by the lights of the orbs, I scan the forest carefully. Luckily, I do recognize where we are.
Soon, we’ll be coming up on the narrowing path that leads us to the fake flower.
But we don’t want to go there. It has to be somewhere else.
As we move, I hear little whispers, as though the forest is bending, shifting, and changing around us.
I’m waiting for something to attack.
But surprisingly, we’re able to get through in peace.
Eventually, we do reach that path, and I lift my hand, motioning for everyone to stop.
“It’s here,” I say. “This was the path we took that led to the fake flower. So around us there has to be something else.”
Danielle, Monroe, and the other witches step forward, holding their lights up to the greenery in front of us.
The shifters are already scanning; they don’t need the orbs to see.
“There’s a path here,” Dylan says.
“And there’s one here,” a witch responds.
Two separate paths, one on either side of the path that led to the fake flower.
“We should take both, we’ll be able to hear who’s found the right one. If not, we’ll have to use the smallest amount of magic,” Danielle says.
“We’ll waste no time,” Dylan agrees.
The wolf chooses for me which path we take. We go to the left.
I hope that it’s the right one. I whisper a small prayer.
As we’re moving slowly, I slide down the wolf’s back, my boots sinking slightly into the damp earth. My stomach is tied in knots.
We have to find him.
As we move through the narrowing path, shaded with dark leaves, I choose to look ahead rather than to the sides.
Then the orb catches something.
A stone’s throw ahead, closer than I thought.
Jasper.
My chest tightens so hard that it hurts. He’s bound by vines, their coils wrapping around his mouth, arms, chest, and throat. He’s straining against what looks like a green, viney monster, his muscles taught and his eyes wide.
“Jasper!” I yell before anyone can stop me.
He shakes his head. Urging me with his eyes to stay back.
Behind him, I notice a tall, white, feathery flower connected to the vines.
I rush forward, but the shifters get there first, releasing howling growls that echo into the night.
As they lunge for the vines, it bats them off.
Large, thick green pipes slam into the shifters and send them back.
Now it’s chaos.
Vines slamming in all directions, wolves jumping and howling, shooting purple and white glow. The sky is being lit up with the color of magic; if it weren’t so chaotic, it might be beautiful. It’s as though there are fireworks.
But I stay focused. Jasper is still straining, the vines twisting around him, pulling him deeper into their grasp.
Amid the fighting, I spot something.
Poking out of Jasper’s pocket, the glint of the small grey dagger.
I run.
Jasper chokes as the vines coil tighter, cutting off his breath.
“Over here!” I yell to Danielle.
Previously distracted with another vine, she turns and slices the tendril that’s wrapped around Jasper’s throat.
“Tara!” He breaths, his voice strangled. “Don’t—”
“I’m not leaving you!” I yell.
Catching onto my intentions, the witches direct their magic at all the vines currently wrapped around Jasper until he finally falls to the forest floor.
I reach him, falling to my knees in the dirt.
“Jasper.”
He takes a second, coughing, before regaining himself.
“We have to do it now,” I say, gazing at the dagger.
Determined, he gets to his feet. “Take cover, Tara.”
I shake my head, “We’re doing this together.”
As we make for the flower, it’s as though the vines have caught onto our intentions. They set on fire, wolves are thrown aside, witches stagger beneath the flames.
“We’ll hold it down!” Danielle yells. “You two go through.”
In an instant, the vines are held back beneath the force of a colossal green glow. They struggle beneath it, as though they’re being pinned down by huge gusts of wind.
It’s our only chance.
Jasper and I exchange a knowing look. We’re doing this.
We run forward, dodging the vines, jumping through, until we reach the flower.
Without hesitation, Jasper takes out the dagger, waving it above him. He’s just about to leap forward when it’s thrown up high into the air, as though moved by the breeze.
I watch it go, hurtling into the sky.
It’s just above me.
Without thinking, I jump.
The dagger’s hilt slaps against my palm, and I wrap my fingers around it tightly.
The cold steel bites into my skin, grounding me.
I don’t think. I don’t hesitate. I grip the dagger tight, lift it above my head, and plunge it straight into the heart of the flower.
Then I fall.
As I do, a glowing white shockwave spreads out from the flower through the whole forest, so bright it almost blinds me.
“Tara!” Jasper calls.
Then silence.
It’s dark again.