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I rolled my eyes.
And he kissed me once more before pulling away. “Now, quit trying to distract me. Focus on the target.”
“Me?” I laughed. “You’re the one?—”
“Shh.” Talon placed a finger on my lips to silence me. “No need to point fingers.”
I scowled at him as he turned my chin back to center, winking at my expense. Sucking in a breath, I cleared my mind and counted back from five. Then I released it, dropping my shoulder as I pulled the string back.
“There, perfect form.” Talon removed his hands from my arms. “Now.” He paused. “Let it fly.”
I allowed the arrow to soar from my fingers, holding my breath as it neared the targetand directly hit the bullseye.
“That’s my girl.”
My chest tightened—blood. There was blood. And it was everywhere.
It coated my hands and arms as I blindly felt my way down the dark hallway, only the dim light from the candelabra guiding my way.
I’d never been on this side of the castle. It was cold and bleak and smelled like mildew. There was no kaleidoscope of colors cascading through the iridescent windows, no ornate decorations, or gold-plated plants. It was lifeless.
Draining my energy with each step I took.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention as a cold pocket of air brushed past me, engulfing me like a tidal wave, stealing my breath away. I leaned against the wall and struggled for air, wheezing, and coughing with such force I became lightheaded.
“Help me, Elowyn!” a muffled voice cried out.
I held the candelabra in front of me, frantically searching the darkness for who the voice belonged to, but the hallway was empty. I didn’t have it in me to keep looking.
My lungs burned. My coughing fit grew more intense, and I dropped to the ground, feeling like I’d inhaled poison.
“Elowyn, I’m in here! Please!”
A door materialized across the way.
I rubbed my eyes, unsure if they were playing tricks on me, but as my vision came too, it was still there. My lungs were screaming at me to turn back.
“Help! I’m in here!”
Setting the candelabra on the ground, I crawled toward the door, but it kept moving further and further away. Reaching it was impossible. Breathing was impossible.
The cries became more frantic with each passing second. I fell to my side, needing a moment to gather my breath when a fire erupted—black smoke filling up the space.
I gripped the hair at my scalp, panic searing my chest.
“Elowyn! Why did you do this to us?” a voice screamed.
I pulled my tunic over my nose and turned back, only to be met by a wall of fire preventing me from going any further.
“You did this! It’s all your fault!”
The wall of fire encircled me, blocking the door where the voice sounded. Every door in the hall rattled as they tried to escape, and I curled into a ball, covering my ears to block out their screams—trapped in a deadly maze like they were.
“Get up, Elowyn. Reach within,” the familiar voice penetrated my thoughts.
I jolted up, whipping my head around the room to find who spoke, only to spot my mother and Breana on the other side of the flames—the hem of their dresses both catching on fire. The words allowed me to breathe, if only momentarily.
I used what was left to warn them. “Run!” I shouted. “Go, get out of here!”
