Wren turned and sprinted forward, straight into the heart of the cavern, deeper through the maze of barricades. The stone walls divided her path in various formations, forcing her to turn left and right. She gripped the saber tightly, silently praying she wouldn’t go barreling into someone from Onyx.
Which, unfortunately for her, was exactly what happened.
She slammed into another body, nearly colliding to the ground. She looked up and—No.
“Miss me?”
Somehow, the same green-eyed boy had found her. Wren’s gaze darted to the midnight-black pin clipped on the lapel of his jacket and then back up to meet his venomous stare. He lookedhungry. Practically ravenous. She staggered backward, tripping on her heels.
“You can’t hurt me.”
The boy chuckled. He lifted his hand, twirling a bundle of shadows in his palm. In the other, he unveiled a dagger with a serrated blade.
“Why? Because you’re our precious catalyst?” He tutted, shaking his head. “No, my dear. You’re not our catalyst. Notyet. For now…you’re simply a plaything. A little toy to keep me company.”
Wren brandished her weapon. “If Edith finds out…she’ll destroy you.”
The boy’s face lit up at the idea. “Then I suppose it’ll just have to be our little secret, won’t it?”
Wren barely had time to react.
The shadows sprang from his palm without warning, barreling toward Wren. But magic or no magic, Wren was still fast, and she ducked out of the way at the last second, turning on her heel as she darted left and through the maze of stone walls. Behind her, the boy cackled, chasing after her.
He was catching up. His manic laughter grew louder, his footsteps echoing closer and closer. Wren just needed to keep moving, keep moving,keep—
One second she was running, and the next there was a hand clamped over her mouth, hard muscles pressed upon her back, warm breath caressing the slope of her ear. Wren writhed, a muffled scream tearing at her throat, but strong arms held her steady in a vise grip. She couldn’t see her attacker, but the moment their hand slipped over her mouth, Wren was overcome with a sudden tightness in her chest, a dangerouspull.
And then a familiar rasp fluttered behind her, a hoarse whisper.
“Don’t. Move.”
August.
He was holding her against his chest, a cloaking enchantmentencasing them in a pale shimmer of blue light. Wren held her breath, panicked. The boy turned the corner, slowly stalking in front of them, searching, his green eyes drifting past them as they remained safely hidden beneath August’s cloaking enchantment.
A few seconds later, the boy cursed under his breath, sprinting back the way he’d come. They waited, the two of them shrouded beneath the cloaking enchantment, August’s body pressed tightly against Wren’s. Once it was clear that the boy wasn’t coming back, August dropped his hand and gently pried himself away from her.
“Are you okay?” His voice was rough, his eyes analyzing her face and body with palpable concern. “Are you hurt?”
Wren shook her head. “I’m fine. He just…” Wren cleared her throat. “He just scared me. That’s all.”
A flicker of anger passed over August’s face. The muscles in his jaw tightened, breath catching in his throat. Even the shadows running through his veins darkened, as if they had almost expanded in his bloodstream.
When he spoke next, his voice was a lethal blade. “Did he touch you?”
Wren swallowed, shaking her head. “I said I’m fine.”
“You need to stay away from Callum,” August muttered. “He’s stubborn. If he sets his sights on you—”
“I can handle him,” Wren interjected.
August scoffed.
“Don’t you get it, Loughty?” There was a lilt of frustration in his voice. “You’re not on an even playing field anymore. This isn’t Blackwood. Demiens…they’re stronger than you. Even if you had your magic, you wouldn’t stand a chance. They can rip out the core of your soul with nothing but a snap of their fingers.”
Wren stepped forward.
“So…what you’re saying is…youcould too.” Her words echoed between them, and she didn’t miss August’s slight flinch. “You could destroy my soul…if you wanted to.”
