Masika sprinted deeper through the forest, breaths ragged and uneven, terror constricting her lungs. Leaves rustled behind her, the crunch of boots snapping against twigs. But she also heard something else, a sickening sound that sent a wave of nausea up her throat…laughter. Her attackers were mocking her, tauntingher.
They’re enjoying this.
And they were getting closer.
She had to think, to do something.
An idea blossomed in her mind. She staggered to a halt, stretching her hands out wide, summoning her elemental magic. Green wisps of light emerged within her veins, fluttering out of her fingertips. She twisted her hands, grunting as the exhaustion flooded her body. The trees in front of her shifted and moved, their branches growing larger and thicker, until they had formed a wall of vegetation, a barricade separating Masika from her attackers. She waited, breath held.
Behind the wall, the sound of footsteps echoed, though they quickly faltered, as though they were unsure which direction to go in. To Masika’s immense relief, the footsteps veered toward the right, growing fainter, until all she could hear was the whistle of the wind against her ears.
Masika let out a shuddering breath.It worked. It actually—
The snap of a twig. A sharp intake of breath.
Masika whirled on her heels.
It took a few seconds for her mind to piece together what she was seeing.
Whoshe was seeing.
It hadn’t been that long since they had last seen one another, only a few weeks, yet somehow, it felt as though everything had changed. The familiarity between them had darkened into something unrecognizable, something rotten and broken. Masika sensed it the moment their eyes locked. The distance between them. The betrayal.
Irene stood a few yards away, bow clutched in her hands, arrow nocked.
Masika couldn’t speak. She couldn’t even move. She stoodfrozen, hands rigid by her side. Irene hadn’t moved either, the arrow still tightly nocked, pointed directly at Masika.
Pointed right at her heart.
“Irene.”
Masika hadn’t meant to say her name out loud, but she couldn’t help herself. She needed to say it, to make sure Irene was real. Hearing her name, Irene blinked, as if stirred awake from a trance. As if she hadn’t realized it was truly Masika standing before her until she’d heard her name tumble out of her mouth.
Neither one of them looked away. Neither one of them dared.
And then Masika saw it. It was the slightest movement, so faint that perhaps someone else might not have noticed.
Irene lowered the arrow. Not even half a fraction, but still. It was enough.
Hope surged in Masika’s chest. She took a step forward, mouth parted. “Irene, we—”
But her voice was cut off by the sound of approaching footsteps, and then two other Ascended were stumbling into view, Everly Hawthorne and another girl Masika didn’t quite recognize. At the sight of them, Irene’s grip on her bow retightened, the sharp edge of her arrow pointed back toward Masika.
“Look what we have here,” giggled Everly. She slung her bow over her shoulder, sauntering closer to Masika. Behind her, the other Ascended—a tall girl with dark hair and a silver streak—kept her own arrow nocked and carefully aimed, her eyes flitting between Irene and Masika, as though she was expecting either one of them to pounce at any second.
“Get back,” Masika hissed, sparks of corporeal magic flaring in her palms.
Everly tutted, shaking her head. “Now, be sensible, Masika.You’re cornered. You can try to fight, but the second these arrows pierce your soul…” Everly chuckled, a wicked grin spreading over her mousy face. “Well, you saw what happened to your friend back there. I do have to say…Irene hasincredibleaim.”
Masika’s eyes snapped to Irene.She couldn’t have.But as the thought burned in Masika’s mind, she saw the apathy in Irene’s glowing eyes, the unwavering determination, and Masika knew that Everly was telling the truth.
“Then go on,” Masika challenged, eyes drilling into Irene. “I’m right here.Do it.”
Irene said nothing. The wind blew strands of dark hair across her face, her glowing irises peeking through the black waves. Something flashed across her eyes. Whether it was fear or fury, Masika couldn’t quite decipher.
“As much as I’d love to watch an arrow plunge straight through your soul,” said Everly, prowling closer, “I’m afraid your presence is a bit more…valuable.” She snapped her fingers and Masika’s entire body went rigid, like her limbs had hardened into concrete. She was trapped in her own body, forced to stand there, watching as the trio stepped closer, descending upon her like a pack of feral wolves.
But it was Irene who approached her first. The other two stood back, watching, waiting for a command. Irene inched closer, stopping only a foot or two from her, close enough that Masika could properly take in the other girl’s appearance. Despite the power radiating from Irene, the truth was…she looked drained. Torn. It gave Masika an inkling of hope, of something other than the helplessness tearing at her insides.
