Page 14 of What Beats Within the Tunnels

The sun has already long set by the time we get back to my chambers and scarf down some soup that Soren delivered. Now we sit on the ground with our backs against the foot of the bed. Chepi lies on his back between us, screaming for attention, and we both take turns scratching his belly.

“Maybe you should try to get some sleep,” Colton suggests.

As he moves to stand I blurt out, “I can’t sleep.” I pause as he looks over at me. “My mind won’t calm down. I’m too anxious about what’s going to happen at the ceremony and after.” I look down and feel my face flush. Colton readjusts himself.

“Well, then we won’t sleep together.” He crosses his arms, leaning his head back on the end of the bed. “Once you unlock the bridge, what do you plan to do?” he asks.

“I need answers, I need to find my father, I need to know why he did this to me, and I need to know why he did a lot of things and if he knows anything about the state of Eguina. Drew told me about how things are dying and magic is weakening. She said it reminds her of a time before the War of the Realms took place.”

“Yeah, she’s shared her concerns with me as well.”

“Do you know what will happen at the ceremony? Do you know what unlocking the bridge will be like?” I ask. I’ve avoided asking anyone until now, afraid of what the answer might be. I’m not sure if it’s better to know or not. I imagine it will not be good either way.

“I wish I could tell you,” Colton responds, his voice heavy with uncertainty, “but honestly I don’t know. It’s never been done before, so all of this is unknown territory.” He pauses for a moment, his gaze fixed on the wall. “But I can tell you what I do know of Zomea.”

I turn to face him, resting the side of my head on the bed.

“Please,” I urge him, desperate for any information.

“I’m hesitant to tell you anything, because I don’t want you to think I lied if it turns out not to be true. Everything I know is all hearsay. I’ve never been myself, so I can’t tell you facts from personal experience.”

“It’s okay. I won’t hold it against you if whatever you tell me turns out to be false when I get there,” I tell him, hoping he’ll keep talking.

“My father used to tell me that the Gholioths are the guardians of Zomea,” he says.

“Athalda told us that the Gholioths are the oldest creatures to ever exist in Zomea, that they have never entered these realms, and that somehow my father put Gholioth blood in me. It’s making Zomea unstable. It’s also part of the reason why I am the key.”

“Interesting. Well, my father said that Gholioths were once people, once beings that lived among us, but after death they were greedy and power hungry, trying to steal magic and cause havoc in Zomea, so the gods punished them, turning them into monsters and sentencing them to an eternity of work as guardians, never allowed to find peace.”

“That sounds horrible,” I admit. Colton’s father is an elder, so I would be inclined to believe him, but where did he get that information?

“What are you going to do with Chepi when you unlock the bridge and all?” he asks.

“I imagine I’ll take him with me. Actually I’ll let him decide.” I look down at Chepi, whose ears are perked. “Hey, boy, do you want to go with me to Zomea, even though it will be dangerous, or would you like to stay here? Colton can watch you.” I smile, looking up at Colton. I’m joking, at least I think I’m joking. I don’t know if I could trust Colton or anyone here with Chepi, nor do I know how long I’ll be gone. Or, gods, what if I can’t get back? Chepi jumps into my lap, pawing at my chest and licking my face.

“See, he wants to go with me.” I laugh, looking over at Colton petting Chepi.

“Good, he can protect you. Use his invisibility to hide. Only fight if given no other choice.”

“I’m hoping I don’t have to fight anything, but maybe that’s naïve.” I run my hands down my face, letting out a heavy sigh. I can’t help but feel my thoughts spiraling into an abyss of what-ifs and uncertainties that make my stomach churn with anxiety. The thought of my father, the man I once looked up to, now a mere ghost from the past, stirs a knot of emotions deep within me. Excitement, fear, longing, and resentment all jumble together in an incoherent mess. How did I get here? How did everything come to this?

Every passing second brings me closer to the reunion I’ve both yearned for and feared in equal measure, the latter not until recently. The father I once knew, loved, and admired had become an enigma, his actions painting a different picture than the memories I held on to. Will I be greeted by the man who used to carry me on his shoulders and tell me bedtime stories? Or will I be met by a stranger, a man led astray by his quest for knowledge and power?

My heart pounds in my chest, each beat echoing the countdown to the moment I’ve both dreaded and anticipated. The moment when I unlock the bridge and cross the threshold into Zomea, into the unknown. The tales and warnings about Zomea play out in my mind like some grotesque theatre, filling me with a sense of impending dread. What kind of world awaits me there? What lies beyond the realms? It’s something I never thought I’d find out in this life at least, and here I sit on the precipice of it. Will I disappear and be dropped into the burning forest that haunts me in my sleep? Will I see Luke, my mother, or—gods forbid—will Aidan be there?

My breathing quickens, and I can feel my heart fluttering in my chest at the mere thought of all this. And the ceremony, only a few hours away. The key, the magic, all the death—it all lead me to this point. But what if it doesn’t work? What if all the ceremonies, the preparations, the sacrifices were for naught? The idea tightens a vice around my chest, stealing my breath.

“It’s not naïve to think that. Sometimes it seems easier to believe the bad stuff. I like that you try to believe the good.” Colton elbows me, pulling me from my silent spiral of panic.

“Why are you being nice to me? I don’t think that was part of the deal you made with Drew.” I smirk.

“Why do you make it so hard to be nice to you?” Colton nudges me again as a low chuckle leaves his lips, and we relax into a comfortable silence. Despite the fear and anxiety, there’s this part of me that can’t help but feel a spark of excitement. A flicker of curiosity. This journey, as terrifying as it may be, offers answers to questions that have been gnawing at me for far too long. It’s a chance to know my father, to understand his actions, and maybe, just maybe, to mend things.

I hold on to this thought, this flicker of hope, as I brace myself for what is ahead. For as terrifying as the unknown may be, it’s the only path that leads me to the truth. And for that, I’m ready to face whatever awaits me in Zomea.

“It’s time.” Soren’s voice jolts me awake as my door swings open, and he eyes me and Colton. “I’ll meet you by the lake. Get ready.” My door slams shut behind him, and I sit up quickly, realizing I dozed off and fell asleep with my head in Colton’s lap. By the looks of it, I think he fell asleep too. I rub my eyes, trying to clear the fog in my head. Colton gets to his feet and extends his hand to me. I take it, and he pulls me to my feet.

“Ready to kick some Zomea ass, little shadowmancer?” Colton asks, making me laugh. At least I can count on him to lighten the mood, always with the nicknames.