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Darkness
Joon
* * *
Complete darkness.It pulsed and swayed as if breathing around me. Sweat poured down my back as a shiver slipped up my spine. I swallowed convulsively against the urge to vomit.
I was so scared.
The occasional flit of a memory drifted into focus. It was the only reminder that I was still alive—or at least I hoped I was. Familiar faces lurched and screamed, making my temples pound before they faded again, leaving the harsh scent of ash in their wake.
Fennah's face pushed through the consuming black, twisting into Byna's evil smirk, then melting into Hida. I reached out, desperate to pull my mate back.
"Don't go!" I screamed, swiping through the vanishing figures.
Pain drummed against my chest and skittered across my skin like wicked spiders. I couldn't even think. I could only feel white-hot pain wedged deep in my joints.
"Joon." Tzidal's voice was a slip of a whisper coming from somewhere behind me.
I spun to find her, but I couldn't stop. Everything rushed past me, spinning faster and faster, around and around, until I stumbled, falling onto my hands and knees into a puddle of slick, crimson water. The metallic stench of blood filled my lungs and coated the back of my throat.
I tried to move, but the thick, red water held me in place as it rushed over my skin. It grew dense and sticky, consuming my entire lower half. Then the hot pool of blood rose to my chest, squeezing so tight I could barely breathe. I strained, trying to push my feet forward. My thighs burned, but I didn't budge an inch.
I swiped at the shadows, looming just outside my vision, while I slowly sank into the earth. There was no one here to help me. I was all alone.
My nerves stretched tight, and fear finally overtook me.
Tilting my head back, I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out. The viscous swamp sucked me hard, swallowing me up. My ears pounded with my own frantic heartbeat as blood rushed over my face, flooding my throat and nose. It crept over my eyes, constricting and crushing me as the earth pulled me under.
Then everything went dark.
Tzidal's voice drifted to me from somewhere in the distance, "Joon, please wake up."
The Nukdae Mountains
Tzidal
* * *
My dagger flew,slipping deep into the hannoth's silver fur. I needed to run to the bear-like creature and rip it free—continue my attack—but I was too exhausted.
Byriel's wolf-form dug his claws into the creature's back, sinking his teeth into the base of its skull. A wheezy breath left hannoth's snout as it jerked, trying to shake the Byriel's wolf free.
My hands trembled with overflowing adrenaline as I cupped Joon's face. Everything was too loud and sharp. The scent of tangy blood, acidic venom, and mud filled my lungs.
I wasn't sure how we'd make it out of this. It seemed as if we had been fighting since the moment we left Vaesen. Rain, harsh lands, vicious creatures, and determined rogues. Everything was trying to kill us.
The flaps on the side of the hannoth's face stripped open, exposing shiny pink flesh dripping with venom. Byriel's wolf pushed his fangs deeper into its throat, cutting off the hannoth's pained roar. A slurry of blood, venom, and saliva bubbled and poured from the maw where the its throat shredded apart.
Another rattling breath. Heavy pounding feet. A blue of something blue. Then the creature stilled.
A massive blue sabbot staggered toward me. Its arm bloody and mangled.
Slowly, the vicious, blue creature shrunk. The thick scales and jutting barbs along the sabbot's back pulled into its body. The vibrant color faded, going white as Lex phased back into the young man I was familiar with.
"Everyone okay?" Byriel panted.
His usually dark skin was ashen and sweaty, and his knees shook as he forced himself onto his feet. He was so weak, I was shocked he managed to shift into his wolf. My eyes fell to the wolfsbane charm around his neck, wondering if the enchantment within had helped him shift. Either way, I was thankful.
