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Scrambling toward one of my nearby beasts, I tried to will it to attack. Thin shadows formed in my palms and raced toward the creature, wrapping around its hind legs to burrow themselves in its hide. The creature’s frame rippled like as if a stone had been cast upon still water, but it didn’t turn on the Lost. Instead, the beast dipped its head to sniff me once and then peeled back its maw in a perilous show of teeth.
“Once I drain you of your magic, I’ll finally have everything.And then I can free myself.” He dragged a hand along one of my larger beasts, rubbing its shadow fur between his fingers. A mixture of awe and hunger filled his voice. “Remarkable. I’m glad I pushed you to this.”
Ice settled in my bones. “What do you mean?”
He lifted a shoulder. “I sent my shadows into the world to agitate the monsters. Every time you left here, you carried them with you.” Tilting his head toward me, he inspected my body. “After that… Well, I’ve been with you every step of the way, waiting for you to realize your power so I could make it mine.”
I had to get out. If what he said were true, then I hadn’t been lost to a void of shadows. He could trap me, but I could also escape. My gaze snapped to the thin veil of mist just visible where the beach and stone path met. Maybe if I ran back the way I came, I could find a way out. Forcing myself to my feet, I winced as pain erupted from my side. Blood oozed down my leg and coated my trousers. Gingerly, I fingered the wound and shuddered. I wasn’t healing nearly as fast as he had.
“Oh, yes.” He eyed my injury with a knowing look. “I’ve been here for more lifetimes than you can imagine. The power I’ve collected affords me certain”—he waved his hand for effect, dragging out our conversation for the sheer pleasure of it—“benefits.”
My own magic burned through my veins, and I focused on the swell of energy building in my chest. I would not die here. I would not give him anything. A pool of ink-black tendrils writhed beneath my feet, waiting to do my bidding. I widened my stance in preparation.
“But you don’t have mine.” As the words left my mouth, the shadows erupted and knitted together, forming a magnificent stallion. I wasted no time in vaulting onto its back. With two hands, I fisted its mane, and it bolted toward the path.
“No, I don’t,” he called. “Not yet.”
Howls ruptured through the air and the heavy cadence of paws crashing into the earth sounded at my back. I jerked my head over my shoulder to see my shadow creatures barreling after us, with the Lost simply standing on the beach with a crazed grin.
The wolves caught up first, their fangs gnashing against the back legs of my steed. It whinnied as their teeth sank into its shadowy flesh, and I summoned more tendrils to patch the hole. Its hooves clattered against the slick stones of the path, and the harsh reverberation was amplified by the thickening curtains of mist on either side of us. Dissonant howls meshed with the racing gait of my stallion. Ears ringing, I dug my heels into its side.
“This has been fun.” The Lost’s voice rose from all around me. I searched for him amidst the mass of snarling shadow beasts, but he was nowhere to be found. “It’s a pity it’ll all be over soon.”
I didn’t know how long we charged into the abyss of white fog, just that my brow was drenched in sweat and my hands were trembling. My power was fading, and I could feel it in the slowing gallop of my beast. Try as I might, I couldn’t find a way out. There was nothing but mist and the ebony path and the monsters at my back.
And the Lost, who’d manifested a short distance ahead of me in a plume of smoke. I flattened myself against my stallion’s back, preparing to leap over him and continue on, but that dangerous sheen filled the Lost’s gaze.
“Stop.”
One word and my steed came to an abrupt halt. I barely kept myself from vaulting over his head, and instead slipped off the side to crumple to the earth. Slowly, as if enjoying every moment of his approach, the Lost made his way to me. He toed my chin and forced me to look up at him.
“You’re mine now.”
Streaks of pale-white lightning, coated in shadows, bolted down his leg and slammed into me. The last thing I heard over the heady ringing in my ears was his demented cackle, and then the world went dark.
TWENTY-FIVE
KOST
Peaceful, amber light filtered through the curtains of our room, and I wrapped the linens tighter around me. A pleasing ache still thrummed through my body from my evening with Gaige, and I wasn’t ready to let go of that sensation. I wanted to remain warm in bed—and his arms—for the duration of the morning, but a prickle of awareness tingled along my back. Cracking one eye open, I turned my head expecting to find Gaige and instead discovered empty sheets. They were still wrinkled from where he’d slept, but as I ran my hand over the space, they were cool to the touch. My brows pulled together. He was certainly allowed to rise before me and do as he pleased, but I’d quite enjoyed waking up next to him. My body felt cheated by his absence.
Sighing, I got up and dressed quickly in the hopes I’d catch him for breakfast. When I exited the room, Calem was already lounging on the couch beneath the loft while Ozias shuffled about in the small kitchen area. He’d set out four ceramic mugs, and the rich aroma of coffee floated through the room.
“Morning.” Calem’s eyes glinted with mischief. “Your better half still sleeping?”
“No. Have you seen him? He must have awoken early.” I tookthe proffered mug from Ozias and blew gently over the steaming liquid.
“Nah, but he did do a lot of sleeping yesterday.” Ozias walked to Calem and handed him his coffee before pouring his own. “Bet he was just ready to get moving.”
“He’s probably eating breakfast with the others. Gotta replenish his energy after all of yesterday’s activities. And I do meanall.” Calem smirked over the lip of his mug.
“Really unnecessary, Calem,” Ozias mumbled, unable to look either of us in the eyes.
“Quite,” I seethed. I took a slow drink before tilting my head toward the door. “Shall we?”
Carrying our drinks with us, we exited the house and headed toward the communal dining area. The clearing was bustling with activity as Charmers continued to rebuild after yesterday’s attack. The sun hadn’t been up for long, and yet they’d already managed to reconstruct one building and were almost finished with a second. As we moved under the shade of the canopy, we stopped by a long table laden with food and filled our plates before spying Raven, Kaori, and Isla. They’d taken up seats at a table nearest the clearing, and they were quietly chatting while studying the work taking place around them.
Setting my plate and drink beside Raven, I glanced around the half-empty tables. “Where’s Gaige?”
