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“Are you seeing shadows?” A squeal burns my throat as I try to suppress it, but it’s impossible. Whipping my attention to my left, I find Brax propped up in bed with the book on artifacts in his lap.How long has he been awake?“Raven?”
I clear my throat, pulling the sheets higher up my body and fixing them tightly around me. I don’t know how I haven’t startled any of the others awake, but they’re all resting peacefully.
“I was,” I finally admit, turning back to him.
“They’re gone now?” he asks, cocking his brow, and I nod. “Are you okay? Something seemed to have your undivided attention.”
I gulp, shaking my head as I try to find the words. “There was one. Bigger than the rest, or maybe not actually bigger, but more prominent, and it was like it was seeking my attention.”
His hands pause on the tome in his lap as he gives me his full attention. “In a good way or a bad way?”
“I’m not quite sure, but my gut says a good way,” I reply, and his shoulders relax.
“Good, because I will fight like fuck for you, but I’m not sure how well that would go against a shadow I can’t actually see.”
I smile, burrowing down under the covers a little more as a yawn parts my lips wide. Relaxing against the pillows, I take him in, watching as he flicks through the pages, back and forth, comparing artifacts.
“Find anything in there?” I ask, my eyes lulling a little as exhaustion starts to cling to me once again. It’s like the shadows have left and taken my energy with them.
“I think so. Especially this emerald gate. It really is believed to lead to the Realm of Shadows. I had glossed over it the other night, but I couldn’t sleep trying to remember where I had heard of the realm before that wasn’t from my parents. Which has led me here.”
“So going there physically and not in a dream could actually be possible?” I ask, wanting to clarify with my tired brain taking hold again, and he nods.
“I think so, but I’m sure it’s not a surprise for you to learn that the text doesn’t revealwherethe gate is.”
I sigh. Of course not. Nothing is set to make our lives easier right now. This isn’t going to be any different.
“Anything else worth noting?” I ask, yawning again.
“There could be, but don’t worry about it, Shadow. Sleep. We’re going to the compound when you wake up in the morning and you need to be fully rested.”
I hum in agreement, but I have no idea if he hears it because a moment later, I’m fast asleep again.
The feelingthat washes over me as I step through Brax’s portal is almost soothing, something I cling to as the compound comes into view.
It will never cease to amaze me just how much it looks like any other forest, but the wards protecting it and what potentially lurks inside are far from normal.
The five of us hurry across the open grass field to get closer, repeatedly scanning from left to right in search of Professor Figgins. If she doesn’t show, I’m going to have to be much more forceful in my approach, but the way her eyes shone the last time I saw her makes me believe she’ll be here.
She has to be.
“Ari, can you hear me?”I wet my lips nervously as we approach the tree line.
“What are you doing here, Raven?”I can hear him, but I can’t see him anywhere.
“I’m here to help, to put things right for you,”I insist, my soul tugging me toward him, but the anger I can feel drifting off him in waves tells me that’s not a good idea.
“It’s not safe. You shouldn’t have come.”
Zane tugs my hand and points at my face. I realize my eyebrows are pinched, and my jaw is tense.
Ari, I mouth, but that doesn’t seem to ease the concern etched across his face.
“Good, you’re already here. I don’t have much time,” Professor Figgins states, appearing out of thin air in a long black cloak with the hood pulled up.
“What’s the hurry?” Brax asks, folding his arms over his chest as he stares her down, waiting for a response.
“I don’t believe that’s any of your business,” she retorts, cocking a brow back at him, but he doesn’t falter under her gaze. The two of them stare each other down, refusing to give in, and I sigh.
