The silence didn’t last long. The forest seemed to breathe again, the oppressive stillness breaking with the faint rustle of leaves overhead. My heart hadn’t stopped pounding, and the glow of the shard in my hand pulsed faintly, like it was alive and responding to the fear coursing through my veins.
Logan’s voice cut through the lingering unease. “Audrey.”
I met his sharp blue gaze, seeing the concern behind the tension in his expression. His hand twitched at his side like he was restraining the urge to grab my arm, to steady me. “What happened back there?”
Mal snorted, stepping closer with her sword still drawn. “What happened? Let me guess. Another cursed monster decided it couldn’t resist Audrey’s glowing light show.” She gestured to the shard.
“It wasn’t just the shard.” My voice sounded steadier than I felt. “It was looking at me.”
Logan tensed. “What do you mean ‘looking at you’?”
“Exactly what it sounds like,” Liam interjected smoothly, moving past us to inspect the direction the creature had disappeared. “It wanted the shard, sure. But I’ve seen enough of these things to know it wasn’t just hunting for power. It recognized her.”
“Recognized me?” I echoed, the weight of the word sinking in.
Liam turned back to us, his green eyes-so much like Logan’s, but colder-settling on me. “They’re not mindless, Audrey. Whatever that thing was, it had orders. And if it’s been sent to track us, to track you, then things are about to get a lot worse.”
“Fantastic,” Mal said, throwing her hands up. “As if they weren’t bad enough.”
“We need answers.” Logan’s jaw clenched as he sheathed his blade. His hands remained balled into fists, though, his muscles taut with unresolved frustration.
“Answers,” Liam said
“Answers,” Liam said, his voice tinged with mockery as he gestured to the dark forest around us. “Well, let’s just ask the trees, shall we? Maybe they’ll tell us who sent a monster from our nightmares to kill us.”
Logan shot him a warning look, his posture rigid as he moved closer to me. “This isn’t the time, Liam.”
Liam smirked but held his tongue, his gaze shifting back toward the direction the creature had vanished. “I’m just saying, brother. We’re in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by things that want us dead. Forgive me for pointing out the obvious.”
Mal crossed her arms, her knuckles still white from gripping her sword too tightly. “Much as I hate to agree with him, he’s got a point. If these things are following Audrey now, we’re running blind. We need a plan before another one shows up.”
I swallowed hard, the weight of the shard in my hand grounding me. “The shard did something,” I said softly.
Logan and Liam turned to me at the same time, their mirrored intensity unnerving.
“What do you mean ‘did something’?” Logan asked, stepping closer, his voice low and urgent.
“I don’t know,” I admitted, trying to piece the sensation together. “When it got close, the shard…it reacted. Like it was warning me, or-”
“Protecting you,” Liam finished, his voice more curious than surprised. He studied the shard intently. “That thing isn’t just a map, is it?”
“I thought it was,” I said. “But it didn’t feel like that when the creature attacked. It was like-” I hesitated, searching for the right words. “It was alive.”
A heavy silence fell over the group.
“Great,” Mal finally muttered. “Now we’re carrying a sentient artifact. That’s not creepy or anything.”
“It makes sense,” Liam mused, ignoring her sarcasm. He reached out, his fingers brushing the faintly glowing surface of the shard. I flinched instinctively, drawing back.
“Don’t,” Logan snapped, his eyes narrowing at Liam.
“I’m not going to take it,” Liam said with a casual shrug, but there was a sharpness to his tone. “Relax, big brother. I’m just trying to understand what we’re dealing with. If this shard is alive, or partially alive, then it’s no wonder they’re after her.”
“Who’s ‘they’?” I asked, my voice steadier now.
Liam’s expression darkened. “That’s what we need to figure out.”
Logan rubbed a hand over his face, tension radiating from him. “We’re wasting time standing here. The Spire isn’t far. Whatever answers we’re looking for, we’ll find them there.”
“You think the Spire’s going to magically solve this?” Mal asked, raising an eyebrow. “Or is it just the first stop on this treasure hunt from hell?”
“It’s not a treasure hunt,” I said firmly, surprising even myself with the conviction in my voice. “It’s bigger than that. The Shadow King said-”
Mal cut me off. “I don’t care what the Shadow King said, Audrey. All I know is that we’ve been running from shadows and fighting monsters with no idea what we’re up against.”
“That’s why we keep going,” Logan said, his voice firm. “Every step we take brings us closer to figuring this out.”
“And closer to getting killed,” Mal muttered under her breath.
“I can hear you,” Logan said, glaring at her.
“Good,” she snapped. “Because somebody needs to say it. If we’re going to keep following these cryptic clues and fighting off whatever comes at us, we need a plan. A real one.”
Liam’s smirk returned. “Finally, some sense from the swordswoman.”
“Don’t push me, Liam,” Mal said, her voice icy.
I stepped between them, holding up the shard. “Enough! We don’t have time for this.” My voice trembled with frustration, but it was enough to make everyone stop. “The Spire is the next step. That’s all we know right now, so that’s where we go. No arguing, no snide comments-just move.”
Logan glanced at me, a flicker of pride in his gaze before he nodded. “She’s right. Let’s go.”
Liam shrugged. “Lead the way, then.”
The group started moving again, tension lingering in the air. Logan stayed close to me, his presence as much a comfort as a reminder of the danger we were walking into.
The forest grew denser as we pressed on, the shadows seeming to cling tighter to the trees. Every rustle of leaves or crack of a branch set my nerves on edge. I clutched the shard tighter, its glow dimming and brightening with every step.
Logan’s voice broke the silence. “You sure you’re okay?”
I nodded, though my hands were trembling. “I’m fine. Just…trying to wrap my head around everything.”
“We’ll figure it out,” he said, his voice soft.
I looked at him, taking in the hard set of his jaw and the determination in his eyes. He was trying to reassure me, to hold himself together for my sake. But I could see the fear lurking just beneath the surface.
For once, I didn’t feel alone in my fear.
Ahead of us, Liam paused, holding up a hand to signal a stop. “We’re close,” he said, his voice unusually serious. “I can feel it.”
Mal tightened her grip on her sword. “Great. Let’s hope this Spire has some actual answers.”
The forest opened up abruptly, revealing a jagged cliffside that loomed over us. At the top, shrouded in mist, was the unmistakable silhouette of a towering structure. The Spire.
My heart sank and soared at the same time. We’d made it-but what waited for us inside?