Page 9 of Bonded to the Fallen Shadow King (Of Fae and Wolf Trilogy #1)

Chapter Nine

Briar

I reached and kicked, searching desperately for something to cling to, but I found nothing as the shadows blinded me with darkness and cold. My heart lurched into my throat.

Was this purgatory? With my luck, that seemed fitting for what would happen to my soul after I died. I’d be stuck in some sort of cursed fae abyss, wishing like hell I could get back to Ember.

My feet hit a hard surface, pitching me forward. I fell onto my hands and knees, small rocks cutting into my skin. Irony wasn’t lost on me that the position was similar to last night, when I’d been dropped into the fae realm.

I struggled to find my balance as the shadows slipped away, revealing an even darker area than where we’d left. I lifted my head, allowing my wolf to surge forward to help acclimate to the world around me.

The other girls hit the ground around me, not prepared for the landing either. All of us lay haphazardly on the ground.

Under normal circumstances, I might have gloated but not now. Not with the air infused with the smell of algae, bile, and venom, bitterly heavy on my tongue.

Surveying the arena, I found stone walls surrounding us on all sides with water dripping down them as if they bled. The ceiling arched impossibly high, lit by eerie, golden crystals suspended as if by nothing.

I froze, unable to process what was right up above me. The light did not fill the arena completely, and dozens of enormous creatures with barbed tails and manelike fur hung upside down. They had bat-like wings that cocooned them in sleep.

Massive carved circles dominated the floor, each large enough to fit several fae on its surface. Those must be the platforms. Fear clawed my heart. This trial was worse than anything I could imagine, and it was just beginning.

Where the golden crystals hung suspended in midair, a strange, mystical-looking giraffe-size eagle flew back and forth over the circles with slow but flowing movements.

The hairs on my arms rose and prickled.

“Time is running out,” Ceana whispered. “We've got to get to a platform now."

Her words snapped my attention back to the ground. All of them jumped to their feet and raced toward the platforms.

I had to get the fuck out of here, yet I couldn’t move. What if my breathing stirred the creatures above me? My wolf snarled, forcing me to my feet. She was frustrated, and I couldn’t blame her. I had no cover, and the other ladies were making loud noises, so remaining out in the open with limited time wasn’t smart.

Water gushed behind me, and I spun around and saw a sea serpent emerging from black water, crimson ripples waving around it before it sank back down again. It was blue, and some of its magic wavered like light reflecting on water, turning those ripples a deep violet. It was huge.

I stumbled back a few feet, and a huff came from my right. I pivoted and faced a shadow-like wolf that reminded me of the emblem in the Ascension Hall. Its eerie crimson eyes stared at me through dark clouds that blended with its fur, and its burning-metal scent drifted to me in the coldness radiating from the area.

It was magnificent. I’d never seen anything like it before, and my wolf panted in approval.

A snort sounded from the platforms, and I tore my gaze away from the shadow wolf. I had no time to waste if I wanted a chance of surviving.

I ran toward a circular platform, my boots not making a noise on the dark stone ground. I glanced around, noting that four of the platforms were already taken. Kaylen and her posse were pointing and arguing on where to go, so I used the opportunity to run to the right, near a bear-like brown magical creature with a vibrant forest around it.

I swallowed hard, torn on whether it was worse to be closer to Kaylen and Ceana’s group and hover near the platforms or stay by the bear. Then I shook my head at the foolish thought. Of course the bear was the right choice. It had principles.

Racing toward the bear, I tapped into my wolf magic to run faster, not wanting to catch any of the faes’ attention. As I ran past, the bear tilted its head at me, and the scent of pine, hawthorn, and loam hit my nose.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose, but I managed to pass the bear without issue and land on a concrete circle with no problem. That was, until the platform flashed pink before going out again.

Fuck. Of course I was weak. The platform didn’t even acknowledge that I had any magic. No one would join me, but at least I’d die on my own terms.

My stomach gurgled and churned, informing me there was no point in lying to myself. Even if I went out on my terms, I would rather live and have a full life.

Something clanked against the ground, and I turned and found that the bear had its claws in a hawthorn tree...and apparently a golden crystal had dropped and rolled toward me.

I jumped a few feet off the platform and snatched it up, the weight feeling wrong in my hands as I ran back into the circle. The moment I stepped onto the edge of it, the space around me exploded with a faint pink light.

“Hey, she got a platform,” Deallan called out and scowled.

“The shield won’t stay. Don’t worry. We’ll get to watch her die.” Kaylen waved a hand, not bothering to look at me.

The insult hit right in the gut, but I ignored it. She wanted me to react, but I didn’t have time for that. I needed to survive this trial and figure out how to get my ass back to Earth where I belonged.

An amber light flickered, and I glanced over and found an enormous dragon looming in a corner opposite me. Magma and black stones surrounded it, and twisting shadows made it look alive.

Something tugged at me, and I noticed something even more unnerving.

A secluded platform.

Not for us. Not to help us. But from which to observe.

A sour taste filled my mouth. What sort of people enjoyed watching people struggle and die?

A tall figure stood on that platform, staring down at us with a guarded expression as four others joined him.

My heart twisted, and I might as well have been punched in the gut.

Vad.

Of course the prize would be watching.

Elara stood beside him, her delicate hands gripping the railing. She looked withdrawn, her mouth tight and her eyes strained.

The king was also there, his dark-blue eyes matching Elara’s, standing tall like he had something to prove. Thalen and Silus flanked their sides.

They weren’t going to help us. This was a game to them. Something to entertain them and help Vad pick a wife from it all.

The softness I’d held for Thalen and Elara vanished. They enjoyed death and agony as much as the prince himself. I hoped one of the animals attacked them too, so they wouldn’t feel so safe or confident. Bastards.

Hot anger flooded my veins, but using it to wish awful thoughts at them wouldn’t help me. I needed to use it to focus.

Shaking my head, I snapped my attention back to the chamber and everything in it. I needed to get enough crystals to have the strongest possible protection. That was the only way any of us would survive.

More fae appeared and passed by the animals as if they were nothing. Aelir’s white hair flashed like a beacon as she tried to get on multiple platforms, but Siray and the others wouldn’t let her join.

When she looked at my spot, her face twisted in panic and she ran toward me. “I don’t know how I’m going to survive. No one will let me on a platform. They’ve all been taken.”

“Get on mine.” I held out my hand to her, wanting her to know I meant it. I felt bad, basically inviting her to her death, but she had a better chance with me than with no circle at all. “We’ll protect each other and survive this.”

Her hand gripped mine, so small and cold I thought she’d shatter. She joined me, glancing around the arena. “Every kingdom’s magical beast is here. It does seem fitting.”

Ahh… so that was what the animals on the medallions signified. What kingdom they came from. If I survived, I’d need to learn more about that. But first, we had to get through this.

“If we stay on the platform, we’ll be fine. We just need a lot more crystals. That’s all.” I tried to believe in my own words as much as she seemed to. My gaze caught on more fae racing to the circles, trying to find a place.

“Send the pink ones away.” Deallan laughed cruelly in between the two platforms closest to where we’d landed. She tossed her hair, the golden brown curls wild, and glanced at me. Her voice rang out, taunting and mean. “Looks like your team is as weak as you are.”

She leaped onto her circle across from us and near the shadow wolves, where Yuki and Malron already stood inserting a crystal. Their platform lit up a vivid green.

Deallan sneered in my direction and crossed her arms in challenge.

A dark-haired fae hurried toward the platforms, the pink light in her medallion shining bright for all to see. Her hands trembled and she bit her lip. Her attention landed on Siray, and she took a step toward her.

“Go ahead,” Siray spat. “Try to join us. I’d love to kill you.”

The honey-gold-haired fae hesitated, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she stopped a few paces away.

My hands balled into fists and my human nails dug into my palms, breaking the skin and stinging. I would not let this happen. I wouldn’t let them crush me or anyone else. I would be like my sister, and not like these awful beings.

“Here!” I waved a hand desperate to get her attention. “Aelir! Get her!”

Dropping her hand from mine, Aelir scrambled to the edge of the circle, the trembling of her limbs matched by the shake in her voice. “Myantha, come join us!”

Myantha’s eyes were dark and afraid as she hurried to our platform. “You sure?”

“I can’t swear we’ll live, but at least we’ll have a chance if we work together.” I gestured to the open circle, showing we had plenty of room.

She bit her bottom lip and narrowed her eyes. “But you don’t even know me.”

I wanted to laugh, to cry, to scream at how ridiculous all of this was. I doubted the contestants would acting like this only in the trial. It might be bringing out more of that side in them, but the maliciousness was already in them. “You’re still a person and deserve to live. I’m all about teamwork and surviving together.”

A harsh voice came from behind us. “Trying to die?”

I spun around to find Rhielle standing there, her bold pink hair wild. A few smaller bears had joined the large one.

“No, I’m trying to form a pack of people who won’t turn on each other.” I placed a hand on my hip, hoping she’d think I wasn’t doubting every life choice I’d made until now. Even if I was. “Are you in?”

“A pack?” Aelir scratched her ear.

Of course they wouldn’t know what a pack was. I sighed. We didn’t have time to waste, but they needed to understand the concept. “Think of it as a family that protects each other as much as they do themselves.” It was more than that, but I suspected the concept would take more time for them to understand. There was no doubt I’d give my life for Ember’s if the situation ever called for it.

“If I remember right, you were going to shove my face into that pudding last night.” Sarcasm laced each of Rhielle’s words. “Now you’re determined to throw your life away instead?”

The ground shook, and more serpents, wolves, eagles, and dragons arrived, all half size of the originals. The new arrivals made me flinch, but that didn’t alter my strategy. “I’m not throwing anything away. I want to build relationships that make us all stronger by working together.”

“You aren’t worried about being weak.” She crossed her arms and rolled her shoulders back. Her disc still glowed purple, highlighting the shadowy wolf etched in its surface and a reminder of her power.

“I don’t want to die.” I forced the words past my lips. “But I won’t abandon people just because their magic doesn’t seem powerful. Strength comes from more than one source, and just because they don’t wield strong magic doesn’t mean they don’t have something to contribute.”

After a moment, she stepped toward the edge of the circle and grinned. “Well, if the odds are stacked against us, I’d rather go out with that then.” She then turned her left hand over, revealing one of the smaller crystals nestled in her palm. Stooping down, she put the crystal into the platform. It slipped into place with a soft shoop . The light flared pink, but brighter than before.

Aelir and Myantha hit the back of their hands together like a backwards high five.

More girls arrived, and my heart tightened. Two in particular appeared insecure and unsure of where to go, rubbing their arms and treading with hesitant steps.

“Velessa. Thalira. Come join us.” Aelir waved them over, sounding like some of her fear had subsided. “We’re open to anyone who needs a place to go.”

They dashed over but stopped short a few feet away from the platform.

A few fae flew over my head, going for the crystals above us. Guard eagles darted, fighting them off, but I didn’t have time to watch and turned back to Velessa and Thalira.

I placed a hand on my waist. “Are you in? Because we need a plan with everyone on board.”

They exchanged a look, and then Thalira nodded. “Yes.”

Both women stepped onto the circle, and the light brightened to soft teal, but it still wasn’t enough. We needed to be purple.

Horrible creatures appeared in the shadows, sickening shapes that shifted and moved, filling the edges of the chamber. My stomach lurched as I took in what they were–spiders, eels, snakes, scorpions, and there was no telling what else.

Dear Fate. This was like living through an actual nightmare. I hated spiders more than anything.

“What the feck do you think you’re doing?” a fae woman wearing a teal medallion yelled.

My attention snapped to Kaylen, who was now on a platform she hadn’t claimed, removing a crystal from its center. The shield light morphed from a deep teal to a lighter teal. She dashed back to the one she’d claimed and put the crystal in hers instead.

Gritting my teeth, I fisted my hands. Of course Kaylen would steal from others. She had no morals as long as her actions benefited her. Still, it didn’t change the fact that the others needed to get crystals of their own. “You all go before the easiest-to-reach crystals are taken.”

“We can’t leave the platform unattended!” Myantha clasped her hands in front of her chest. “Someone will take it!”

Snakes, spiders, eels, and centipedes scurried over the ground toward us. Fae fought off the pests and hurried back to their platforms, where they couldn’t be surrounded.

“All the assholes are back on their platforms, so we should be safe. I’ll stay here to guard ours in case that changes.” I didn’t want anyone to stay here and risk their life against the powerful psycho-bitches when this had been all my idea. “You all grab crystals.”

Aelir clapped her hands, and a few bugs flinched back from the noise. “You’re right. We need to split up and get back as fast as we can.”

I patted her shoulder, trying to appear confident. “We’re running out of time, so go.”

The girls split up, racing for the bear area, which was closest to us. Everyone who wasn’t on a platform continued to fight off the snakes, insects, spiders, and eels.

Guard eagles had joined the gigantic Guardian one, and they were all flying back and forth in sync with each other. More crystals were suspended in midair, but most women were snatching up the ones closer to the ground.

My heart and breath synced as dread weighed on me. What would Ember do in this situation? I had no doubt she’d come up with a solid plan. Fate, I missed her and my other pack mates.

Soon everyone came back to our platform, slotting their crystals into the center. The teal shield grew darker, but even when Myantha placed hers, it still didn’t turn purple.

“It’s not full power.” Aelir wrapped her arms around her waist and rocked. “We’re not going to make it.”

Fuck. We needed at least one more.

My allies screamed as the spiders and crawling things tried to slither onto our platform, and I knew that collecting the last crystal would have to fall on me. Especially since the only crystal I could still locate was hovering near one of the awful beast-like creatures hanging upside down above us.

I snorted. That was the Sinclair luck, clearly.

My chest knotted and tugged with panic and fear. We were more than likely going to die if we didn’t turn our shield purple. The old dark gray reaper man had pretty much told us that.

I focused on the birds. There was one clear solution, but I had to time things perfectly. I had to be quick and strong, which meant I had to use the magic I had on hand even if it wasn’t from this world.

My wolf.

“I’ll go get the last one. Protect our circle.” I shucked off my clothes, preparing for my shift.

Rhielle stumped back a step. “What the scaff are you doing? Getting naked isn’t going to help! You'll be more at risk than ever.”

“I won’t be naked for long,” I growled, my wolf surging forward. My bones cracked as my spine broke and I landed on all fours. Fur sprouted from my tingling skin, and soon I’d transformed into my wolf.

Aelir covered her mouth with both hands as Rhielle raised an eyebrow. The others gasped, and my senses acclimated to being able to see and hear better than I could even back on Earth.

“She’s a shadow beast,” Myantha shrieked. “But without shadows.”

Without a second thought, I took off. My heart drummed, and the air burned in my lungs. The floor was dark and slick beneath me, but I continued running as fast as I could. My legs didn’t feel quite the same as they did on Earth, but I wouldn’t let that stop me. I had to make it back to the circle. I had to make it back before—

The huge bat-winged creatures hanging from the ceiling shivered and twisted. The last crystal shone in the dark just under the biggest one’s head, with a stalactite formation right next to it. The guardian eagle circled underneath it, which was the only reason I continued to run. No wonder no one had gotten the last one. Even if I had wings, I would’ve tried to avoid it.

My chest heaved, and I slipped, dodging snakes and insects as best I could while squashing others. A few stung me, but I kept moving. I’d show the fae that, even though they thought I was weak, I was willing to fight.

I raced past Kaylen’s platform and she yelled, “Of course you’re an animal!”

But I ignored her, heading toward the dragon section with the large volcano and rocks. I leaped onto the rocks and climbed higher, the stone cutting into my paws.

A guard eagle soared by about ten feet in front of me. My pulse thundered as I launched myself off the rock and landed on its back. The guard eagle threw me off, and I angled my trajectory to hit the wall.

I slammed against the stone wall, knocking the breath out of me. Still, I scrabbled onto a small ledge, catching my balance.

Dammit. I would need to cling to an guard eagle to make this work. I had to shift back into human form and do the task naked in front of everyone. Great .

Pain radiated from my side and paws, but my injuries weren’t severe, and the shift would help me heal. I yanked my wolf back, despite her howling in protest. She relented, knowing that it was our best chance.

My fur retreated and my bones cracked my spine back into place until I stood on two legs. Most everyone else had run back to their circles, preparing for the final test. The woman with pale-blue hair who had been fighting with Kaylen was near the water serpent, searching for something. I hoped we both found our crystals and escaped.

This time, I caught the guardian eagle’s eye, and it winged around to face me. Its appearance was ethereal and mystical, and I knew it wasn’t from Earth.

I launched myself onto a guard eagle, and it waggled. I desperately grabbed its feathers, barely holding on.

When it evened out, I released my hold and leapt to another guard eagle that was circling the Guardian eagle. The crystal hovered above the guardian eagle, and I needed to reach out and take it. Assuming that something unexpected would happen, I clamped my legs around the bird’s waist and grabbed for the guardian.

The guard eagle I was riding tried to buck me off, but I managed to reach up and grasp the bigger one around its neck. I flung myself up onto its back, and the bird’s head twisted back toward me, one electric-blue eye locked on mine. I waited for it to do something, but it hovered, allowing me to climb up and take the crystal.

A bright silver glow lit up the ground, and a massive shimmering stag appeared where all of us had first landed. I forgot where I was as the stag stared me in the eyes. Warmth bloomed inside me, and I felt some sort of connection with the animal.

No. I had to be losing my mind. This had—

Warm, rancid breath hit the back of my neck, stopping me mid-thought. I raised my head and found what looked like a manticore, blinking its creepy, glowing, old-man eyes. It opened its mouth like it was ready to taste me.

A heavy bong vibrated through the entire room, stirring even more of the manticores...and the lights went out.