Page 43 of To Dwell in Shadows (Shadows of Aurelia #2)

S elene chewed her fingernail worriedly. What is taking him so long?

The candle measuring Sam’s trial had long since burned out, yet there was still no sign of him.

Hours ago, Vanthee had breezed through the maze so fast that Selene worried it might draw attention and jeopardize her identity.

But then the first competitor stumbled out behind her, sweating profusely and babbling about nightmares so wildly that he captured everyone’s attention.

Others made it out with only a small pool of wax in their candle—shaken but relieved.

Most demons watching the trial had grown bored and left. King Asmodeus and Queen Lamia remained, though they both looked disappointed and weary. When the Eventide bell tolled in the distance, Lamia motioned to Ghar and whispered in his ear.

Ghar cleared his throat and announced to the remaining spectators, “The Maze of Endless Paths Trial has ended. However, due to its complexity and grueling nature, any competitor who failed to finish within the time limit remains eligible to be the king’s champion.”

When a few nearby competitors began to grumble, Ghar’s gaze snapped to them. “Protestations on this decree are forbidden by order of the queen. All demons are to depart this area at once.”

Selene watched King Asmodeus stumble to his feet, while Queen Lamia spoke quietly to Ghar. Cautiously, Selene approached the king.

“Your Majesty, should we be worried that Sam hasn’t come back yet?”

The king looked at her, then to the maze, then back at her. “I’m sure he’s fine. All that time in Aurelia likely dulled his sense of direction.”

“What’s actually in the maze? Why were so many demons screaming?”

Asmodeus looked thoughtful. “You know… I can’t remember.”

The sinking feeling in Selene’s stomach grew worse. Was Asmodeus losing his mental faculties as well as his physical ones?

“Come, darling,” Lamia said to Asmodeus, ignoring Selene. “Ghar is bringing you a horse to ride back to the palace.”

“But… ” Selene watched helplessly as the remaining demons swarmed away from the maze. In the distance, two great black horses were being led in their direction. A tug at her sleeve made her turn. It was Vanthee, eyes gleaming conspiratorially through her mask.

“Hide with me until they all leave,” she whispered.

Selene nodded, deeply relieved that someone else shared her concern.

She hung back with Vanthee behind a thicket of brush while Asmodeus carefully climbed on the horse.

Once Lamia made sure he was settled, she mounted the other.

And without even a backward glance or word to their daughter-in-law, Sam’s parents set off for the palace.

When everyone was completely out of sight, Vanthee beckoned Selene to approach the maze’s entrance with her.

“What’s really in there?” Selene asked .

Vanthee shrugged. “For me? Nothing, really. I kept to the left as we discussed and made my way out. I hit a few dead ends and crossed paths with some spiders, but nothing to make me scream like the others.”

Selene placed a hand over her racing heart, hoping to calm it. “Maybe Sam tripped and hit his head or something. Or one of the walls collapsed and he’s pinned under it. Or what if?—”

“Stop that,” Vanthee said sharply. “Making up stories isn’t going to help anything. I’m going in.”

“So am I,” Selene said, following Vanthee through the entrance.

The demoness immediately turned left, but Selene reached for her hand to pull her back. “No, he didn’t go that way. He tried, but after a few minutes, we all saw him go the other way.”

The confidence in Vanthee’s face faltered. “Well, there’s one reason why he hasn’t come out. All right, human. Let’s go.”

Figuring they could reverse the left-hand rule, Selene kept her right hand on the wall while Vanthee walked ahead through the maze. The air was damp and reeked of rotting leaves, but so far, no monsters or boogeymen leapt out at them.

“Sam?” Selene called out now and then, but silence was her only reply. They took several wrong turns, and as the sky darkened, it became even harder to see where they stepped.

When Vanthee slipped on a puddle, she huffed in frustration. “Forget this.” Reaching under her dark coat, she pulled out a torch that must have been strapped to her belt. With a quick tap of her fingers, it flared to life.

The burst of light and warmth eased the tightness in Selene’s chest, but it also revealed new hazards—cracked flagstones, foot-snaring vines, and scattered heaps of broken stone.

When Vanthee stumbled on a loose rock, she said, “If I get to be Dark Sovereign, one of the first things I’m going to do is tear this ruin down. ”

Selene was about to agree when a faint sound froze her in place.

“Uhhh… ”

Vanthee’s head whipped around. “Did you hear that?”

“Yes!”

They sprinted toward the sound, which wavered in volume with each turn. Vanthee was much faster, rushing ahead while Selene’s lungs burned with every stride.

Eventually, Vanthee disappeared around a corner. Selene heard her gasp sharply, followed by, “He’s here!”

Even though she could barely breathe, Selene forced herself to move faster. But before she reached them, Vanthee’s voice rose again, this time in alarm. “What are you doing? Go away!”

Selene rounded the corner and skidded to a stop.

In a corridor that funneled into a dead-end Sam lay curled on the ground in a fetal position, his body still.

Above him, a swirling mass of spirits pulsed, each one diving down in turn to torment him.

Their relentless assault contrasted with the faint, aimless shadows drifting listlessly through the air.

Selene took in the scene with horror, her heart pounding so hard she feared it might stop altogether. Vanthee was trying to reach Sam, shouting and swiping at the shadows, but they ignored her. The worry and fear Selene had dealt with all day morphed into anger.

She rushed toward them, shouting, “Get away from him!”

Instantly, the spirits halted. Then, as one, they abandoned Sam and hurtled toward Selene. She barely had time to react before they were upon her, a blur of movement so fast it sent her stumbling backward. When the back of her head touched the wall, the spirits descended.

Speak again!

Can you hear me?

What are you?

Help me!

Whispers and wails crashed over her like a hailstorm, their voices sharp and relentless. Selene held her hands up defensively. “ Get back! You all need to step back!” When the spirits failed to comply, she shouted, “I said back off!”

Something in her tone changed the air around them. A large spirit Selene recognized as an Aurelian Lycah made a motion with his ghostly hand. The other spirits drew back, giving her some space.

When a few moved toward Sam again, Selene said, “I will speak to you all in a moment, but stay away from my mate. I mean it. Wait over there.”

The spirits reluctantly drifted over to the corner she pointed to. Selene fell to her knees beside Sam, whom Vanthee had covered with her coat. She touched his face, which was wet with tears and sweat. “I’m here, Sam. It’s okay.”

His eyelids fluttered slightly, but he didn’t respond.

Selene began to stroke his hair, noticing his skin was burning hot to the touch. She exchanged a panicked look with Vanthee.

“What do you think they did to him?” Vanthee asked.

“I don’t know,” Selene whispered. She glanced at the swarm of spirits—some watching her with pleading eyes, others glaring with contempt. When she caught the eye of the Lycah, he charged forward.

“Stop. Don’t go any further,” Selene said firmly. “What do you want?”

We want our vengeance!

“What do you mean?”

The Lycah pointed at Sam with a clawed finger.

He took our lives—all of us. And was never punished!

Realization crashed over Selene like a tsunami.

Vanthee shot her a frantic look. “What are they saying?”

Emotion overwhelmed Selene so completely she didn’t answer at first. Then, she whispered, “These spirits… they are all the lives he took in Aurelia.”

Vanthee’s eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh. That’s why the other competitors were screaming. They were faced with their regrets. ”

Sam’s head lolled to the side. “What do you want from him?” Selene asked the Lycah.

To make him suffer as we did!

“Haven’t you already done that? I’d say he’s pretty traumatized.”

It’s not enough. He is the reason we’re trapped here!

“That’s not true. You can leave any time.”

“Translate, translate!” Vanthee insisted. When Selene relayed what the spirit said, Vanthee’s face knotted with indignation. “Tell them they should have followed me like they were supposed to! I can’t be responsible for every angry spirit who wants revenge?—”

“I know. It’s not your fault,” Selene said, cutting her off. She looked up at the Lycah. “Are you ready to go to the Afterworld?”

Yes!

Yes, I am.

Take me!

No, take me first!

The spirits who had hung back swarmed again, talking over each other and pushing their way closer to Selene.

“Easy, easy! Vanthee and I will take you, but not now.”

When?

Why not now?

Do not betray us!

“Rest assured, we will get you where you need to go. I know you’re all angry with him for taking your lives, and you have every right to be. But you’ve done enough.”

She looked at the desperate, pleading faces of the spirits. “What do you need to move on?”

None of them spoke for a moment. Then the Lycah floated forward.

Hear my story. I was born in the territory of the great Queen Keebee under a waxing moon. When I had seen nineteen winters, I left to go in search of adventure. Along the way, I met a vampire…

As the Lycah spoke, the others began to push in front of him, each wanting Selene to hear their story too. Sam was growing paler, and his breathing more irregular.

“We’ve got to get him out of here,” Vanthee whispered as two spirits visibly began arguing with each other. “It’s like he’s been poisoned by their anguish.”

“I’m scared the spirits won’t let him go.”

Vanthee glanced at Sam, then at the sky, and finally at the approaching turn in the maze before saying, “Keep listening to them—I’ll get him out.”

“He’s too weak to stand.”

“I know,” Vanthee said. Then she bent down and effortlessly lifted Sam onto her shoulders in a fireman’s carry. She adjusted her grip, securing one hand on Sam’s dangling thigh over her left shoulder while firmly grasping his bicep with the other.

Selene stared at her, wondering if there was anything Vanthee couldn’t do. “You’ve got him? It may take some time before you make your way out.”

“I’m fine. I don’t like leaving you here alone, though.” Vanthee replied.

“I’ll be okay,” Selene said. The spirits were growing restless around them, clearly agitated that Vanthee was about to remove their punching bag. Selene waved her arm at Vanthee. “Go!”

“All right!” Vanthee said as she hurriedly backed out of the corridor, careful to keep Sam’s horns from brushing the ground. “Dark blessings, human!”

“Same to you, demon.”

As Vanthee disappeared around the corner, Selene squared her shoulders. Turning back to the spirits, she shouted, “Listen up!”

The spirits stared at her with hungry eyes.

“I’m sorry that you’re no longer among the living. But if anyone wants to share their story or send a message to Aurelia, I’d be honored to carry it back.” She pulled the writing pad out of her pocket and flipped to a fresh page.

Eager cries rippled through the throng of spirits, their voices rising in a collective, desperate strain.

One by one, they surged toward her, but their urgency was so intense that they soon merged into a chaotic blur of misty white forms. The very air seemed to pulse with their sorrow as the raw weight of their heartbreak enveloped her in a tide of grief and regret.