Page 30

Jude

Our nightmares are merely reflections of our true selves.

Asidian proverb

The creature’s ungodly screech rang through the tunnel.

Acute bolts of pain stabbed at my temples, and try as I might to muffle the noise—my hands pressed firmly against my ears—it was no use. The discordant sound scraped along the insides of my skull like a rusty blade.

Liam struggled to free himself from its clutches, and when he thrust an elbow into the beast’s face, he was afforded a few precious gulps of air. The creature let out a withering cry, thrashing its too-long arms, attempting to seize Liam once more.

Hair the color of snow draped around its body like tangled seaweed. Its wide eyes were all silver, and its mouth…it didn’t possess one—just smooth, unblemished skin.

I’d never seen such a monster.

Before Liam could gain ground and grasp the boat, he was yanked down by spindly hands, three long, clawed fingers holding him tight.

The creature had the ability to be heard even out of sight, and warmth trickled from both ears, the heat of blood bringing forth the heady scent of copper. My eardrums were bursting, the sharp stabbing nearly causing me to double over.

The Fox dumped out her bag and brought forth an odd contraption shaped like a crossbow and no larger than my dagger. Trembling hands notched an arrow in its slot, her features contorted in concentration. She pressed a button on the device and the entire bow ignited, glowing like a lethal sunfire gem.

The silver tip was a promise of death, as beautiful as it was deadly. Aiming the device over the side of the boat, she released the shaft, sending the arrow driving out of sight and below the thick waters.

As it sliced through the dense blue, its glimmer never wavered, and I caught a flash of white hair and a glimpse of a sickly pale, naked body.

Emelia cursed at her miss, notching another arrow.

My mother aimed, though she missed once more, the glowing bolt doing nothing but illuminating the waters.

I was grateful Liam wasn’t being taken easily. He fought his way to the surface, bringing forth a wave that crashed against my chest.

Compelling myself into motion, I fought the instinct to curl up and block my ears with my hands. Gripping the boat’s wooden edge, I ignored my bleeding ears and the agony splitting my skull and peered over the side.

It began as it had before—the rush of raw energy invading my body—but it happened in the blink of an eye.

My knuckles were white from squeezing the wood, the onslaught of adrenaline and magic wreaking havoc on my system.

I was incandescent, my vision in my left eye sharp, the right blanketed in gold. With Liam’s life on the line, I didn’t have the time to ponder why I felt more at home in this otherworldly state, like I’d shucked off a heavy wool coat.

Instead, I dove in.

I arced through the water, the wailing unbearable. I was certain more blood pooled from my ears, my head growing fuzzy. But I was accustomed to pain, and once it made a home in my skull, an odd sort of calmness settled over me.

There .

Its frail arms clung to its prey, the light I radiated washing over its scalelike skin. Liam’s fight was dwindling. He ceased to claw at his captor, his eyes shuttering closed.

The creature dug its clawed fingers deeper into Liam’s torso. As Liam opened his mouth in a silent scream, tinges of red escaped the shallow puncture wounds.

With the power of the sun beating against my skin, begging to be liberated, I set my sights on its face, directly between its deadened eyes.

The second I’d found him in that tavern in Lis, I felt the urge to protect him like my kin. I admired his bravery, the light in his eyes, the need to fight, even in the face of probable defeat.

Liam would not die today.

All of my suppressed magic burst free in a ruinous tide of bright yellow and orange flames, the water doing nothing to diminish its force as my power rushed toward the creature’s exposed back.

Bubbles escaped from between my lips and I gritted my teeth in determination, hoping my aim was true.

The waters trembled at the impact.

Fire cleaved its skull in two, cutting off the creature’s torturous cries. Its smooth, slick back withered and burned, charring like lit parchment. It contorted and shrieked, twisting until its mouthless face turned my way, vicious flames eating away at its eyes.

Liam finally came into view as it released its grip on the boy, its decaying body sinking. In seconds, all that remained of my assault was the bottom half of its torso and its too-long legs, which continued to twitch as if trying to kick to the surface.

Liam didn’t move. His hands were raised above his head, his eyes shut tight. He looked a sickly shade of pale blue.

Kicking forward, I raged against the thick waters, battling toward his listless body. Tiny lights sparkled as I swam, reappearing now that the creature had vanished. It was like swimming in the heavens, in a black sky filled with stars.

With my energy waning, I ground my teeth and kicked, finally able to grab hold of one of his hands. Yanking him up, I wrapped an arm around his waist and shot for the surface, too fearful to check if he still lived.

Lights rippled overhead, teasing me. We were so close…but black spots were dancing across my sight, my oxygen-deprived lungs burning. Liam was limp in my hold.

So close—

I broke free with a gasp. Liam made no sound at all.

Frantically, I spun around, finding the twin boats twenty feet away. But while I’d been down fighting a beast, chaos had broken out above.

Nightmares were everywhere, in all forms, all engaged with a member of our crew.

Emelia currently clashed with a hooded figure of similar stature, a blade in her hand as she swiped for its throat, uncharacteristic tears dripping down her face.

Finn stood with his eyes shut while a snake curled around his bicep, quickly moving to his neck. Its pink tongue licked his skin as it worked toward his face, its soulless black eyes seeming to sparkle in anticipation.

Dimitri hovered over the body of a King’s Guard clothed in a torn crimson tunic.

He clutched a dagger, his face screwed with rage as he brought the weapon down over and over again, aiming for the man’s already ruined face. He shouted two names I’d only recently learned, repeating them like a mantra as blood streamed over the side of the rocking vessel, coating the water in vicious red.

I whirled to Jake, alone in his own craft. He held the focus of a snarling coyote. Its teeth bared, its furry hind legs taut.

Impossible beasts battled with the crew, and Liam was either unconscious or dead in my arms.

“Help!” Finn begged, and Dimitri leapt off the bloodied King’s Guard with a brutal scowl. Crimson had splattered his weathered face and stained his tunic. With the same blade he’d used to end the soldier’s life, Dimitri sliced the snake encircling Finn in half, its fangs an inch from his throat. It dropped to the bottom of the boat with a thud.

With both men able to assist Emelia, who’d earned a nasty cut across her forearm, I swam to the nearest boat, Liam in tow.

Jake hardly appeared aware of anything but the coyote yelping and nipping at the air, its serrated fangs snapping close to where he held his weapon, his hand shaking violently.

“Not again,” Jake panted, eyeing the coyote. It kicked its back leg and leaned into a crouch, set to pounce. He briefly closed his eyes as if willing it away.

“Recruit!” I snapped, but Jake was lost to some cruel memory.

I needed to call more magic, but my body was nearly depleted.

Come on , I roared, screaming inside my head, struggling with no one but myself. Help him!

My hands were numb, pins and needles working their way to my calves. Any second now, I’d collapse and drown along with Liam. But I recognized the subtle humming, a sliver of magic left over from destroying the water beast.

Reaching in with invisible hands, I dragged that minuscule shard of magic forth, aiming it directly at the snapping coyote.

Heat expanded in my chest, and flames erupted, set on the animal. When my power scorched its matted gray fur, it howled, the flames licking at its legs and soft underbelly.

Jake yelled before he lunged, tears wetting his cheeks as he drove his blade into the coyote’s head. Blood sprayed across the recruit’s face when he yanked it free, and a wild look overtook his features when he kicked the dead creature over the side of the boat.

Finally, his attention landed on me, sweat and gore slicking his brow.

“Help me get Liam up!” I commanded, grasping the edge of the craft. The black dots had returned, the pins and needles numbing my arms and legs almost entirely.

My very bones were heavy, my movements sluggish as Jake fumbled to reach me. He hoisted Liam over the side before coming back for me, and it took all his strength to pull me to safety. We both landed in a heap.

“Help him,” I sputtered, and Jake rushed to Liam.

He felt for a pulse, fear widening his eyes.

“He’s not breathing!” Jake pressed against Liam’s chest while I willed my sight to clear.

I could feel my hands again, if only barely.

Across the way, Emelia had taken down her attacker with a gash to their chest. The thick linen hood shrouded their identity save for strands of short black hair that fell free, the same deep dark color as Emelia’s. Finn kicked the injured assailant overboard with a guttural cry, Dimitri holding the Fox back from lunging in after.

“We need help!” My shout roused the Fox from her spell, but it was Finn who tossed the bag carrying medicine over to our vessel. Jake continued to revive Liam, his movements rough, likely to leave bruises.

I all but crawled to the bag. Rifling through the contents, I found dozens of vials, all unlabeled, and I couldn’t recall what the thief used to save Liam in the clearing. He hadn’t suffered an attack, but I wanted it on hand if— when —he woke.

This wasn’t the end. I’d made a vow—to myself and to Liam.

“Come on,” Jake hissed, pressing hard on Liam’s chest. “Wake up!” He was relentless in his attempts.

Liam’s eyes bolted open.

Jake heaved him onto his side as water flooded from his mouth, pouring out in a wave. He sputtered and coughed, his skin sickly in its paleness, his lips tinged in blue.

Jake patted him on the back, helping him get the water out of his lungs. “There you go,” he soothed . “Get it all out.” He rubbed at Liam’s back, his hands shaking.

My mother rowed close enough to vault from her ship to ours. She whipped open the bag Finn had tossed and unearthed the proper medicine.

Uncorking the top, she forced the vial’s contents down Liam’s throat. His head lay in Jake’s lap, his eyes blood red and his body weak, but he drank, and Jake’s frantic breathing returned to a normal rhythm.

He still clutched Liam tightly, his arms banded around the boy’s torso.

Jake shifted Liam until he rested against his chest, and he smoothed wayward curls from his eyes.

Liam was alive. We all were. And with the nightmares vanquished, I faced Emelia.

“Who were you fighting?” I had a feeling I already knew.

“A ghost,” she answered curtly. Emelia averted her gaze and shoved her hands into her cloak before anyone else could see the slight quiver that ran through them.

The Fox had battled herself . Of that I was certain. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, but I did grasp what it symbolized, and a pang of unwanted pity struck me.

“Fucking snakes.” Finn shivered in disgust before moving to wrap his arms around the Fox. She surprisingly allowed it, even permitting him to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear and run his palm across her cheek. Her eyes had grown lifeless, the spark in them absent.

I noted Liam and Jake both stealing glances at the pair, the former’s eyes narrowed in confusion at their display of affection. I also hadn’t expected my mother to be so open with her emotions, even after such a battle.

“Are you all right?” I finally asked Jake. He stiffened, but he didn’t release Liam, who rested his head in the crook of Jake’s neck.

Coyotes. I’d have assumed his nightmares would have come from our time in the Mist.

“Nic saved me from one years ago,” he murmured, almost to himself. “I was hungry and half-starved already when I went hunting for game in the woods. He shot an arrow through its skull, and then he brought me to his house and fed me for the first time in days.” Jake sucked in a stuttering breath. “I was seven.”

I’d forgotten just how much Nic had meant to Jake. I’d carry the weight of shame for the rest of my days because he died on my watch.

Jake slid a gentle finger down Liam’s cheek. “What was that thing that attacked you?” he asked softly, his finger pausing when it reached Liam’s jaw.

“I b-blame my grandmother,” Liam choked out. Color was slowly returning to his cheeks. While the medicine appeared to have prevented an attack, I watched as he settled in the former recruit’s arms, clutching Jake like an anchor to this realm.

“My grandma always told me horror stories of the wailing woman in the l-lake.” He nearly smiled at the memory. “Supposedly she stole small children if they ventured too far from the dock. Kiara would l-laugh at me, saying she wasn’t real, but I never went swimming because of that story.”

When Liam tried to sit up, he was immediately shoved back in place. “Don’t be stubborn,” Jake chastised. “You need to rest. I think I’d miss you if you died.”

“Such sweet words,” Liam said, though he bestowed him with a half smile.

“Jake’s right. You do need to rest,” Emelia added, and Liam gave her a halfhearted roll of his eyes. Still, he made no effort to free himself again.

I surveyed the daring few who’d traveled with me to the Moon God’s temple, risking their lives to return the sun. Or, in the case of the Fox and her men, risking their lives for coin. I hadn’t the foolish notion she’d done it for me .

Unlike the Mist, where our fears played tricks on our eyes, our nightmares were composed of flesh and blood here, brought to life by magic and terror.

“We have to get off the water,” I blurted out, assuming command. Agony ripped across my muscles as I strained them, rising to peer into the distance. My pulse leapt as I made out the hint of a dark gray shore. Shadows curled around its edge, growing with each passing second. It appeared as if a storm was brewing.

“Agreed,” Liam said, and Jake unwound his arms. He eased him into the center of the vessel, slipping off his jacket to wrap around Liam’s shoulders.

No one dared speak when we readied ourselves, oars in hand, my mother and her men back in their boat. I realized I hadn’t fought off a creature of my own imagination. Or maybe I hadn’t needed to. I was already living my worst nightmare.

Kiara was gone. Again.

An eerie chuckle floated to my ears, hardly above a whisper. It tickled the hairs on the back of my neck, prompting me to glance over my shoulder. I found nothing but stagnant waters, those eerie lights resuming their infuriating twinkling.

Yet I couldn’t shake the familiarity of that laugh…like I’d heard it many times before.