A Valley of Darkness

by Bella Forrest

  I scoffed, shaking my head, before continuing the rest of my descent leaping from one roof to another. I broke a few shingles in the process, but no one saw me as I moved through the levels, hopping over houses and stores. The afternoon sky turned from orange to deep violet, the sun slowly dissolving beyond the gorges.

  The Correction Officers were well behind and unable to track me by this point, probably lost somewhere on the upper levels, while I cat-jumped my way to the sturdy roof of the Broken Bow Inn, sliding down awnings where the terraces were too wide for me to simply jump over.

  I gently slipped down the southern side of the wall, nicely shaded by a patch of pine trees growing from the side of the mountain and stretching their thick branches over the inn. I couldn’t help but chuckle at Caspian’s Correction Officers.

  He’d brought more of them out since Minah’s murder, but I still wasn’t impressed. If anything, they were a little too easy to lose. I turned to get to the front of the inn and take the rest of the stairs to the infirmary… but bumped into Caspian.

  He was still firm and solid like a rock, and his head was cocked to one side, an amused glimmer in his eyes. I took my head cover, goggles, and mask off in a single move, given we were both under the trees’ shade, and gawked at him for a long moment.

  What was he doing here, and how had he traced me? I hadn’t caught a single glimpse of him on the way down, and I found myself stunned.

  “Caspian.” I exhaled sharply. “What brings you to this side of the neighborhood?”

  “Well done, Miss Hellswan.” He smirked. “That was impressive.”

  “What was impressive?”

  I wondered if playing dumb would annoy him. I felt like pulling his strings for a bit, because I didn’t like how he’d managed to follow me without me seeing him. It made me feel vulnerable to an attack, and I hated feeling that way. I’d spent my whole life building up my defenses, and I didn’t enjoy watching Caspian tear them all down.

  “You’re quite agile and light on your feet,” he replied. “My COs are generally not to be toyed with, and yet you did exactly that.”

  “Not to be toyed with? I think you’re overestimating your henchmen.” I scoffed, then crossed my arms over my chest and took a step back. My temperature felt like it was rising with only a couple of inches between us. I needed air. “Why were they trying to follow me?”

  “It’s for your protection.”

  I laughed hard, as if I’d heard the best joke ever.

  “Yeah, I’m not buying that,” I retorted, regaining my composure. “At least try not to take me for an idiot. I may not be of high society, but my brain has top-notch synapses. Don’t insult my intelligence.”

  Caspian took a step forward, getting dangerously close and lowering his head. I could see my reflection in his jade eyes.

  “Despite my general conduct, which you might refer to as ‘abrasive’,” he said, his voice low and deep enough to make my spine tingle, “I really don’t want anything to happen to you or your friends. I must now reiterate that you consider leaving this place behind and head back to Eritopia. You can even go tonight. I’ll bid the Lords farewell on your behalf, and get them to agree on relocating Azure Heights.”

  I held my breath, finding it hard to navigate my thoughts with his lips so close to mine. I didn’t yield, though, and poked his chest with my index finger.

  “You know, the more you say that,” I shot back, “the more suspicious you come across. I’m not going anywhere until I find out what it is you’re hiding, Lord Kifo.”

  He frowned, his gaze so intense it could probably be harnessed as a laser.

  “You shouldn’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong, Miss Hellswan,” he replied. “You might—”

  “Stop underestimating me. Stop underestimating my team, too.” I held my own, my muscles tight and buzzing, and my fists balling at my sides. “We’ve already uncovered more in one day than you self-assured snobs managed in two years!”

  I’d made him angry. He scowled at me, his nostrils flaring and his jaw clenching, moving forward another inch—enough for his hot breath to warm my nose and lips.

  “Watch yourself,” he hissed, “or you’ll get yourself and your friends killed.”

  “Is that a threat?” I murmured, my voice weaker than my stance.

  “No, it’s just a fact. One I’m not eager to see occur.”

  He left, leaving me there in utter silence. My whole body trembled from his proximity. I realized then that my heart had been banging itself against my ribcage. I took several deep breaths just to regain full control over my senses.

  What did he mean? Was he warning me? Did he really know something that I didn’t, something that, if uncovered by GASP, would jeopardize us? Or was he simply trying to intimidate me because of some dark secret that he was hiding?

  I groaned, then walked back down to the infirmary, unable to get Caspian and his words out of my head. Was he connected to the daemons or Sienna’s disappearance? Or was he a witness, too, genuinely trying to warn us?

  I cursed under my breath.

  What the heck is going on here?

  Scarlett

  (Daughter of Jeramiah & Pippa)

  Patrik and I spent some time further analyzing Minah’s body, but nothing new came up. He even performed a couple of spells to reveal additional trace evidence, but found only a few particles of pollen and dust in her hair, most likely something she’d picked up from the gorges the night we found her.

  He still collected it for Avril to look at, just in case she’d be able to help track its origin. It could give us some insight as to where Minah had been in the Valley of Screams before we rescued her.

  I was staring at the map of Azure Heights, carefully reviewing our strategy, while Patrik prepared herb and crystal mixtures in a few bowls for the protective spell. The silence weighed heavy on my shoulders, mainly because I wanted to ask him about the dream he’d had but didn’t know how to bring it up without being ridiculously awkward.

  “I can’t help but feel sorry for whoever Minah left behind,” Patrik said, his gaze fixed on his bowls.

  “Her family, you mean?” I asked.

  “Her family, if she has any left. Her significant other, if there was one.” He shrugged, his voice low. “The dead don’t care. They’re dead. They’re gone. But the living who stay behind, they suffer. I feel sorry for them.”

  Something clawed at my stomach. I knew he was speaking from experience.

  “How have you been faring? You know, since Kyana passed away?” I blurted out, hoping he wouldn’t change the subject or scold me for bringing it up. But he’d sounded so raw, I had a feeling Minah’s death had brought up the old stuff and he needed to talk to someone, just to process it all again.

  Patrik looked up, his eyes finding mine.

  “It hasn’t been easy.” He sighed, his shoulders dropping. “She was the love of my life, and I don’t know how to bounce back from that. I don’t know how to be myself again. The Patrik before Kyana…”

  His honesty floored me, and I fought the powerful impulse to just take him in my arms and never let him go. Life hadn’t been fair to him, leaving him without the creature for whom he’d suffered so much.

  “You can never be your old self again,” I replied softly. He didn’t respond, though, simply watched me as I opened one of Caia’s journals with no specific purpose, just out of the need to keep my hands busy. “You should just focus on getting to know the new you better, broken heart included in this upgraded package. Despite the pain, you’re a better version of yourself now. You can’t turn the clock back on that one, but you can give yourself some time to get reacquainted with… yourself.”

  A minute passed as we stared at each other. He gave me a weak smile and continued prepping the protection spell for the city.

  “You know, I’m impressed by your insight,” he said. “And you’re absolutely right. I’ve never thought of it that way before, so… thank you for the perspec
tive.”

  I smiled, pleased with myself for my tiny contribution to his wellbeing, then frowned slightly. I built up the courage I needed to ask a more important question.

  “Do you think you’ll ever fall in love again?”

  My voice was barely audible, but, judging by the way his eyebrows raised in response, I knew he’d heard me. He shook his head slowly, and I felt my stomach tie itself up in painful knots.

  “I doubt it,” he replied, and I could hear myself deflating like a balloon. “But, then again, nothing is permanent. Not even thoughts. I might feel different a hundred years from now… Who knows?”

  I nodded, unable to utter a worthy reply and struggling with disappointment. I liked Patrik. A lot. But the obstacles kept piling up in front of me, and it was becoming harder for me to even think I could reach him.

  Maybe a hundred years from now…

  Hansa

  The stinging pain in the back of my head tore me back into consciousness.

  I felt the cool sand gently scratching my face. I peeled my eyes open and took a deep breath. I pushed myself up, resting on my knees for a couple of minutes.

  The sun had gone down. My skull pulsated as I looked up and took in my surroundings. I was on the little half-moon beach on the east side of the mountain, its giant limestone wall towering over me. I touched the back of my head and hissed from the pain. I’d been wounded. My fingers had silver blood on them.

  I cursed under my breath, then managed to stand up, despite my whole body aching.

  “What the hell,” I muttered, then stilled as I went over the last things I remembered.

  I’d rappelled down the mountain with Fiona. The three tunnels we’d seen were still very much there, but the one in the middle had collapsed, a pile of giant chunks of stone sealing its entrance. Pitch-black darkness awaited in the other two.

  I turned around and saw the old jetty, remembering myself as I’d stared at it, wondering what purpose the tunnels served and why there were no boats docked there. The deep blue ocean water lapped at the shore. I struggled to catch up with my current state.

  “Fiona…” I gasped and rushed to the pile of broken stones clogging the middle tunnel.

  She’d gone inside. I’d heard her say something but couldn’t remember what, exactly. But I had turned around and everything had gone white. I had felt something hit the back of my head, and I had just slipped into darkness.

  “Fiona!” I shouted, hoping she’d hear me.

  With the tunnel collapsed, she’d most likely gotten trapped in there.

  I held my breath for a second, and had another look around me.

  Hold on…

  Why was only the middle tunnel collapsed? Why were the other two in pristine condition? I climbed over the rocks and noticed large, deep holes above. The stone had been split by localized explosions. This had been deliberate. It had been planned.

  “Fiona!” I shouted again, from the bottom of my lungs, but no answer came back.

  My heart thudded in my chest, my blood freezing as I came to terms with the fact that I’d lost Fiona. I moved to go through one of the remaining tunnels but stopped in front of the entrance.

  What am I doing?

  Whoever did this wanted us separated. I didn’t know what lurked in those tunnels. What if they’d orchestrated it so they’d break us up and take us down? Clearly, we were easier to attack if we were on our own. But I was still alive, even though they could’ve finished me off when they knocked me out. So, that hadn’t been their purpose—at least not with me. Nevertheless, maybe they had an ulterior motive for sparing me.

  It would still be a risk. I shouldn’t go on my own…

  If I went through the tunnels after her, I was vulnerable. On top of that, I wasn’t even sure if I’d get to Fiona through these other underground passages.

  Two missing GASP agents wasn’t going to help anyone. As much as it killed me on the inside, I couldn’t just go after her. I needed to bring in the whole team. I needed our hardcore weapons.

  The dragon…

  “Damn it!” I cursed.

  The ropes were still there, hanging from their bolts above. I looked around again, but there wasn’t a single trace of anyone or anything else there.

  “Damn! Damn! Damn!” I growled as I pulled one half of my rope through my legs and a couple of times around my hips, then safely tied a double knot. I pulled hard on the other half. I took a few deep breaths, then hauled myself up, using the solid metal bolt at the top as a rough pulley, and managed to reach the edge of the stone path that Fiona and I had descended earlier without looking down.

  I scrambled to my feet and rushed into the city, nearly flying up flights of stairs. My blood rushed, and my pulse thundered in my ears. I was angry at myself, thinking I should’ve been more careful, that I shouldn’t have let Fiona out of my sight, not even for a second. I looked forward to breaking the necks of whoever had split us up like this.

  Dread washed over me in icy waves when the prospect of daemons came to mind. My heart nearly stopped as I considered those invisible fiends getting their claws on her. I broke into a cold sweat and ran even faster.

  Hold on, Fiona. I’ll get you back.

  Avril

  (Daughter of Lucas & Marion)

  We managed to bring back a few maps and a geography book from the city library, after Heron “convinced” the Imen looking after the library to ignore us walking out with the items that Patrik had requested.

  Scarlett and Patrik were waiting for us, along with Jax and Harper. We left the library materials on the table, and I had a hard time wiping the grin off my face. I felt like a mischievous little girl, and Heron was to blame for how we’d casually strolled out with maps that otherwise were not meant to leave the library.

  “I take it you found some useful stuff?” Patrik smirked, eyeing the maps. He stood before a large chalk circle drawn on the floor. He’d placed bowls filled with herbs and crystal powders around it, and had scribbled some symbols inside with the same red paint mixture he’d given Harper earlier.

  “Yeah, we did,” I replied, then gave Heron a sideways glance. “Thankful I had a capable Mara with me to mind-bend the Imen librarians into letting us walk out with the stuff!”

  Heron crossed his arms over his chest, his lips stretched into a satisfied smirk, pride beaming out of his jade eyes. The door opened, and Caia and Blaze walked in.

  “Done?” Patrik asked.

  “Yup, all good.” Blaze nodded, then handed me a linen bag filled with flowers and scented herbs. Jax then gave me his, and I handed them to Heron, who was kind enough to hold both, along with the one we’d filled on our way back.

  “Looks like I’ve got a lot of sniffing to do.” I huffed, staring at the bags.

  “There were Correction Officers following us.” Caia frowned.

  “Us too,” I replied. “We actually had some trouble with two of them…”

  “I know, Patrik and Scarlett briefed us,” Jax said, occasionally glancing at Minah’s lifeless body encased in its preserving spell. “We’ll have to talk to Lord Kifo about it.”

  “That’s funny, because I ran into him, and he said the Correction Officers were only assigned to protect us.” Harper scoffed.

  “Right, they told us they weren’t allowed to interfere or engage, just follow us around,” Heron muttered, looking over his shoulder. Maras were still stationed outside—the same ones we’d seen during the day.

  “Hansa and Fiona should be back by now,” Jax said, staring out one of the windows.

  “They had the east wall. It’s probably a difficult trip all the way down to the base,” Patrik replied with a shrug.

  “I don’t—” Jax was interrupted by the door bursting open.

  Hansa nearly crashed through it, and Jax immediately reached her side and held her up. She was pale and sweaty, silver blood trickling down her neck.

  “Fiona’s missing,” she managed, breathing heavily from all the running she’d do
ne.

  We all froze. Jax quickly lifted her black hair, careful not to come in direct contact with her silver blood, and checked the back of her head. His gaze darkened, and he bit into his wrist, drawing blood.

  “Drink,” he commanded, pressing his fresh wound against her lips.

  Hansa looked like she wanted to object, but Jax didn’t give her a chance, pushing his forearm against her until she drank some of the blood coming out of his wrist. He then licked his wound, helping it close almost instantaneously. Hansa seemed to recover.

  Jax checked the back of her head again, without removing his arm from around her waist. She didn’t object to that, either. She then told us what had happened—or at least what she could remember—from the moment they got down to the small beach to the moment she realized she couldn’t go in after Fiona without putting herself at risk.

  “I wanted to go after her,” she said, her voice trembling and her eyes tearing up, “but I knew it would only put the team at greater risk.”

  Several seconds passed as we processed the new development. I felt my heart shrinking with dread of what might have happened to Fiona. She was one of my best friends, and it tore me apart to think of her somewhere inside that wretched mountain, all on her own. Sure, she was the strongest of us all, physically speaking—except Blaze in dragon form, maybe—but she was still alone and probably stuck in that tunnel.

  “You were right to come back here.” Jax tried to reassure her, his gaze softening. “Otherwise we would’ve had to split our resources into looking for the both of you.”

  “We need to go get her.” I took a step forward, shaking like a leaf. “She’s… She’s out there!”

  “What if there are daemons involved?” Heron asked.

  I backhanded his shoulder—an instant reaction to the prospect of Fiona surrounded by those invisible beasts.

  “Don’t even go there!” I hissed at him, and, seeing the hurt look on his face, instantly regretted it. “I… I’m sorry. It’s just… This is Fiona. My Fiona!”