Chapter 14

I find my steps leading me to the lake. I stop at the edge, looking down. The ripples spread, moving across the water smoothly. Annoyance sparks in me as I realize it’s Dylan’s favorite spot. The Pyras, birds with mystical, glowing, yellow feathers, chirp above, seeming to squabble with each other.

I sit down, my mind spiraling down. That night…I almost became who I hated. I was so close… I bury my head in my hands, trembling. I start shaking my leg anxiously, and my fingers curl hard into my hair. Exhaling slowly, I close my eyes for just a second.

Suddenly, everything seems to go still. The large Pyras go instantly quiet, and I hear the flapping of wings. They’re all taking off. But…why? I peer over at the lake.

The water stirs. I stand up cautiously. “Hello?” I squeak, my voice sounding small.

A tail whips up from the water, flashing black and dark green. Splashes land beside me as it whirls around, turning to face me. Oh no. It’s an Eirvyn. The massive black serpent opens its mouth, hunger sparking in its emerald gaze, its fangs protruding, sharp and gleaming. It hisses, as if just locating its prey. My breath catches, and I stumble backwards, pressing myself against the trunk of an evergreen tree, grabbing onto the rough bark.

It rasps again, and slithers slowly out of the water, reaching its full towering height. It’s about to strike. Any second, my life will slip out of my hands.

It lunges, as fast as lightning. Jaws gaping. I slip under the huge thing. It hisses again, it’s eyes flashing with anger.

A sound cuts through the tense air. A short, sharp whistle. The Eirvyn instantly freezes, looking around. “Fury,” a feminine voice orders. The whistle comes again, slower, and the Eirvyn lowers itself, as if it is in submission. It’s glaring at me, as if it is wanting to lunge again. It turns. Taking another hungry glance at me, it growls low in its throat and speedily slithers away, disappearing into the dark water. Everything goes silent, but that feels even more uneasy. Tense. Like I’m…being watched. My heart bursts in my chest.

“You’re weaker than he described.” The voice comes again, cutting through the still air. Right behind me. And I instantly know who it is.

“It obeyed faster than you reacted,” observes Thorn, stepping out from behind the trees. My eyes widen.

I notice a symbol with a snake wrapped around a blade. Probably Cobra’s symbol.

“I know you might be wondering why I saved you,” she purrs, her voice smooth and controlled. “I see potential in you, little one.” She flashes me a twisted smile, full of something I can’t identify. “You have more gut than Dylan. He craved my approval. You long for the taste of victory. He was very hard to train, you know, always trying to argue back against my orders.” She laughs softly. “I teach good lessons, though.”

I tremble, remembering the long scars on his arm. “You can live a better life. Eclipse is weak. So is Dylan. But you…you are different. I can see it in the way you act.”

“That’s what you said to Dylan,” I snap, but my eyes waver with uncertainty.

“I can see you hesitating, Raven. Don’t you want power? Don’t you want everyone to respect you? I know what you desire.” Her gaze travels over me slowly. “You’re strong, you’re clever…”

My eyes search the ground, landing on the water’s surface. Thorn’s standing beside me, and my hands shake as I notice how similar we are. Same height, same eye color, same confident posture.

Thorn leans in and whispers in my ear. “Can’t you see the future? We would make a great team. Dylan had so much to learn.” Her lip curls back. “But he chose peace. Peace doesn’t fix anything. War is dominance.”

I slam my foot down into the water, and it splashes, making ripples scatter over the once still lake. I don’t want to see the reflections anymore. “That’s not true,” I mutter. “War gets people hurt on both sides. How is that dominance to you?”

Unbothered, Thorn continues. “Anger looks better on you. Stop sulking over something you can’t change. Guilt is making you exposed. Take action. Take revenge.” Something in my mind comes alive at her words.

“You can become like me. So much power, all lying there for you to gather.” My eyes narrow, and I try to fight it. But…she’s right. In a way. People would respect me. They won’t dare to argue with a figure of authority. I drag my foot on the ground, deep in thought.

“I see you thinking. You and I are the same. I understand you, little one,” Thorn says quietly, a hint of a sinister smile masked behind the sweet poison of her words. “As long as you listen, you learn. As long as you listen to my words, you can make the river run red.”

“What if I want revenge?” I whisper, my eyes glistening.

“Then you’re heading in the right direction, darling. Come, and I’ll make you successful.”

Her words feel tempting. Like bitter love.

I’m breaking under Thorn’s pressure.

I stagger, Dylan’s voice shattering my thoughts. Thorn wants control. She hates that Dylan broke, and was useless. Thorn wants something that works for her.

“You don’t want a human, don’t you?” I exhale under my breath. Thorn cocks her head, her smile faltering slightly. “You want a weapon. Something you can use without tribute.” For a moment, I can see a flash of darkness behind the empathy.

She laughs softly. “Does it matter? Weapons don’t break.”

“Dylan did.” She drags her pale fingertip on my skin, her dark red nail sharp enough to slice through flesh if there was any pressure. “Oh, no he didn’t. He hesitated. And that’s worse than dying.”

I press my lips together, staring into her expression. “He’s not dead.”

“No, but a part of him is.”

She lifts her finger lightly, as she steps back, sighing.

“Be careful, Raven.”

I narrow my eyes. “Why?”

“Once you stop denying who you are destined to become, you unleash control. And that type of weapon is stronger than any tool.”

“What?” I mutter, turning back to the lake, which had stilled again. The reflection staring back feels unfamiliar.

No answer.

I whip around to the trees again.

She’s gone.

But her words stay trapped in my mind. I hate that she understands me more than anyone else. And I hate that I can see myself in her.

I walk back, my head feeling awfully heavy. My insides feeling like they’re being torn apart in multiple directions. I haven’t got a good night’s sleep in days, and my skull is pounding, dizzy with trapped thoughts that won’t leave.

My mouth’s desert-dry, but I hardly notice it. A tang of something reaches my nose. Oil? It’s probably just Eclipse having a feast. They haven’t had one in a while. Brushing the thought off, I stagger on.

Crackling noises snap around me. Might be an animal, and it’s not loud. Not a predator for sure, the footsteps sound too light. It crackles sharply again, and I slowly come to a realization that it isn’t a creature. My nose picks up a suffocating, undeniable scent. Smoke.

A tree erupts in orange flames, in front of me, lapping hungrily at the sky and ground, picking up shrivels of dead leaves and sticks and setting them alight. The sparks explode like fireworks, lapping at roots and threatening to devour the entire forest. The sharp heat slices into me like a blade. I stumble back and shield my face as more embers fly into the fire mirage, the air waving like water. It spreads faster, lighting up shreds of weed. “No,” I gasp as the smoke blinds me. I should go warn Eclipse. I should prepare them. A deafening crack echoes as a tree topples down, its trunk splintering and snapping in half, and seems to fall in slow motion. It’s lit like a torch. I roll out of the way as it comes crashing down, sparks flying like fireflies into the dying air. I try to cover my nose with my shirt collar, but it’s too tightly wrapped around the base of my neck.

The fire roars overhead, flaming up like it’s dancing. I feel the sharp pain as another tree comes down, barely missing me as I scramble up and run, the embers scorching into my skin. I hiss, but at that moment, I crash into a root, my feet tripping over one another and my hands meet with the ground. I look around wildly for an escape route, only to find a circle of flames surrounding me, like its alive and aware. Like it’s meant to kill me.

I curse under my breath, coughing and wheezing, propping myself up on my elbow, gulping in lungfuls of smoke.

The fire spreads closer, like it’s starving. Like it’s seeking revenge on me. Furious and fast, but agile.

Yet it’s stunning and…beautiful.

I shake my head rapidly. No. Why would I think that of something trying to murder me? Clearing my fuzzy thoughts, I stand up dizzily, trembling and wobbling side to side.

The flames blur, shaking orange and gold. The heat’s like molten lava, melting down my skin. Inch by inch.

Think, Raven. Think. There must be a way out. It can’t end like this. Sweat drips slowly down my back and neck. I gasp for oxygen, my vision swimming, and I stumble forward, only to face head on with a flaming branch. “No..” I rasp. I might as well be blind. Every breath feels too shallow. The flames seem to be mocking me.

I inhale ashes, and my throat catches as I break down in coughs.

A whistle cuts through the roaring. I barely regard it.

It comes again twice, sharp and low. The lit bushes seem to shift to the side violently, and a figure bursts out.

Blue eyes. Black hair.

Dylan.

Relief twists in me, so hard that I gulp in another mix of smoke and heat, wheezing. “What are you…doing?” I say. At least…I think I do. I can’t tell if my mouth is moving as I trip again, falling to the ground. But this time…I don’t want to get up. “I didn’t cause it,” I rasp weakly. Dylan stares at me, confusion darkening his gaze. “I know, genius. Why would I think that? But we need to get out of here,” he calls hoarsely. “Why?” I whisper, unable to contain myself. He scoffs, which breaks into a cough. “What do you mean WHY?”

“I’m tired, Dylan.” There’s no point in trying to get back up again. I crouch there limply.

Dylan’s gaze softens just for a moment. “It’s worth it in the end. But we don’t have time right now, and I need you to get up.”

I crumble up, hugging my knees to my chest. His gaze sharpens. “I’m not leaving you here, stubborn.”

Grabbing my arm, he pulls me to my feet. “We need to leave. NOW. Can you walk?”

“Yes,” I lie. He glances down at my unstable, shaking legs. “I doubt that.”

“I said I-” I break down in coughs. My vision whirls. “Hey, hey,” Dylan whispers. He takes off his hoodie, and covers it over my mouth. “Now come on before we both die. I will blame it on you,” he snaps. We move forward as fast as we can. The fire closes in. Where…where would we go? My vision blurs even more.

A tree groans up above. I look up to see it wobbling, it’s roots lifting. Oh no. I grab Dylan’s shirt and sharply pull him out of the way. “Move!” I hiss.

Dylan grits his teeth as sparks land on his arm. The hoodie is taken over by mixed scents of smoke, ash, and him. My legs drag limply with every step, and every breath is stabbing into my throat.

“Stay with me,” Dylan hisses.

“I…can’t…” I cough.

“Yes you can, idiot.”

“I can’t do this…anymore,” I gasp shakily. My knees buckle, but Dylan grabs me by the collar, heaving me back up again.

“Don’t say that, Raven,” Dylan says, his voice shaky. He’s desperate. His fingers curl into my shirt harder.

I blink slowly, trying to focus on him, but its like every time I do, he swims further away. “Why…do-why do you even…care?” I breathe out. His jaw clenches. “Because there’s not another version of you out there. Stop asking dumb questions.”

A coughing fit racks my body again, leaving me shaking and breathless. Black spots squirm through my vision.

“Raven, look at me. Look at me!” Dylan says sharply, seeming to panic. This time, I try. I genuinely try. But I can’t seem to focus.

“Raven-”

My body seems to give way, and my eyes roll back. The world violently shifts to the side. I feel light and weightless. Like a feather drifting away.

I’m aware of Dylan’s body pressing against mine, but everything feels so numb and muted. His arm is wrapped tightly around my legs, struggling to sweep me up. And somewhere far away, like some other realm, I hear him swear hoarsely into my hair.