Page 65 of Shadow Witch

Her confidence plunged as she stared at the tall blonde who looked far smarter and more talented. Where was Drucinda? Why didn’t she rub her shoulders and tell her reassuring things like she did with Devon?

Her palms turned sweaty as Dominic shifted his gaze between them. “Competitors, are we ready?”

“Of course,” Ivy answered.

Paige bobbed her head up and down, her heart thudding against her chest and her palms turning sweaty. She glanced at the swirling portal behind Dominic. Could she win?

CHAPTER 15

She blew out a long breath as he raised his hand in the air before he swung it down shouting, ”Go!”

Paige dove into the realm portal alongside Ivy. Her feet hit the ground, and she stumbled forward before she toppled in a heap to the ground.

A foot pressed against her back, forcing the wind from her lungs.

“See you at the end, loser,” Ivy called over her shoulder as she raced into the labyrinth.

“Stupid Ivy,” Paige said as she scrambled to her feet and raced into the maze.

As the stone walls closed around her, she ran headlong down passages, sliding around twists and turns until she hit a dead end. “Dang it,” she muttered, retracing her steps back toward the entrance.

She shook her head as she hit another dead end and panic rose within her. “No, think, Paige.”

The high walls rose at least two times her size, making them impossible to scale. She couldn’t seek out a path forward, she’d have to use her gut.

“Too bad my gut stinks at this,” she thought as she slowed her pace, desperately searching for a way through as quickly as possible.

She finally found a way forward and followed a long corridor to a wide chamber. Mirrors surrounded her, blocking the way forward. She stared at multiple versions of herself as a voice spoke over her.

“Find the correct mirror and your way will be clear.”

“Oh, no, not this again.” Paige shook her head, recalling the last mirror task she had where she’d nearly been pulled into the darkness.

“Paige, Paige!” Dewey’s voice called.

She twisted to find a likeness of the dragon in one of the mirrors. He waved at her as he grinned. “This way, Paige. This way.”

“Dewey?” she asked as she stepped closer.

“Come on, Paige. This way. This is the right mirror. Just step inside.”

Paige wrinkled her nose, pulling her chin back to her chest. “Uhh, how sure are you?”

“Very, very certain, Paige. Very certain, indeed.”

Paige scrunched her brow. “Uhh, I don’t know, buddy. You always say that, but it’s almost never right.”

The little dragon’s smile faded, replaced by a frown. “Because you’re stupid.”

“I am not. Geez, you’re hostile. And you’re not even the one under duress here.”

The dragon’s features twisted before he lunged toward her with his teeth bared.

“Whoa!” she shouted as she stumbled back a step, but the mirror image remained trapped behind the glass. “Yeah, okay, not trusting you.”

“Here, Paige,” Drucinda said from behind her. “Trust me. I can show you the way.”

Paige twisted to stare at the leather-clad woman in the mirror. She chewed her lower lip as she moved closer. “Drucinda’s not exactly trustworthy either.”

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