Page 55 of The Shadows of Excess

Justice nodded. “Yes.” His gaze hadn’t left the spot where the eyes had been. “And she’s not merely watching us. She wants us to know she’s there.”

“Well, that’s not good,” Damon added, his tone laced with a hint of dark humor. “She’s like a cat playing with her food. And right now, we’re the mice.”

I braced my shoulders. “Then we keep moving. The next thing in my vision was a dark tunnel.” I sounded brave, but a tremor of terror moved through me. Any minute, I expected a stream of fire to engulf the car and blow us to bits.

As if sensing an imminent threat, the deer suddenly bolted from the pond’s edge, their hooves drumming a rapid rhythm on the soft earth as they vanished into the fog. Moments later, something massive flew overhead, its presence marked by a fleeting, ominous shadow rippling across the pond’s surface. I instinctively looked up in time to catch a fleeting glimpse of what appeared to be the end of a black tail disappearing into the misty sky.

“She’s definitely up to something bad,” Justice predicted. “We have to be ready for anything.” His gloomy tone practically screamed we were driving into a trap. A trap one of us might not survive.

I swore something scaly skimmed over my flesh. It was as if Maci had run her talon along my body, leaving rows of goosebumps behind. I pressed my face against the window, trying to see where the dragon went, but I couldn’t see anything.

Shit-shit-shit-shit-shit.

God, we were so screwed. Maci was definitely here, and she was playing some kind of deadly game.

Damon gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles whitening as he navigated the winding road. The headlights cut through the dense fog, but it only seemed to grow thicker and more suffocating. The car crawled along at a snail’s pace, and Damon’s deep breaths matched the steady hum of the engine.

Justice didn’t seem to be breathing. His eyes had turned red as if he was getting ready to battle Maci. But he was a vampire. How could he defeat a shadow dragon? It seemed like all of us were lost in our thoughts about what we had witnessed at the pond, determining our chances for survival.

Something loomed in front of us as if rising from the ground. It had to be the same cliff the waterfall had cascaded down, and the only way around it was through the foreboding tunnel. Its dark maw yawned wide, swallowing the faint light from our headlights. The blackness brought an overwhelming fear that suffocated my lungs and stopped my heart.

Justice leaned closer to me, his warm breath brushing over my throat. “Is that the tunnel you saw in your visions?” His voice jumpstarted my heart and lungs.

“Yes, it is,” I confirmed softly, hugging my waist with trembling arms.

“That’s what we needed on this tour. A dark, spooky tunnel.” The corners of Damon’s mouth turned up into a surly grin. “No place for a shadow dragon to hide in there.” He glanced between me and Justice. “So, you guys really wanna dive headfirst into this black hole, huh? Just so you know, this could be like getting stuck in the worst kind of time warp. We might never find our way back to Kansas, Totos.”

I drew a deep breath and exhaled. “My visions said we have to go through the tunnel. On the other side is the Whispering Shadows Cemetery.” I looked at my brother. “It’s the only way, Damon.”

Damon gave me a sobering glance, then switched to a playful grin. “Here we go down the swirling black hole without our broomsticks.”

Don’t panic. Don’t panic. Don’t panic.

As the Porsche slipped into the tunnel, a blanket of darkness buried us. My body slid into full panic mode. My heart raced, my breath stalled, and my palms turned clammy.

I tried to draw deep breaths, but my lungs wouldn’t function. All I could do was inhale in short sips. Black spots danced in front of my eyes, and I thought I was going to pass out.

Damon glanced at me and squeezed my arm. “Stay frosty, sis. We’ve been in tighter places than this.”

Not many.

I nodded like a bobblehead and gripped the side of the door. I reached into the glove compartment to pull out a blade, but we weren’t in the Fairlane. We were stuck in Elijah’s luxurious Porsche with absolutely no weapons against a shadow dragon.

I rubbed my slick forehead and stared out the window into the darkness. It was as if we had crossed an invisible threshold, leaving the light of the natural world behind. The only illumination came from the car’s headlights, casting a feeble glow that oppressive blackness swallowed. The air grew heavier, charged with dread, making it even more difficult to breathe.

The panic within me transformed into something visceral, like fierce dragon claws scratching at my insides. The tunnel felt like a descent into an underworld realm where shadows might conceal lurking demons ready to pounce.

I couldn’t afford to fall apart. Not now. Damon was right—staying calm was crucial. Panic only led to costly mistakes. I closed my eyes and drew long, deep breaths, trying to steady my racing heart.

In that moment of forced calm, memories surfaced of the stories Mom used to read to Damon and me. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien was a favorite. I always admired Aragorn, especially his daring journey to recruit the Army of the Dead.

He had ventured into Dwimorberg, the Haunted Mountain, braving the dark, ominous Paths of the Dead that wound through the White Mountains. My mind drew parallels. Here we were, seemingly on a similar path, possibly facing our own orcs, demons, and other foul creatures.

But Aragorn had been brave, facing his fears with only Legolas and Gimli at his side, convincing the Army of the Dead to aid him. His courage in the face of the unknown emboldened me. If Aragorn could face his daunting task with such resolve, I could face this. I drew another deep breath, feeling a newfound strength coursing through me. I opened my eyes and braced my shoulders, ready to fight evil. I could do this.

SHRASHH-SHRASHH-SHRASHH!

A thunderous crash erupted behind us, sending violent tremors through the ground. The car jolted, bouncing up and down as if caught in the grips of an unseen giant’s seesaw.

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