Page 26 of Crown of Envy

As we steeled ourselves to enter the cave, Damon’s voice dropped lower. “Seriously, though, everyone stay sharp in there. I’ve got a feeling this cave makes our statue garden look like Disneyland.”

After a collective deep breath, we stepped into the yawning darkness, the compass pulling us forward into the unknown. The beam of our flashlights seemed pitifully small against the overwhelming blackness, and I felt we were being watched by unseen eyes, waiting for us to make one fatal misstep.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The beam of Damon’s flashlight cut through the inky darkness like a knife, dancing across the jagged walls of the cave. Brody’s light soon joined it, the beams crisscrossing in an erratic pattern as we cautiously made our way deeper into the cavern.

But something was…off.

I blinked hard, convinced my eyes were playing tricks on me. Wherever the light touched, I swear I saw shadows moving, always a fraction of a second ahead of the illumination. It was as if the darkness itself was alive, retreating from the light with an unnatural intelligence.

“Do you guys see that?” I whispered over the sound of water dripping somewhere in the distance.

Damon swung his flashlight in a wide arc, the beam catching on glittering mineral deposits before plunging back into darkness. “See what? The overwhelming amount of nothing, or the creepy rock formations that look like they want to eat us?”

Still, I saw his hand tighten on the flashlight, his knuckles white with tension. He’d noticed it, too.

Brody’s light joined Damon’s and focused on a particularly dark corner. For a split second, I could have sworn I saw something. A mass of writhing shadows, perhaps. Then, it vanished, leaving behind nothing but bare rock.

“It’s like the shadows are playing hide and seek,” Brody muttered, his voice gruff with unease. “Always one step ahead.”

The air in the cave felt thick, almost syrupy, making each breath a conscious effort. The temperature seemed to drop with every step we took.

Zara huddled closer to me. “In all my years of magic, I’ve never felt anything like this,” she whispered. “It’s as if the darkness is…hungry.”

A skittering sound echoed deep in the cave, making us all freeze. Damon and Brody’s lights swept the area frantically, but again, the shadows seemed to retreat ahead of the beams, always remaining tantalizingly out of sight.

“Well, I guess we know where all the evil shadow puppets hang out on their days off. Any chance we could, I don’t know, find a cave with a better Yelp review next time?” Damon’s voice lacked its usual bravado.

Despite his attempt at humor, the tension was like a suffocating wool blanket, stealing our breath, scratching our skin. We pressed on, huddling closer together, our eyes straining against the darkness. The compass continued to pull us forward, deeper into the heart of the cave. The shadows grew thicker, more substantial with each step.

I sensed we weren’t merely walking through darkness. We were being allowed to pass, observed and evaluated by something beyond our comprehension. And I feared the moment it decided we had gone far enough.

Our only consolation was that the compass glowed in the dark, its ethereal blue light casting an eerie glow on our faces. I clutched it tightly, my knuckles white, feeling the cool metal bite into my palm. The soft pulsing of its light seemed to match the frantic beating of my heart.

Unfortunately, the compass’ unwavering needle kept leading us deeper. Each step felt like a battle against my instincts, every fiber of my being screaming to turn back.

Damon’s breath emerged in visible puffs as he muttered, “Great. We’re following a glow-in-the-dark Happy Meal toy into the bowels of hell. What could possibly go wrong?”

Brody shushed him sharply, his body tense as a coiled spring. He held his flashlight like a weapon, ready to strike. “Keep it down,” he hissed. “We don’t know what’s down here.”

The tunnel narrowed, forcing us to walk single-file. Zara’s trembling hand clutched my shoulder, her fingers digging in almost painfully. The walls seemed to press in on us, the rough stone scraping against our arms as we shuffled forward.

A low rumble echoed through the cavern, and loose pebbles skittered across the ground. We all froze, barely daring to breathe. My mouth went dry, and I could taste the metallic tang of fear on my tongue.

“Please tell me that was someone’s stomach,” Damon whispered.

The compass tugged insistently, urging us onward. I swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in my throat. “We need to keep moving,” I managed to croak out.

As we pressed on, each breath felt like drawing in molasses, and a fine sheen of cold sweat broke out across my brow. The darkness seemed to press against our skin, an almost tangible presence.

The compass’ glow pulsed stronger, its blue light intensifying with each throb. Writhing shadows danced on the cave walls, twisting into grotesque shapes that seemed to reach for us. My heart hammered as I tried to convince myself they were tricks of the light. But deep down, a primal part of me knew better.

“Whatever’s waiting for us, it’s close,” Brody murmured. “Be ready for anything.”

I couldn’t hold the compass and use my bow, so I reluctantly holstered it and took out my blade. The others withdrew their swords with a series of metallic whispers that echoed ominously.

Suddenly, the compass jerked violently in my hand, nearly wrenching my wrist. Its glow flared blindingly bright, illuminating a sight that made my blood run cold.

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