Page 48 of Crown of Envy

My throat constricted. Tears burned my eyes as I struggled to remember. Was this my father? I couldn’t recall a single moment with him. The void in my memory yawned wide, a chasm of loss I couldn’t bridge.

Hot, bitter envy surged through me like poison. My hands clenched into fists, nails digging painfully into my palms. I wanted that relationship desperately. The easy camaraderie, the shared laughter, the proud glances. The unfairness of it all made my chest ache, a physical pain that threatened to overwhelm me.

“It’s not real,” I whispered, hoarse and unconvincing. But the emotions—the longing, the jealousy, the sense of abandonment—those were all too real.

I stumbled forward, reaching out to touch the image of the man who might be my father. My fingers passed through the illusion, leaving me grasping at empty air. A sob tore from my throat, raw and primal.

“Why can’t I remember?” I screamed at the mirrored walls, my reflection fractured and distorted, showing a thousand versions of my anguished face. “Why him and not me?”

The envy coiled tighter around my heart, threatening to suffocate me. It whispered seductive promises. If only I could remember, if only I could have what Damon had, everything would be better.

Yet, as the thought formed, I knew it was a lie. This was the labyrinth’s test. Using my stolen memories against me, twisting my love for my brother into something ugly and corrosive.

With a herculean effort, I forced myself to take a deep breath. “No,” I demanded, my voice gaining strength. “I won’t let this define me. My worth isn’t determined by memories I can’t recall or relationships I might have missed.”

I squared my shoulders, facing my fractured reflections. “I choose to let this go. I choose to be happy for Damon, not envious. I choose to forge my own path, with or without these memories.”

As I spoke the words, something shifted within me. The envy didn’t disappear entirely, but its hold on me weakened. The images faded, the laughter becoming distant echoes.

I took a step forward, then another, moving past the fading illusions. The test wasn’t over, but I had passed this challenge. Whatever lay ahead, I would face it with a clearer heart and a stronger sense of self.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Suddenly, I felt a cool touch on my arm. I whirled, my heart pounding, only to find Justice standing there. Relief washed over me like a wave, and I sagged against him as he pulled me into his arms. His familiar scent enveloped me, anchoring me back to reality.

“Sawyer, it’s over,” Justice murmured. “Look.” He pointed over my shoulder, his body tense with anticipation.

I turned, following his gaze. My breath caught in my throat as I saw a stone shifting, grinding against its neighbors with an otherworldly rumble. It revealed a golden scale, its surface gleaming in the flickering torchlight. The sight of it sent a jolt of adrenaline through my system, banishing the last vestiges of my envy-induced stupor.

Without thinking, I broke free from Justice’s embrace and rushed toward the scale. My legs felt wobbly, like I was running through water, but fear propelled me forward. The image of Zara’s betrayal flashed in my mind, spurring me on. I couldn’t let her get to it first.

My fingers closed around the cool metal of the scale. When I touched it, a low rumble reverberated through the chamber. Another door materialized in the wall, swinging open to reveal a torch-lit passage beyond.

The sound of stumbling footsteps drew my attention. Damon, Brody, Zara, and Lisa were approaching us, each looking as shaken as I felt. Damon’s usually cocky demeanor was subdued, his face pale and drawn. Brody’s jaw was set in a grim line. Lisa seemed to be trembling slightly, while Zara… I quickly averted my gaze from her, not trusting myself to maintain a neutral expression.

Questions burned on the tip of my tongue. What had they faced? What visions had the labyrinth shown them? As I opened my mouth to ask, I caught sight of the open passage behind me. The flickering torchlight seemed to beckon us forward, a reminder of our urgent mission.

“There’s no time,” I rasped. “We need to keep moving.”

I clutched the scale tighter, its weight a tangible reminder of what we’d accomplished and what still lay ahead. The passage loomed before us, dark and foreboding despite the torches. Something told me our greatest challenge was yet to come.

“The Aegis serpent,” Brody murmured, voicing the thought we all shared.

With a collective deep breath, we stepped into the passage, the promise of the Crown of Envy and the threat of the Aegis serpent pulling us forward into the unknown.

I handed the scale to Justice and walked in first. The compass pointed down the passageway. I expected it to go on forever, like the Grove of Whispers or the dungeons of Edinburgh, but I was wrong.

As I turned a corner, my breath caught in my throat. There, mere steps away, stood an altar. Atop it, gleaming in the torchlight, was the Crown of Envy.

My eyes widened as I took in the sight of the Aegis serpent, a massive snake, the largest I had ever seen. Its emerald scales shimmered as it slithered over the crown. The snake’s glowing green eyes locked with mine. I sensed its pulsing power, drawing me toward it. A chill ran down my spine, and I instinctively knew I was the one who had to face it.

Brody’s hand on my shoulder made me flinch. “Stay back, Sawyer,” he insisted, his voice tight with concern. “I’ll face it.”

I placed my hand on his arm, feeling the tension in his muscles. “No, Brody. This is my destiny. Yours is to guard my back. Can you do that?”

His scowl deepened as he scanned the chamber. “Maci is coming?”

I nodded, my stomach clenching with dread.

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