Page 15 of Rage of the Fallen

We moved carefully toward my brother’s shape, mindful of the uneven ground beneath our feet. The sound of the nearby stream grew louder, providing a constant backdrop to our cautious approach.

As we drew closer, more details came into focus. The tilt of Damon’s head as he listened for our approach, the tension inhis posture gradually relaxing as he recognized us. The relief of finding each other in this strange, dark place was a ray of victory.

It was the first step in defeating Maci.

A small glow pierced the darkness, approaching us slowly. My muscles tensed instinctively as years of experience facing supernatural threats kicked in. Justice stiffened, his hand tightening around mine.

The chill of the night air seeped into my bones, and I hugged myself, suddenly aware of how exposed we were. I glanced around, and panic rose in my chest. “Where’s my backpack?” I whispered, fear making my voice quiver.

“Right here,” Justice reassured me, holding it up. The fabric rustled in the quiet night. “I think it somehow got ripped off your back. Not sure how.”

With trembling hands, I sat up and tore the bag open. Relief washed over me as my fingers brushed the familiar shapes of the mirror, the crown, and the other artifacts. But something was missing. My heart skipped a beat. “Where’s the hourglass?”

Justice scanned our immediate surroundings, his vampire sight piercing the darkness better than mine. He moved toward the gentle burble of water. Moments later, he returned, the hourglass glinting dully in the moonlight.

The light grew closer, and I braced myself for a fight. It had to be Maci. Or worse, Rage.

Yet, as the light drew nearer, familiar silhouettes took shape beyond the glow. The tension in my body eased as I recognized Lisa and Zara’s outlines. Lisa held what looked like a pulsing orb of white light in her palm, its radiance pushing back the oppressive darkness.

“Oh, thank goodness,” I murmured, relief washing over me.

I made out their faces in the ethereal light. Lisa’s brow furrowed in concentration, her lips moving as if maintaining thespell required constant focus. Zara walked close beside her, alert for any potential threats.

“Are you guys okay?” Zara called.

I nodded, then realized they might not be able to see the gesture clearly. “We’re fine. Have you seen Brody? Did he make it?”

Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes

Zara looked around. “I thought I saw him, but I lost track.”

God, I didn’t want to lose Brody again. He had the heart of a hero and brought this team together when we lost all hope.

“We’ll find him,” Justice insisted, putting a hand on my shoulder.

Lisa held up the light and slowly moved it around. There was a dark shape that looked like Brody.

Justice tilted his head. “I think that’s him over there.”

I exhaled in relief. “Lisa, that light is incredible.”

Lisa managed to smile a little, though strain showed in the corners of her eyes. “Only a simple illumination spell,” she replied modestly. “It’s taking more energy than I expected, though. This place is different.”

Something in her tone didn’t sit well with me. “Meaning?”

“There are fairies here,” she told me. “I can feel them impacting my magic.”

I glanced at Justice, not sure if I believed in fairies. What if theywerehere, though? I wasn’t a witch, and maybe Lisa could sense them. I looked around uneasily, the shadows seeming to deepen around us.

“You’ve never encountered fairies before?”

A chill slid down my spine at Lisa’s words, one that had nothing to do with the cool night air. My eyes met Justice’s, and I saw my concern mirrored in his gaze.

Damon scoffed. “Fairies don’t exist.” He grunted, crossing his arms.

Zara’s head snapped toward him, her eyes wide with alarm. “Actually, they do.” She glanced nervously at the darkness around us before continuing. “And you’d be wise not to say anything bad about them. Fairies take offense easily, and you don’t want them to takeyou. We might not ever find you.”

A heavy silence fell over our group as the weight of Zara’s words sank in. The gentle burble of the nearby stream suddenly seemed ominous, as if hiding whispers beyond our hearing.

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