Page 164 of Visions & Shadows

Ares clenches his jaw, and a tear slips down his cheek, but he doesn’t stop me from talking.

“I remember our last time together in the shack. Right before you left, I saw something, and I want to know if I imagined it or if it was real.”

I can’t believe how calmly I’m talking to him. I have to be insane.

“I couldn’t control what I did, but I…Alchera,”he pauses and gives me a pleading look.“I tried so hard to fight Adeth. She was just too strong, but I never wanted to hurt you. What I did to you…”he shakes his head, tortured by the guilt that’s clearly eating him alive,“it killed me.”

His eyes beg me to understand. To forgive him.

Now that he’s no longer a threat, it’s hard to ignore that he looks a lot like Raighne and Finian. Just like them, he’s good-looking, but the hell he’s lived with gives him a dark and tortured look the other two men don’t have.

It makes it so much harder not to feel pity for him.

I glance away from Ares and take in my surroundings. The wind is constantly blowing, never letting up. The sun has a sinister red tinge to it, giving the impression it’s twilight and not early in the day.

It feels like the shadows that are moving inside me are a moment away from engulfing this world in darkness.

Not looking at Ares, I whisper,“I’m not ready to forgive and forget.”I suck in a quivering breath.“My memories are different than yours. They’re not filled with guilt but with unbearable pain.”I start walking to where Raighne is standing with his arms crossed over his chest, watching Ares like a hawk.

“It’s funny, you know.”I shrug before giving Ares a last glance.“Here you are, changing into this good person and asking for forgiveness, while I’m…”I wrap my arms tighter around myself.“I feel cold and dark, like I’m becoming this malicious thing. It’s like we’re swapping places.”

“Alchera, no!” Ares snaps as he stalks toward me.

Raighne’s arm flies up, and it looks like Ares walks into an invisible barrier that keeps him from taking another step.

I move to Raighne’s side and say,“This talk …”I wave my hand between Ares and myself,“whatever this is. It’s finished. I’ve had enough.”I take hold of Raighne’s hand so he’ll release Ares.“Next time, I won’t stop Raighne. Stay away from me.”

While the others gather in a group, Raighne pulls me to the side, muttering, “You’re not becoming a malicious thing.”

Unable to make eye contact with him, I glance down the street. “We both know it’s bound to happen. There’s no stopping the shadows from growing in me. I’ll do my best to get the chosen ones to Vaalbara, but there’s no way I’m getting through this without turning into the same thing as Adeth.”

Raighne lifts a hand, and taking hold of my chin, he forces me to look at him. “You’re not turning into Adeth. I won’t allow it.”

I try to smile but fail, and before I can say another word, I notice the clouds gathering above us. It looks like they’re churning.

No.

Pressure hits me full-on, and turning to the others, I shout, “Cover your ears!”

We’re hit with one hell of a blast of energy, knocking us off our feet. Raighne falls over me, his body covering mine just as another wave hits us.

When I manage to lift my head, blood trickles warm down my neck. Then I hear and feel everything - trees screech, birds drop dead, people cry, and one after the other, heartbeats stop.

A cloud of ash blocks the sun as it fills the air.

“Raighne!”

I let out a sob as Raighne helps me into a sitting position, and when his hands cover my ears, I feel him work overtime to still the chaos in me.

There’s a deep rumbling coming from the ground before it starts to quake beneath us.

Crouching in front of me and holding my head to his chest, he shouts at the others, “We have to move! Get everyone up.”

With the ground shuddering uncontrollably, Raighne helps me to stand, and I shake my head to rid myself of the dizziness left over from the blast.

I think the volcano just erupted.

Shit.

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