Page 55 of Bonded to the Fallen Shadow King

Her fingers were barely holding the edge of the wood, and sweat beaded her brow. I reached the last plank, ignoring the way it creaked, and caught Calla Lily’s hand just as it slipped off the board.

My entire body strained as I tried lifting her, and I grunted. “Lock your hands on my arm.”

When her hands locked on my forearms, her weight pulled me forward. My heart seized as my feet scraped the planks, slipping. My skirts tangled around my legs. A board behind me cracked loud and sharp. Something sliced my leg, then pain seared through me.

I leaned back and hauled hard.

Anothercrackshuddered through me. Then the clicks came faster. The spiked blades shot up again, the leftmost one grazing the side of my lower leg before I could slide it fully into the gap between the spikes. Agony shot through me as blood spilled down my boot, but I refused to let go.

I groaned and pulled Calla Lily out of the hole, and then I dragged her the last few feet until my back pressed against the wall of the starting platform.

The creatures below backed off and retreated from our platform. The water stilled again. But the ticking continued. Not loud. Just steady. But maybe a little faster than it had been.

For a second, we lay there, Calla Lily’s hands still clinging to my forearms. I couldn’t hear her breathing at first, but then she sobbed.

Once I realized Calla Lily was okay, the adrenaline wore off and the pain from my leg stole my breath. It was seeping blood from the scratch made by the blade. I needed to stop the bleeding so it wouldn’t lure more predators toward us.

I ripped off one of my sleeves and sliced a strip from my dress. Ignoring the warm liquid, I wrapped the fabric tight around the wound and tied it off. My fingers were shaking, but I got it done.

Cold tendrils of fear choked me as I found the center path was shot. No support left. Most of the boards had started to tilt.

The right path wasn’t much better. Gaps between platforms that would force us to do long jumps, which most of them couldn’t do with all the extra weight we carried, especially since there was no margin for error.

I bit my lips, trying to find the answers and attempting to ignore the way my leg burned. The more time this trial took, the harder it would get. Would any of these pathways even be here in an hour if at least three others didn't get to the top of the tower?

Thalira drew up her blue water whips and came to the edge to peer down, wincing as she moved. She wasn't putting much weight on her foot, and it was clear that wielding water while off balance and with the discs had taken a toll on her.

"You have to go, Briar," she rasped, her arms dropping to her sides. "Ceana and Deallan have already gone after the others, but the likelihood of any of those empty minds other than Rhielle and Kaylen making it is low. We can hold out for now, but you’re the most likely to get to the tower."

I shook my head. There was no way in hell I’d leave them. If I hadn’t been here, I wouldn’t have been able to save Calla Lily, and she’d be dead. If I left them and they died, that would be on me. I had to protect them. They were my fae pack. “I can’t. It wouldn’t be right.” I straightened my shoulders, ready to fight.

Another horrified scream echoed through the air.

My blood iced over. Someone was in danger and most likely hurt.

ChapterEighteen

Briar

Ispun toward the scream, the blood thundering in my ears. My fingers curled into fists. Someone was in imminent danger.

Mist curled from below, obscuring the water. I had no doubt it would soon cover us whole and make us struggle to even see each other.

I gritted my teeth, the heavy sluggish feel of hatred oozing through me. Idespisedthis place, and I hoped like hell each observer got what was coming to them. My chest tugged, and I glanced up, but I couldn’t see the royal family or the Council.

Thalira placed a hand on my arm, startling me.

“We’ll protect everyone here. We can use our magic and can hold out for an hour. You need to go help—you can move faster than all of us.Please. They said that every three women who complete the challenge will lessen the attacks here. You can make that happen for us.”

Yuki pointed to the filthy waters below, though we couldn’t see the creatures any longer as the mist was now filtering around us and thickening over the planks.

“Something lured them away, but we know they’ll be back. Do you hear the clicking?”

“It’s hard to hear.” Velessa adjusted her hold on her discs. Myantha and Calla Lily both huddled close to Velessa and Yuki. The others tightened their circle, eyes wide but determined.

“Yeah, I hear it.” I gripped a handful of my hair, fighting to process all this. “It’s a little faster now. And the creatures stopped for no reason. It’s like they were called away. This trial isn’t to test ruthlessness. It’s for intelligence. So there’s probably a pattern.”

Another loudclicksounded over the clacking and slooshing below, a stark reminder that we were running out of time. Too many had already died, and I was being torn in two, wanting to stay here and protect my allies, but realizing that leaving them might be the best way to do that.

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