Page 46 of Beasts of Briar
Suddenly I was no longer in the jungle, in the treetop. I was in a blank world, a black expanse surrounding me. Absolute nothingness in a way I’d never seen before in someone’s mind.
I sucked in a breath. I did it. I’d infiltrated the shadow’s mind.
Normally when I entered someone’s mind when they slept, there were pieces of them everywhere. Parts of their subconscious I could manipulate, images I could form, worlds I could add to or take away from. Nightmares that lurked deep in the depths of their brains that I could bring to life. There was absolutely nothing here. No color, no memories, just an expanse of white that went on forever.
In the distance, a deep voice boomed that sent shivers down my spine. Kairoth.
I waded through the nothingness toward the voice. I had to get in the right part of the mind to better hear it, to see. It took longer than it normally would have since this was nothing like any mind I’d been in before, but finally I found a window. A small opening where I could see through the shadow’s eyes.
Other shadows hovered over the ground, all of them facing the god. Kairoth floated a few feet over them, a single shadow next to him. The one I’d initially targeted.
“Well done.” Kairoth held up an object.
My stomach dropped straight to the ground.
It was a bow and arrow, and I knew instantly who it belonged to.
“Aethira’s bow and arrow has been found. We’re getting closer to finding all seven weapons. Now that we’ve got earth, shadow, water, and fire, all that is left is frost, star, and sky.”
My heart hammered. Sky. The bolt. I’d almost forgotten about it stashed away in my satchel, hidden in his garden.
“Keep looking,” Kairoth said. “You know what’s at stake. And be mindful of our guests.”
My pulse spiked. He was talking about me, Leoni, and Driscoll.
“Especially Bellamy. She has secrets, secrets we need to discover. A few of you will stay here to keep an eye on her, the rest will go to the sky, frost, and star courts. You will scour them, you will scour the libraries, and you will not return until you’ve brought me those weapons.”
His words started growing fuzzy, the vision of him fading, and I realized the shadow I’d infiltrated was flying away. Damn. I’d wanted to see where he put the weapon. Were they up on this mountaintop? Or did he take it somewhere else?
I removed myself from his mind, entering back into my own as I stood in the tree. It was like waking up after an injury and feeling all the pain hit you at once. I doubled over and gasped as my hands throbbed from where I’d been gripping the branch. I should’ve been more careful. Should’ve sat down and situated myself before entering the shadow’s mind. I’d been so eager to see if it would work, I hadn’t thought about the position I’d left myself in.
Tears leaked out of the corners of my eyes. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to climb down this tree. Not with how much my hands were burning right now.
I took a deep breath, thinking through all my options and trying not to panic at the thought of being stuck in this tree all night—possibly longer if my hands didn’t start feeling better. I sank down, leaning against the trunk and trying to getcomfortable when I looked up to see Kairoth floating above the tree, staring directly at me.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
KAIROTH
It had been a good night. I didn’t have those too often. Especially not in the last sixty years since I was freed from my prison.
After I’d escaped and come here to the shadow court, I’d had to start collecting shadows to strengthen my power. But with no residents on the island, it took time. I had to ally with the pixies, get them to trust me, get them to work with me. Then I’d had to find someone who would bring people to the island so I could take their shadows.
It was slow and arduous. But as days grew to months and months turned to years, I started collecting shadows and sending them out all over the world looking for books, resources, maps—anything that could give me clues about where all of our weapons were hidden.
I spent frustrating year after year poring over texts, no closer to knowing where the weapons might be. I didn’t dare leave the castle, didn’t want anyone alerted to my presence. If word got out that a god was on the loose, it could have catastrophicconsequences. It would cause too much chaos, bring too many people to the island, raise too many questions. But more than anything, it would detract from my goal of getting the weapons.
Finally, finally, after years I had a breakthrough and found my first weapon: Ragar’s hammer. Then, slowly but surely I began acquiring more weapons. And tonight, I’d added to my collection, finally getting Aethira’s bow and arrow.
I’d flown back toward the castle feeling lighter than I had in months—until I spotted a lone figure sitting in one of the jungle trees.
Bellamy.
I’d hovered there far longer than I’d meant to, watching her cry and try to grab the tree, then wince and pull her hands away. She was hurt. It had awoken something in me, something feral and protective.
Which was foolish. I was not a protector. I never had been. I’d been about to lift away, to leave her to figure out this mess for herself, when she’d arched her neck and looked up, meeting my gaze.
“Need help?” I asked.
