Page 40 of Crimson Shadows
It?
But as we try to move past, our doppelgangers step into our path.
“Are you sure about that?” the other Corvus says, his voice identical to the real one. “Maybe we’re the real ones, and you’re the illusions.”
I feel a chill run down my spine. The other Adelaide is looking at me with pity and contempt that feels uncomfortably familiar.
“You don’t belong here,” she says, echoing my own deepest fears. “You’re not special, you’re just a mistake. A half-breed freak who doesn’t fit in anywhere.”
I flinch, the words hitting home harder than I’d like to admit. Beside me, Corvus is staring at me as the other Adelaide’s harsh words affect me more than I’d like.
“Don’t listen to them,” he says.
I reach out on instinct and grab his hand. His skin is cool against mine, but there’s a spark of electricity at the contact.
His loose grip on my hand tightens after a hesitation that speaks volumes. “They’re just playing on our insecurities. We’re real, we’re here, and we’re going to complete this quest.”
I squeeze his hand. “You’re right. Nice try other us, but we’re not falling for it.”
With a sound like shattering glass, the doppelgangers dissolve into mist. The passage ahead is clear.
Grinning at each other, we walk forward, still hand in hand. Neither of us mentions it, but for once in my life, I’m grateful for the contact. It’s a reminder that I’m not alone in this strange, shifting world. It feels natural, which is the most unnatural thing in the world to me. I try not to dwell on it and concentrate on what I’m doing.
As we navigate the twisting passages, the Labyrinth seems determined to test us at every turn. We round a corner, and suddenly, the floor beneath our feet begins to crumble.
“Adelaide, jump!” Corvus shouts, his hand tightening on mine.
I leap forward just as the ground gives way completely, revealing a pit of writhing shadows below. Corvus’s vampiric speed allows him to dart forward and catch me mid-air, pulling me to safety on the other side of the chasm.
We stand there for a moment, hearts racing, as we stare at the void where solid ground had been just seconds ago.
“Thanks,” I breathe, still clinging to his arm. “Guess my vampire half is slow on the uptake.”
Corvus nods, his eyes scanning the path ahead, ignoring my remark. “We need to be more careful. This place is actively trying to take us out.”
No sooner have the words left his mouth than we hear a low rumbling sound. The walls on either side of us begin to move, slowly but inexorably closing in.
“Oh, you have got to be kidding me,” I mutter, looking around frantically for an escape route.
Corvus grabs my hand again. “This way!” he shouts, pulling me forward at a run.
We sprint down the narrowing corridor, the walls scraping our shoulders as we go. His vampire speed is dragging me along in its wake, and my feet are unable to keep up. I stumble, but he doesn’t slow down. Instead, I seem to lift off the ground and hover behind him as he pulls me along. It’s the most surreal experience I’ve ever encountered, and it takes my breath away.
Ahead, I can see the passage ending in a solid wall.
“Corvus, it’s a dead end!” I yell, panic rising in my throat.
But he doesn’t slow down. Instead, he turns mid-run and wraps one arm around my waist and shouts, “Hold on tight!”
Using his vampire strength, Corvus leaps upward just as we reach the end of the corridor.
“Eeek!” I scream as we go airborne, and I’m being held in place with just an arm.
His fingers catch the top of the wall, and with a grunt of effort, he hauls us both up and over.
We tumble to the ground on the other side, rolling away from the edge just as the walls slam together with a thunderous boom.
For a moment, we just lie there, catching our breath. Then Corvus starts to laugh. No fear, no exhaustion, no panic, only glee.
