Page 73 of Crimson Shadows
Zephyr closes his eyes, concentrating. The shadows around us deepen, coalescing into shapes that look like living creatures. With a gesture, he sends them scurrying towards the building, creating a chaotic dance of darkness that draws the attention of the magickal wards and makes me gasp in wonder.
“Now,” he whispers, grabbing my hand. We dash towards the entrance, slipping through the momentarily distracted defences.
Inside, the air is thick with protective magick. I can feel it pressing against us, trying to push us out. Zephyr leads us through winding corridors, always staying just ahead of the building’s awakening awareness of our presence.
Finally, we reach the Headmaster’s office. The door is sealed with layers upon layers of magickal locks, each more complex than the last.
“This is it,” Zephyr says, his voice strained with effort. “I need you to enhance my powers, Adelaide. Focus on the connection between us, on amplifying my magick. Can you do that?”
I nod, placing my hand on the back of his. He hisses as sparks fly, and the space between us heats up. I close my eyes, concentrating on the flow of energy between us as I did with Blackthorn. Zephyr’s magick is cold and powerful, the complete opposite of Blackthorn’s, and I focus on making it stronger, pushing my own energy into it.
The effect is immediate and overwhelming. Zephyr grunts. His eyes are glowing brightly now, filled with power that should scare the shit out of me, but all it does is make me pant with need for him. He raises his hands, mine still pressed against his, and the shadows around us come alive, attacking the magickal locks with a preciseness that is beautiful to watch.
One by one, the barriers fall. The building shudders under the assault of our combined power. But just when I think we can’t possibly succeed, the final lock breaks with a sound like shattering glass.
We stumble into the office, breathing hard. In the centre of the room, in an open box, sits a small, unassuming key. It looks ordinary but is anything but. It’s waiting for us.
Zephyr snatches it up, grinning triumphantly. “We did it, princess. You were magnificent.”
Before I can respond, we hear footsteps approaching. “Time to go,” Zephyr says, grabbing my hand again.
We race through the corridors, my enhanced speed that has sprung up, allowing us to stay just ahead of our pursuers. As we burst out of the building, Zephyr pulls me close, wrapping us both in shadows. For a moment, the world disappears, replaced by a cold, dark void. Then we’re back on the grounds, far from the administrative buildings.
“Shadow walking,” Zephyr explains, seeing my confused expression. “Handy for quick getaways.”
I nod, still catching my breath. The adrenaline is wearing off, leaving me feeling drained but exhilarated. “That was wild.”
Zephyr laughs, a sound of pure joy that I’ve never heard from him before. “You were amazing in there, Adelaide. Your ability is staggering. Be very, very careful who you give that to.”
“Including you?”
His face turns deadly serious as he moves in closer and cups my face, brushing his thumb over my bottom lip. “Especially me.”
I lower my gaze and bite my lip in an effort not to suck his thumb into my mouth and slice his skin with my fangs so I can drink from him again. “We make a good team,” I say softly instead.
“I’m not surprised, princess.”
We stand there for a moment, the night air cool on my flushed skin, the weight of what we’ve just accomplished settling over us. I’m acutely aware of how close we are, of the electricity still fizzing between us.
Finally, Zephyr clears his throat, breaking the spell. “We should keep moving,” he says, his voice slightly husky. “We still have two items left to find.”
I nod, trying to ignore the way my heart is racing. “What’s next?”
“A stone that whispers secrets,” Zephyr reads from the list. “And after that, a cup that never empties.”
As we set off in search of our next target, I can’t help but feel that something has fundamentally changed between us. The connection we formed in the Headmaster’s office, the way our powers intertwined... it was incredible. Powerful, addicting.
I steal a glance at Zephyr as we walk, clutching the book to me that has become a part of my soul since I picked it up. He’s back to his arrogant self, but there’s a new warmth in the way he looks at me, a respect that wasn’t there before.
The temperature has grown colder as Zephyr, and I make our way towards the ancient stone circle near the edge of theMistHallow grounds. The mist is descending again, and our breath forms small clouds in front of us. I can feel the weight of our collected items, and I shuffle uncomfortably. We’re so close to finishing the hunt, but it’s not over yet.
“A stone that whispers secrets,” I mutter, repeating the next item on our list. “Any ideas where we might find that?”
Zephyr’s eyes gleam in the moonlight as he points towards a cluster of standing stones in the distance. “There. The Whispering Stones. They’re ancient, older than MistHallow itself. If any stone can whisper secrets, it’ll be one of those.”
“How do you know all of this?” I ask as we approach the stone circle. I feel a chill run down my spine that has nothing to do with the cold. The air here feels different, charged with an energy that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. The stones loom over us, their surfaces etched with symbols I can’t decipher.
“Be careful,” Zephyr warns, his voice low. “These stones are powerful. They don’t give up their secrets easily. It’s all nature. It’s all been heavily explored by myself and those who came before me. My father has maps of maps relating to this place. There are very few nooks and crannies left that haven’t been chartered already.”
