Page 62 of A Kingdom of Shadows

"Use your strength!" I yell, noticing two carved dents of a crescent and sun entwined above.

"It won't work. This wall seems to be protected by magic," Darius says out of frustration from the opposite side, then sighs, collecting his thoughts. "Goldie, I need you to listen to what I ask you, alright?"

The Tibithian, having managed to squeeze in with me, peers up as I nod, even if Darius can't see my face.

"What do you see right now?" he asks, and I scan what's around me.

"A bridge of ice leading to another platform," I answer, focusing on something gleaming atop the platform. "I think the stone is there."

"Go there—"

"But what about you—"

"Never mind me. Just focus on the stone and get out of here."

I sigh, dropping my forehead against the wall. There's no point in fighting this when we need that stone. "I will," I promise him. Glancing down at the Tibithian, I order him to stay here and start toward the bridge, but two steps in, I find him following me. My shoulders drop in resignation, and I wave a hand over at him to join me. His ears flap, rushing to my side as I reach the narrow bridge. There's nothing to hold onto, and I can only rely on pacing myself carefully.

I put one foot out onto the bridge, cautious to see if it can bear my weight, and take a trembling breath, leveling my eyes with the platform ahead rather than the dark nothingness below. The Tibithian whizzes by without a second thought and I hold my breath, hoping the bridge doesn't collapse. When he comes to a halt, he blinks and uncurls himself, emitting animalistic garbles as he waits for me.

I chuckle as I step onto the bridge. "Just so you know, I'm not usually one to be afraid," I tease as I waltz toward the Tibithian, and he looks up at me with a twitch of his ears.

We spend the next few minutes walking across. The cave is so vast in size, and after a minute or two, I look back to where Darius is. He seems so far out of reach, even with a wall blocking us. I sigh, trying not to get myself so worked up. This isn't like the trials, Nara.

A glimmer of light from the sky above the mountain peak shines upon the platform. A staircase made of ice greets us at the end of the bridge, and we take the few steps we need to reach, coming face to face with a luster pedestal in the middle of it all. The Tibithian's gasps echo inside the cave as I walk around, gazing at a weighing scale carefully placed on top of the flat surface.

What on earth am I supposed to make of this?

My attention quickly catches an inscription of cursive writing below, and I tilt my head to get a better view. "A prize awaits for those who confess with lips that have dared not say," I read out, over and over, slowly and carefully.

I draw back from the pedestal as if that will help me analyze my thoughts.

It is asking for a confession.

My eyes jump back and forth from the left scale to the right.

"I do not have a—" The scale on the right tips and parts of the platform starts to rumble beneath us.

Right, it did not like that.

I blow out a tense breath and brace my arms against the pillar as the nerves start to get the best of me. I wipe my forearm across my forehead while the Tibithian's soft murmurs reach my ears like a bird's melodious coo.

Worry bubbles over me as I repeat the phrase out loud.

A confession I have dared not say...

But I have too many, some I don't even know of myself. I assume most of us do, but which one will get me that stone? If the scale on the right side tipped when I spoke, that could only mean it's equivalent to a lie and the left... truth.

Glancing over my shoulder, I wish to have Darius here beside me. He would have an answer. Likely a terrible one that would annoyingly in some way do the trick—

My body tenses, and a memory so fierce and vivid plays inside my head.

So, this... must belong to you then.

My carving, my sun.

You—you were the one to drop it. And you kept it all these years.

"Lorcan..." I whisper as the echo of his words disappear, and I look toward the scales, repeating, "A prize awaits for those who confess with lips that have dared not say."

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