Page 54 of Song of Night

I know it’s not far—a quarter mile at the most. My plan had worked. But I have no idea what comes next.

Without Asher, I can’t free the goddess and fix the magical imbalance. It has to be the two of us together, and I don’t know where Asher is, or if he’s even alive. For the first time since Kieran carried me off, I allow the sob of sorrow that’s been sitting in my chest to break free. I let the tears exit my eyes and fling from my cheeks as I flee.

I don’t know what I’m going to do if he’s gone. Not just because Night will fall… but because my soul will be broken forever.

When the feeling of old magic fades from the earth, I know I’m back within Night. I sag against the wall for several moments, my lungs burning, my heart beating itself raw against my ribcage. It’s in that moment of stillness, with no sound but the beating of my heart and my ragged breath, that I realize I’m not alone.

I can sense it coming up behind me, just as I had in my visions. Darkness and teeth and ancient evil.

Chapter Forty-One

ZARA

It seems I’ve been running forever. As if my whole lifetime has led to this flight through darkness, terror pumping in my veins.

The fact that I’ve experienced it before in my visions only compounds the feeling. Except its different this time. Because in my vision I had not laid eyes on the thing that hunts me, it was only a primal fear of the unseen evil.

But now I know what pursues me. Had seen it break through Ellielle’s body and claim it for its own. Had seen its eyes and teeth and dark, dark wings.

My magic is beginning to fail, and then I’ll be without light and without the ability to navigate. I will die here in the darkness as the demon feasts on my flesh and my soul. But I’m so close. I can’t fail now. Not when I’m nearly there.

The tunnel widens and grows in height, turning from dirt to stone. A rough-hewn staircase appears on my left, leading down into darkness. I fling myself down it, following it as it spirals deeper beneath the earth. It’s no manmade structure, not this far beneath the surface. It was made by the goddess, by Night itself. It must have been.

When the staircase finally ends, a long hallway stretches ahead. Drawing more air into my lungs and calling on the last reserves of my magic, I run. But the rush of wings coming from behind tells me I’m not going to make it. The hairs on the back of my neck sense the monster on my heels.

As it whooshes down on me, I spin and throw the last of my magic at the thing, sliding on my back down the hall. I know I won’t kill it, but I’m not going to die without a fight. I will not let fear be the last thing I know in this world. A thin bolt of violet light hits the creature as it emerges from the darkness, teeth first, its gaping maw open wide.

But then a powerful blast of wild magic merges with mine, coming from behind me.

Asher strides out of the darkness, arms raised, roiling with deadly power. He holds nothing back, putting every bit of his magic into the attack. The winged demon flies backward and crashes into the wall. Pulling me to my feet, Asher wraps me in the circle of his arms and we back slowly down the tunnel.

A strange sound issues from the darkness, and as the thing straightens and steps forward, I realize it’s laughter. I also realize that though Asher and I are tapped out of magic, I can still see the beast somehow. From some unknown source of light beneath the earth.

Turning slowly, I see to my right a large chamber lit with torches. A chamber that sits at the bottom of a set of obsidian stairs.

I look up into Asher’s eyes. We made it. Both of us, against all odds. But we’re out of magic, and we’ve led the winged demon right to the source of Night.

Chapter Forty-Two

ASHER

I pull out my axe and Zara pulls her remaining dagger. I whistle for my wolves, who are still in the nearby cavern standing vigil for their fallen kin. Even with them we will not win this fight, but we will go out with blades clenched in our fists.

The thing of darkness crouches, claws raised, jaws gleaming, eyes bright with blood lust.

And then there is a mighty roar, a roar that shakes the whole earth, and a golden dragon emerges from the darkness behind the winged terror. It grabs it in its teeth and shakes it like a dog before flinging it down the tunnel away from us.

My brother.

He shifts back into a man only long enough to speak, his glowing eyes pinned to Zara. “This will be my legacy,” he says. Then he turns to me. “Save Night. Both of you.”

That’s all he has time to say before shifting back to dragon form and turning to face the ancient darkness once more. They collide with such force that another tremor shakes the tunnels and cracks run up the stone walls.

I stare in horror for a moment, but Zara tugs my hand. “We have to hurry, or we’re all doomed.”

“I’ve already looked,” I say, shaking my head, despair rushing through me. “The goddess isn’t there.”

Zara’s eyes flare for a moment, and her eyes sweep down the length of the temple. Then she shakes her head. “That’s because we weren’t here together.”

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