Chapter 14

Griiq

The moment I turned my back on Harlow, my heart shattered into a million pieces. I couldn't bear to see the pain on her face as I pushed her away, but I had no choice. Her safety was my top priority, even if it meant sacrificing my happiness.

As the heavy wooden door slammed shut behind her, I slumped against the cold stone wall, my head hung low. The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the sound of my own ragged breathing.

But the respite was short-lived. A familiar stench wafted through the air, and my muscles tensed instinctively. The Camazotz had returned, its putrid breath filling the room as it sniffed around, searching for its prey.

I growled, low and menacing, as I pushed myself off the wall. My claws extended, ready to strike at a moment's notice. I had to wound the creature, lure it into the old basement dungeon where I could contain it. It was the only way to keep everyone safe.

The Camazotz's eyes locked onto mine, glowing an eerie red in the dim light. It snarled, baring its razor-sharp teeth as it crouched low, ready to pounce. I braced myself for the impact, my heart pounding in my chest.

But the attack never came.

Instead, the Camazotz's head snapped towards the door, its nostrils flaring as it caught an unfamiliar scent. Before I could react, it bounded past me, its claws scraping against the stone floor as it raced towards the exit.

My eyes widened in horror as realization dawned on me. The Camazotz wasn't after me at all. It was following the trail left by Mason and Harlow when they left for town.

"No," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.

My feet pounded against the ground as I pushed myself to move faster while racing after the creature. I had to catch up to it before it reached Harlow. I couldn't let her get hurt, not after everything she'd done for me.

The cool night air whipped past my face as I burst through the castle doors, my eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of the Camazotz. But it was too late. The creature had already disappeared into the shadows, its scent trail leading straight towards the town.

Fear gripped my heart as I realized the danger Harlow was in. The Camazotz was relentless, and it wouldn't stop until it had what it wanted. And right now, it wanted Harlow.

I had to find her before it was too late. I had to protect her, no matter the cost. Even if it meant facing the Camazotz alone.

With a determined growl, I set off into the night. My senses heightened as I tracked the creature's scent. I wouldn't rest until Harlow was safe, even if it meant sacrificing everything I had.

I raced through the darkened streets of Grimsby, my heart pounding in my chest as I searched for any sign of the Camazotz or Harlow. The creature's scent had disappeared, leaving me with no trail to follow. Frustration and fear battled within me as I realized I had lost them both.

With a heavy heart, I turned back towards the castle, my mind racing with possibilities. What if the Camazotz had caught up to Harlow? What if she was hurt, or worse? I shook my head, refusing to let those thoughts take hold. I had to believe that she was safe, that she had escaped.

As I approached the castle gates, I saw Mason's car parked out front. A glimmer of hope sparked within me. Maybe he had seen Harlow board the bus, and maybe he could tell me where she was.

I burst through the front doors, my eyes scanning the entryway for any sign of Mason. I found him in the library, pacing back and forth with a worried expression on his face.

"Mason," I called out, my voice hoarse with emotion. "Did you see Harlow? Did she get on the bus?"

Mason stopped pacing and turned to face me, his brow furrowed. "I... I don't know," he admitted, his voice trembling slightly. "I didn't actually see her get on the bus. I just assumed..."

My heart sank at his words. If Mason hadn't seen Harlow get on the bus, then where was she? A sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach as a terrible thought occurred to me.

"She's still in Grimsby," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart. "The Camazotz... it must have caught up to her."

Mason's eyes widened in horror as the realization dawned on him. "We have to find her," he said, his voice filled with determination. "We can't let that thing hurt her."

I nodded, my jaw clenched tight. "Let's go," I said, already heading for the door. "We'll start at the bus station, see if anyone there saw her."

We raced out of the castle and into Mason's truck, our hearts pounding as we sped towards town. The streets were empty at this hour. The only sound was the roar of the engine as we pushed the car to its limits.

As we approached the bus station, I scanned the area for any sign of Harlow or the Camazotz. The flickering of the streetlights overhead was the only movement in the station..

We parked the car and jumped out, our eyes searching the shadows for any clues. I inhaled deeply, trying to catch a scent, but the air was thick with the stench of diesel fuel and exhaust fumes.

"She's not here," Mason said, his voice filled with despair. "Where could she be?"

I shook my head, my mind racing as I tried to think of where Harlow might have gone. "Let's check the diner," I suggested, remembering how much she had enjoyed the food there. "Maybe she stopped there before heading to the bus station."

Mason nodded, and we jumped back in the car, our hearts pounding as we raced towards the diner. I could only pray that we would find Harlow there, safe and sound. The alternative was too terrible to contemplate.

I burst into the diner, my heart pounding in my chest as I searched for any sign of Harlow. The owner's wife, a middle-aged woman with a stern expression, narrowed her eyes at me as I approached the counter.

"If you're looking for that girl, I bet you had something to do with her disappearance," she accused, her voice dripping with suspicion.

I bristled at her words, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. "If I had harmed her, do you really think I'd be here looking for her?" I growled, my frustration and fear getting the better of me.

Before she could respond, a teenager stepped forward, his eyes wide with recognition. "I saw her earlier," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "She was heading towards the Blue Moon Motel at the end of the street."

My heart skipped a beat at his words, and I turned to Mason, my eyes wide with hope. "Let's go," I said, already heading for the door.

We raced down the street towards the motel, our feet pounding against the pavement as we pushed ourselves to move faster. As we approached the building, I caught a scent that made my blood run cold. The Camazotz had been here.

The door to the room caught my eye, with its splintered and cracked wood, as if someone had clawed it open. My heart pounded in my chest as I realized what that meant. The Camazotz had found Harlow.

I burst into the room and scanned the interior for any sign of her. Her things lay scattered across the floor, with her backpack and jacket in a heap near the bed. But there was no sign of Harlow herself.

I inhaled deeply, trying to catch her scent, but the room was thick with the stench of the Camazotz. It had been here, and it had taken her.

Despair washed over me as I realized the terrible truth. I had failed her. I had promised to protect her, and now she was gone, taken by the very creature I had sworn to destroy.

Mason placed a hand on my shoulder, his eyes filled with sympathy. "We'll find her," he said, his voice filled with determination. "We won't rest until we bring her home safely."

I nodded, my jaw clenched tight as I tried to hold back the emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. For Harlow's sake, I had to be strong, for Harlow's sake. I couldn't let my fear and despair consume me, not when she needed me most.

I turned to face Mason, my eyes blazing with renewed determination. "Let's go," I said, my voice low and fierce. "We have a monster to hunt."

We left the motel room, our hearts heavy with the knowledge of what we had to do. The Camazotz had taken Harlow, and it was up to us to get her back. I didn't know what challenges lay ahead, but I knew one thing for certain. I would stop at nothing to save the woman I loved, even if it meant facing the Camazotz alone.

I paced back and forth in front of the Grimsby Sheriff's Department, my mind racing, knowing that every second wasted brought Harlow closer to danger. I had to act fast, but I knew I couldn't do this alone, and I needed help. The local law enforcement was my best bet.

I burst through the front doors, startling the young deputy behind the desk. He jumped to his feet, his hand instinctively reaching for his weapon. I raised my hands in a gesture of peace, my voice low and urgent as I spoke.

"I need to speak with the sheriff immediately," I said, my tone leaving no room for argument. "It's a matter of life and death."

The deputy hesitated for a moment, his eyes wide with confusion and fear. But something in my expression must have convinced him, because he nodded and disappeared into the back room.

Moments later, Sheriff Jameson emerged, his brow furrowed with concern. "What's this all about?" he asked, his voice gruff but not unkind.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I was about to say. "There's a creature on the loose," I said, my voice low and intense. "It's called the Camazotz, and it's taken a woman named Harlow. We need to find her before it's too late."

Sheriff Jameson's eyes narrowed, and for a moment I feared he wouldn't believe me. But to my surprise, he nodded, his expression grim. "I've heard the legends," he said, his voice heavy with understanding. "What do you need from us?"

Relief washed over me, and I quickly outlined my plan. "The Camazotz is vulnerable to silver," I explained, my mind racing with the possibilities. "If we can lure it into a trap made of mirrors, it won't be able to escape. But we need to act fast, before it can hurt Harlow."

Sheriff Jameson nodded, his eyes blazing with determination. "We'll get our best men on it," he said, already reaching for his radio. "We'll build the trap and set it up in the woods, where the creature is most likely to be hiding."

A glimmer of hope sparked within me, but I knew we were far from out of the woods. The Camazotz was a formidable foe, and it wouldn't go down without a fight.

As the sheriff's men set to work constructing the mirror box, I paced back and forth, my mind consumed with thoughts of Harlow. I couldn't bear the thought of losing her, not after everything we had been through together.

I closed my eyes, trying to push away the fear that threatened to overwhelm me. I had to believe that we would find her, that we would bring her home safe and sound.

The sound of metal clanging against metal pulled me from my thoughts, and I turned to see the mirror box taking shape before my eyes. It was a massive structure, big enough to hold the Camazotz and strong enough to withstand the supernatural strength.

As we put the last pieces into place, a surge of determination coursed through me. We had the trap, and now we needed to find the Camazotz and lure it inside.

I turned to Sheriff Jameson, my jaw set with resolve. "Let's go," I said, my voice low and fierce. "We have a monster to catch, and a woman to save."