Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

For the next hour, we didn't see any signs of the black sedan, but that did little to ease the knot in my stomach. The absence of our pursuers could mean they were waiting to ambush us at the Grove of Whispers. I tried to shake off the tension inside me, but I was like a time bomb ready to explode.

The air in the car remained thick with unspoken suspicion. No one confronted Zara directly, but the weight of unasked questions pressed down on us. I stole glances at her from the corner of my eye, watching for any signs of deceit.

A thought wormed its way into my mind, setting off a fresh wave of unease. Maybe Zara and the other witches, who may have been in that car following us, were after the Mirror of Aethereal and the magical compass. The possibility raised goosebumps on my arms.

As we drew closer to our destination, the tension ratcheted up. Every bend in the road, every patch of forest could be hiding our pursuers. The uncertainty of what awaited kept us all on edge.

The car was a pressure cooker of anxiety and suspicion. I needed to get Justice alone to tell him what I observed, but after we lost the sedan, he had fallen asleep. That wasn't like him. My heart clenched as I studied his slumped form, noting the dark circles under his eyes and the pallor of his skin.

What if the demon poisoning was getting stronger? My blood quickened, turning hotter, and I broke out in a slick sweat. I watched the slow rise and fall of his chest, straining to hear his breathing over the hum of the engine.

My hand hovered near his arm, torn between waking him and letting him rest. If the poison was progressing, he needed all the strength he could get. But we also needed him alert, especially given Zara's uncertain loyalty and the potential ambush ahead.

I glanced around the car, noting the others' tense postures. They shared my concerns about Justice and Zara. The silence seemed to steal the air, and I could barely breathe.

As the miles rolled by, I was caught in a cycle of watching Justice, eyeing Zara suspiciously, and scanning the road for signs of pursuit. My neck ached from the constant movement. I felt like an owl, twisting and turning, hyper-aware of every shadow and movement. Fatigue crept in at the edges of my consciousness. I fought to keep my eyelids open, blinking rapidly against the gritty feeling of exhaustion.

I couldn't afford to let my guard down. Not with so much at stake and so many unknowns. I clenched my jaw, and my hands balled into fists. I had to find a way to warn my team, to prepare for whatever awaited us. Our lives might depend on it.

Brody pulled into the trailhead for the Grove of Whispers. Luckily, there was no sign of the dark sedan. As we stepped from the car and started unloading our gear, the atmosphere shifted palpably, as if we had crossed an invisible threshold into another dimension.

Justice wobbled as he exited the car, his usually steady frame swaying like a tree in a storm.

Shit-shit-shit.

My heart raced as I watched him struggle. The demon poison was definitely taking a toll on him, eating away at his strength with each passing moment. His face was ashen, a sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead despite the cool air. Dark circles under his eyes stood out starkly against his pale skin.

Without hesitation, I moved to his side, looping my arm through his. Tremors ran through his body, and the heat of fever radiated off him. Normally, he would have pushed me away, his pride refusing to accept help. This time, he didn't. He leaned into me, a testament to how weak he'd become.

"I've got you," I murmured, trying to keep the fear from my voice as panic clawed at my chest. He needed fresh blood, and soon. The urge to offer mine was overwhelming.

I wished he would take mine. The thought of his fangs piercing my skin, of my life force flowing into him, healing him, should have terrified me. Instead, it filled me with a desperate longing. I'd give anything to see color return to his cheeks, to see strength flow back into his limbs.

"Justice," I whispered. "You need to feed. I can?—"

He cut me off with a weak shake of his head. "No," he rasped. "I can't… won't risk it."

The others gathered around us, concern etched on their faces. I saw the question in their eyes. Would Justice be strong enough for what lay ahead? As we stood at the edge of the Grove of Whispers, with unknown dangers lurking in its depths, I couldn't shake the feeling that our greatest threat might not be Justice's deteriorating condition.

Something was in there. Something evil that seeped into my heart.

The air grew thick and heavy, carrying a scent of damp earth and something ancient, almost primordial. Mist curled around our ankles, its cool tendrils reaching for us with an unsettling purpose. The trees loomed overhead, their branches twisting and intertwining in unnatural patterns, creating a canopy that devoured what little sunlight managed to penetrate.

This reminded me more of the Unseelie realm than Earth. The shadows between the trees seemed to writhe and dance, hinting at otherworldly presences beyond our perception. An eerie silence blanketed the area, broken only by the occasional whisper of wind through leaves that sounded disturbingly like distant, indecipherable voices.

If the Unseelie were connected to this forest, why hadn't Garrick said anything? I glanced at my companions, wondering if they felt the same sense of otherworldly dread creeping over me.

The dense cluster of ancient trees stood before us like sentinels. Gnarled oaks and towering pines stretched skyward. A thick layer of fallen leaves and moss carpeted the forest floor, muffling our footsteps.

Two massive, weather-worn stones marked the grove's entrance, their surfaces etched with faint symbols that seemed to shift and change as we approached. As we passed between them, my blood ran cold. We were crossing a threshold into another world entirely.

Then the whispers started, faint at first but growing clearer with each step.

Come play with us.

Help us.

The air grew cooler and damper as we ventured deeper into the grove, the whispers a constant, unsettling backdrop. Shadows danced at the corners of my vision, and more than once, I turned quickly, certain I'd seen movement among the trees. Yet, each time, nothing was there. Only more mist and shadows and those haunting, ethereal voices.

Come play with us.

Help us.

The whispers seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere, twining around us like incorporeal vines. I glanced at my companions, trying to gauge if they heard the voices too or if I was slowly losing my grip on reality.

Brody held up his hand. "Sawyer, time to get the mirror and compass out."

Damon clasped Justice's arm, his eyebrows furrowing with poorly concealed worry. "Whoa there, Bambi on ice. You trying to recreate a drunken sailor impression, or is this your audition for ‘Dancing with the Demons?'"

His tone was light, but his grip was firm, supportive.

Justice glowered at him. "I'm fine."

Damon shook his head. "Seriously, man, you look like you've gone ten rounds with a wendigo and lost. Maybe ease up on the demon juice cocktails, huh?"

I gave my brother a grateful look as I reached into my backpack. The mirror shimmered like a dark lake and began to glow. Once again, my mother's voice emerged, clear and resonant. "Seek ye the Heartstone amulet, hidden deep within the Grove of Whispers. This ancient artifact holds the power to reveal hidden truths and protect against dark magic. Only those who prove their worth may claim it."

Brody's eyes narrowed, his expression thoughtful. The lines on his forehead deepened. "The Heartstone amulet," he repeated slowly, tasting the words. "It sounds like it could be the key to navigating the challenges ahead."

A tense silence fell over the group. I could almost hear the gears turning in everyone's minds, weighing the potential benefits against the unknown risks.

Zara nodded eagerly, her gaze fixed on the mirror. Her eyes gleamed with an intensity that made me uneasy. "It's said to be imbued with the magic of this grove," she explained. "Anyone who possesses it can grow stronger. The amulet taps into the essence of this place."

Maybe the amulet would help Justice.

I watched her carefully, noting the slight tremor in her hands, the way her breath quickened as she spoke. Was it excitement? Fear? Or something else entirely?

Brody gave her a hard stare. The air between them crackled with tension. "Is that why your friends were following us in the dark sedan?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

Zara's eagerness faltered, her face paling visibly. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

The accusation hung in the air. I glanced between Brody and Zara, then at the others, gauging their reactions. Justice's hand had moved closer to his weapon while Lisa's fingers twitched, ready to cast a spell if needed.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about," Zara finally managed, but her voice lacked conviction.

Brody stepped closer. "I think you do," he replied quietly. "And I think it's time you come clean about what's really going on here."

The whispers of the grove seemed to grow louder around us as if feeding off the mounting tension. We were standing on the edge of a knife, and I couldn't shake the feeling that whatever Zara said next would tip us one way or the other.