Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Brody's hand shot out, gripping Damon's other arm with bruising force. "Snap out of it," he growled. He shook Damon hard, the motion jarring enough to make my brother's teeth clatter. "You're under a spell, man!"

Damon's eyes were glassy, unfocused, staring blankly at the statue. His body swayed as if he was caught in an invisible current. His lips moved silently, mimicking the whispers around us.

"Damon!" I shouted. "Fight it!"

For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened. Then, like a rubber band snapping back into place, Damon blinked. His eyes cleared, focus returning as he shook his head vigorously as if trying to dislodge water from his ears.

"Whoa," he muttered roughly. He looked around, confusion etched on his face. Then, a lopsided grin spread across his features. "Well, that's one way to clear the cobwebs. Next time, maybe offer me a strong cup of coffee instead of the magical mind-whammy, huh?"

He rolled his shoulders, wincing slightly where Brody and I had gripped him. "Seriously, though, thanks for the save. I feel like I went ten rounds with a psychic octopus." Damon's gaze darted back to the statue, now wary and alert. "So, any bright ideas on how we avoid becoming garden ornaments while we look for this Heartstone?"

The tension eased slightly with Damon's quip, but the whispers still lingered at the edges of our consciousness, a constant reminder of the danger surrounding us.

"You have to be careful," Zara's voice trembled. She hugged herself tightly as if trying to hold herself together. "What happened to you, Damon, is what happened to my sister. She veered off the path, and…something attacked her."

Brody's head snapped up. His hand instinctively moved to the weapon at his side. "What?" he demanded.

Zara shrugged helplessly. "I don't know," she admitted. "When she was attacked, no one could see the creature. It had to be very powerful to overcome my sister's magic, though." Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she gazed at the stone figure. "She was one of our strongest…"

A surge of frustration and fear washed over me. My hands clenched into fists as I struggled to keep my voice level. "Zara, you can't hide secrets like that from us," I chided, then drew a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "Damon could have gotten seriously hurt. We all could have."

Guilt flashed across Zara's face. She bit her lip, refusing to meet our eyes. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I didn't want anyone else to get hurt, but I was afraid if you knew my true intentions, you wouldn't let me come." She looked up, her eyes pleading. "I need to save my sister. I need to make this right."

Damon, still looking shaken, ran a hand through his hair. "Great," he muttered. "So we're not only dealing with magic statues but invisible monsters, too? This keeps getting better and better."

Brody's jaw clenched as he surveyed our surroundings with renewed vigilance. "We need to be on high alert," he stated. "No one strays from the path, no matter what you hear or see. Understood?"

We all nodded, the gravity of our situation sinking in. The whispers that had tempted Damon earlier seemed to grow louder as if sensing our newfound knowledge and fear. The statue of Zara's sister loomed over us.

As we prepared to move on, I couldn't shake the feeling we were being watched by something we couldn't see. The forest suddenly seemed alive with hidden threats, and I wondered what other secrets Zara might be keeping—and whether those secrets might get us all killed.

The compass tugged us forward, its needle unwavering as it led us deeper into the forest. With each step, the air grew thicker, heavier, as if the atmosphere was trying to push us back. It felt like descending into the maw of some ancient, slumbering beast.

The whispers grew louder.

The amulet is here, under the tree.

Help me. I'm trapped.

This time, none of us fell for their soft voices.

The trees loomed over us, their gnarled branches reaching out like grasping fingers. I swore I saw them move slightly, closing in around us like a silent, patient army. What had started as a sunny day now felt like twilight, the thick canopy above us jealously hoarding any trace of sunlight. Shadows danced at the corners of my vision, always retreating when I tried to focus on them.

As we ventured farther, the gloom deepened, transforming the forest into murky grays and inky blacks. The path beneath our feet narrowed, forcing us to walk in single file. The crunch of leaves and twigs under our boots seemed unnaturally loud in the oppressive silence.

"Guys," Damon whispered. "Look over there."

I followed his gaze, and my breath caught in my throat. Slightly off the path, partially obscured by a curtain of moss, stood another statue. This one was of a man, his face frozen in a scream of terror, arms outstretched as if trying to ward off an unseen attacker.

"There's more," Brody muttered, gesturing to our right.

He was right. Now that we knew what to look for, I saw them scattered throughout the forest. Some were barely visible, half-hidden behind trees or sunken into the ground. Others stood in small clearings like macabre garden ornaments. Men, women, even a few that looked disturbingly like children, all turned to stone in moments of fear or desperation.

Zara released a choked sob. "So many," she whispered. "How long has this been happening?"

The statues seemed to watch us as we passed, their sightless eyes following our every move. Their gazes bore into us, a silent reminder of the fate that awaited us if we strayed from the path.

The compass continued to pull us forward, deeper into this gallery of stone victims. Around us, the forest seemed to pulse with malevolent energy. Whispers danced on the edge of hearing, tempting us to step off the path to join the statues' silent vigil.

As we pressed on, I couldn't help but wonder how many more victims were hidden in the shadows of this cursed forest. Had they all been looking for the Heartstone amulet, and why? More chillingly, what force was powerful enough to create this army of stone?

The path suddenly veered, leading us toward the gaping maw of a pitch-black cave. My heart sank as memories of the Shadow Mine back in Colorado flooded my mind. The last thing I wanted was to step into another dark, potentially demon-infested hole in the ground. My palms grew sweaty as I imagined the horrors that could be lying in wait. Demons ready to ambush us, or worse, whatever ungodly creature had the power to turn living, breathing people into lifeless statues.

Damon groaned dramatically and threw his head back. "Oh, come on! Why do these things always lead to some dark, creepy cave?" He gestured at the cave entrance. "For once, I'd love to enter a cave that's more Fraggle Rock and less Dracula's summer home."

He squinted into the darkness, then turned to us with a sardonic grin. "Ten bucks says there's a welcoming committee of nasties in there. Any takers?" When no one responded, he shrugged. "No? Just me, then. Great."

Damon pulled out his flashlight and rapidly flicked it on and off as if testing it. "Well, gang, looks like we're headed into the belly of the beast. Again. Anyone bring snacks? No? Damn. I was hoping for some Scooby Snacks to fortify us against the forces of evil."

I couldn't help but smile at Damon. His humor was a welcome relief from the oppressive atmosphere.

Brody rolled his eyes but couldn't completely hide his amusement. "If you're done with the standup routine, we should get moving. Whatever's in there isn't going to wait for us to work up the courage."

"Right you are, Captain Serious," Damon replied with a mock salute. "Into the dark and spooky we go. And hey, if we run into any vampire bats, dibs on not being the first blood bag, okay?"

As we steeled ourselves to enter the cave, Damon's voice dropped lower. "Seriously, though, everyone stay sharp in there. I've got a feeling this cave makes our statue garden look like Disneyland."

After a collective deep breath, we stepped into the yawning darkness, the compass pulling us forward into the unknown. The beam of our flashlights seemed pitifully small against the overwhelming blackness, and I felt we were being watched by unseen eyes, waiting for us to make one fatal misstep.