Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

Darkness enveloped me, thick and oppressive. I was floating in a void, weightless yet somehow heavy with dread. Suddenly, pinpricks of light appeared, swirling around me like fireflies. They coalesced, forming a familiar shape. The Heartstone amulet.

As I reached for it, the amulet pulsed with an eerie green light. The light expanded, revealing a vast, shadowy landscape. I found myself standing on a desolate plain, the ground cracked and dry beneath my feet. In the distance, a mountain loomed, its peak shrouded in ominous storm clouds.

A low rumble shook the earth, and I watched in horror as the mountain began to move. It wasn't a mountain at all but a massive, coiled dragon. As it unfurled its wings, blotting out what little light remained, I recognized the unmistakable silhouette of Maci in her dragon form.

Her eyes fixed on me, glowing with malevolent intelligence. She shifted back into her human form, wearing a dark cloak. When she spoke, her voice was like grinding stone, echoing in my mind.

"Little Chosen One," Maci's voice dripped with cruel amusement. "You think you can stop me? You can barely control the Heartstone's power. My envy demons are already at work. Soon, it will be mine."

She tilted her head back and laughed.

I tried to run, but my feet were rooted to the spot. The shadow of Maci's dragon form engulfed me, and a chill seeped into my bones…

I woke with a start, panting heavily. Where was I?

I soon realized I was in my bedroom at McDuff Manor. Maci was gone. Or was she? She was a shadow dragon and could be here without me even knowing it.

"You're safe," a soft voice beside my bed whispered.

A slight movement caught my attention, and I felt the bed dip as someone sat down. A pair of glowing red eyes materialized in the semi-darkness, sending a shiver down my spine that wasn't entirely from fear.

That was when I realized a cool rag was across my forehead, the damp cloth a stark contrast to the heat radiating from my skin. The pungent scent of incense tickled my nostrils, making me wrinkle my nose slightly. I blinked repeatedly, my vision blurry and unfocused, as if looking through a foggy window.

"Sawyer?" Justice rasped, worry etched in every syllable. His voice wrapped around me like a warm blanket, comforting yet somehow suffocating at the same time.

I closed my eyes. "Justice."

He gently took my hand in his, and I was struck by how cold my skin felt compared to his. Justice brought my hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss on my knuckles. The tender gesture made my heart flutter, a stark reminder of how alive I was despite feeling utterly drained.

I rubbed my forehead with my free hand, wincing at the dull ache that pulsed behind my eyes. "What happened?" I croaked, my throat dry and scratchy as if I'd swallowed sand.

Justice's thumb traced soothing circles on the back of my hand as he spoke. "Lisa says the Heartstone amulet drained your energy. You tried to use it three times, according to her. One, retrieving it. Two, healing me. Three, trying to revive Zara's sister."

As he recounted the events, flashes of memory surged through my mind. The cave, the creature, the desperate attempts to use the amulet's power. Each recollection sent a jolt through my body, making me tense.

Hope swelled inside me, a bubble of warmth expanding in my chest. "You're completely healed," I murmured, searching his face for confirmation.

Justice sighed, the sound weighing down the air between us. His red eyes dimmed slightly, and my hope flickered.

"You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?"

His words settled in my stomach like a cold, heavy stone. I swallowed hard, trying to push down the disappointment and fear that threatened to overwhelm me. The room suddenly felt too small, too crowded with unspoken worries and half-fulfilled hopes.

Soft snores filled the room, a familiar rhythm I instantly recognized. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I saw my brother slumped in a chair beside my bed, his body at an awkward angle that would surely result in a stiff neck. A pang of affection mixed with guilt washed over me at the sight of his worried frown, even in sleep.

At the foot of my bed, Lisa was curled up in another chair, her usual composed demeanor replaced by a vulnerability that tugged at my heart.

"Well, look who's awake," Damon announced, his tone tinged with relief and residual worry. He stretched his arms wide, his joints popping audibly. He flipped on the lamp beside my bed, and the dark circles under his eyes betrayed his exhaustion. "You gave me quite a scare, Sawyer."

I felt a pang of guilt at the concern etched on his face.

Lisa stirred at the end of the bed. She sat taller in her chair, her spine straightening as if shaking off sleep. Her eyes, usually sharp and alert, were clouded with fatigue. "Sawyer? How are you feeling?"

I shrugged, immediately regretting the movement as my muscles protested. "Tired," I admitted, my voice still rough. A scowl creased my brow as a thought occurred to me, sending a jolt of anxiety through my body. "Where's the Heartstone amulet?"

Damon's expression hardened slightly, his jaw clenching. "Brody's got it," he replied, his tone clipped. "He didn't trust Zara not to try to steal it so she could revive her sister."

At the mention of Zara's sister, guilt gripped me like a vise, making it hard to breathe. My chest tightened as I remembered my failed attempt. "I tried to save her," I whispered.

Lisa rose from the chair, her movements careful and deliberate. She came around and sat beside Justice. Her presence seemed to fill the room with a calm energy, though her eyes betrayed her weariness.

"The Heartstone is powerful," Lisa began. "But that dark magic was the strongest I've ever felt." A shudder ran through her body, visible even in the dim light. "I think it will take the actual Crown of Envy to heal those poor souls."

She bowed her head, her shoulders slumping as if under an invisible weight. "I tried to tell Zara, but she wouldn't listen," she murmured, regret coloring her words.

I licked my dry lips, wincing at their cracked texture. My tongue felt like sandpaper in my mouth. "How long have I been unconscious?" The words came out hoarse.

Justice dragged his fingers through his hair. His red eyes seemed dimmed with worry. "Two days," he replied heavily. "You were moaning in your sleep, and we couldn't wake you."

A chill ran down my spine. Two days? It felt like I'd only closed my eyes moments ago. My stomach churned with hunger and nausea.

I bit my lip, the sharp pain grounding me as memories of my dream flooded back. My heart rate picked up, pounding in my ears. "I had a dream about Maci." The words tumbled out, laced with fear.

Justice, Damon, and Lisa exchanged uneasy glances, their faces tightening with concern. The tension in the room seemed to thicken.

Justice's thumb rubbed soothing circles over my shaking hand. I hadn't even realized I was trembling until I felt the warmth of his touch. "Tell us about the dream," he urged gently.

I inhaled, trying to steady myself. The dream images flashed through my mind, vivid and terrifying. My free hand clutched the bedsheets. "She said her envy demons were already at work, and the amulet would soon be hers."

As I spoke, I could almost hear Maci's bone-chilling voice again. I shuddered, and Justice's hand tightened around mine in response.

"Do you think that's true?" I asked, my voice small and uncertain.

The silence that followed was deafening. Damon shifted uncomfortably in his chair, the wood creaking under his weight. Lisa's brow furrowed, and Justice's jaw clenched.

Anxiety coiled in my stomach like a cold, heavy snake. The possibility that Maci might already be steps ahead of us, that her demons could be closing in even now, sent a fresh wave of fear through me.

I swallowed hard, trying to push down the rising panic. But the dream lingered at the edges of my mind, a dark shadow threatening to engulf us all.

"Sounds like Brody was on the money," Damon remarked. He leaned forward in his chair, elbows resting on his knees, his face a mask of grim determination.

A knot formed in my stomach. "What do you mean by that?" I asked as a suspicion took root. "You don't mean Zara?"

"Yeah, I do." Damon's eyes, usually bright with mischief, were now hard and cold. "She's obsessed with the amulet."

Lisa's head snapped up. She glared at Damon, her body tensing as if ready to spring. "She wants to save her sister," she rejoined, her voice rising with emotion. "What would you do if Sawyer had been turned to stone?"

Damon's gaze flickered to me, a flash of fear crossing his face before he masked it. "Anything," he replied. The single word hung in the air, heavy with implication.

Lisa crossed her arms tightly. "See? So would Zara."

"That's the problem," Damon shot back. He stood abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. The sudden movement made me flinch. "You can trust her as much as you can a rattlesnake."

"Easy for you to say, Damon," Lisa retorted. She gestured toward me, her movements quick and agitated. "Your sister's mate benefited from the stone. Zara's sister has been like that for years."

My cheeks flared with heat, a warm flush spreading across my face and down my neck. I felt Justice's intense, curious gaze, making my skin tingle.

Justice hadn't claimed me, and the sudden reminder of our undefined relationship sent a jolt of nervous energy through my body. I squirmed under the covers, my fingers twisting in the sheets as unbidden thoughts flooded my mind.

What would it be like to feel Justice's skin against mine? The idea shivered through me, a mix of anticipation and anxiety. I bit my lip, trying to push away the images that threatened to overwhelm me.

I risked a glance at Justice, only to find his red eyes fixed on me, dark with an emotion I couldn't quite decipher. The air between us crackled with unspoken tension.

Damon cleared his throat loudly, snapping me back to the present situation. I blinked, trying to focus on the argument and not on the confusing swirl of emotions Justice's presence evoked.

The room felt suddenly too warm, too small, as if the walls were closing in. I drew a deep breath, attempting to calm my racing heart and cool my flushed skin. But Lisa's words echoed in my mind, a reminder of the complicated web of relationships and loyalties we were all tangled in.

Damon and Lisa said something else to each other that I couldn't decipher. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Justice's hand tightened again, but even his touch couldn't calm the storm of emotions swirling inside me. Fear, doubt, and a creeping sense of betrayal battled for dominance.

I looked from Damon to Lisa, their faces set in stubborn lines. The divide between them was clear, and I felt caught in the middle, torn between understanding Zara's desperation and fearing what it might drive her to do. I closed my eyes briefly, trying to steady my breathing. When I opened them again, I saw concern etched on Justice's face.

We were fracturing from within when we needed to be united the most. And somewhere out there, Maci and her demons were waiting, ready to exploit any weakness we showed.