Chapter 30

CHAPTER THIRTY

Suddenly, I felt a cool touch on my arm. I whirled, my heart pounding, only to find Justice standing there. Relief washed over me like a wave, and I sagged against him as he pulled me into his arms. His familiar scent enveloped me, anchoring me back to reality.

"Sawyer, it's over," Justice murmured. "Look." He pointed over my shoulder, his body tense with anticipation.

I turned, following his gaze. My breath caught in my throat as I saw a stone shifting, grinding against its neighbors with an otherworldly rumble. It revealed a golden scale, its surface gleaming in the flickering torchlight. The sight of it sent a jolt of adrenaline through my system, banishing the last vestiges of my envy-induced stupor.

Without thinking, I broke free from Justice's embrace and rushed toward the scale. My legs felt wobbly, like I was running through water, but fear propelled me forward. The image of Zara's betrayal flashed in my mind, spurring me on. I couldn't let her get to it first.

My fingers closed around the cool metal of the scale. When I touched it, a low rumble reverberated through the chamber. Another door materialized in the wall, swinging open to reveal a torch-lit passage beyond.

The sound of stumbling footsteps drew my attention. Damon, Brody, Zara, and Lisa were approaching us, each looking as shaken as I felt. Damon's usually cocky demeanor was subdued, his face pale and drawn. Brody's jaw was set in a grim line. Lisa seemed to be trembling slightly, while Zara… I quickly averted my gaze from her, not trusting myself to maintain a neutral expression.

Questions burned on the tip of my tongue. What had they faced? What visions had the labyrinth shown them? As I opened my mouth to ask, I caught sight of the open passage behind me. The flickering torchlight seemed to beckon us forward, a reminder of our urgent mission.

"There's no time," I rasped. "We need to keep moving."

I clutched the scale tighter, its weight a tangible reminder of what we'd accomplished and what still lay ahead. The passage loomed before us, dark and foreboding despite the torches. Something told me our greatest challenge was yet to come.

"The Aegis serpent," Brody murmured, voicing the thought we all shared.

With a collective deep breath, we stepped into the passage, the promise of the Crown of Envy and the threat of the Aegis serpent pulling us forward into the unknown.

I handed the scale to Justice and walked in first. The compass pointed down the passageway. I expected it to go on forever, like the Grove of Whispers or the dungeons of Edinburgh, but I was wrong.

As I turned a corner, my breath caught in my throat. There, mere steps away, stood an altar. Atop it, gleaming in the torchlight, was the Crown of Envy.

My eyes widened as I took in the sight of the Aegis serpent, a massive snake, the largest I had ever seen. Its emerald scales shimmered as it slithered over the crown. The snake's glowing green eyes locked with mine. I sensed its pulsing power, drawing me toward it. A chill ran down my spine, and I instinctively knew I was the one who had to face it.

Brody's hand on my shoulder made me flinch. "Stay back, Sawyer," he insisted, his voice tight with concern. "I'll face it."

I placed my hand on his arm, feeling the tension in his muscles. "No, Brody. This is my destiny. Yours is to guard my back. Can you do that?"

His scowl deepened as he scanned the chamber. "Maci is coming?"

I nodded, my stomach clenching with dread.

"We were betrayed," he growled.

"Yes, unfortunately." My gaze fell on Zara, who was whispering urgently with Lisa. The sight of them made my skin crawl with suspicion.

Brody's grip on my shoulder tightened. "Be careful," he warned.

"I will," I promised, trying to inject more confidence into my voice than I felt.

As Justice stepped toward me, I pressed my finger to his lips. "I need to do this alone," I murmured. "You know it's true. I must reveal my darkest secret. Something I haven't been able to think about for years."

His frown deepened, concern etching lines around his eyes. "What?"

I glanced at Damon, my heart heavy. "I'm the reason my mom died."

Damon paled, his eyes widening in disbelief. "No, that's not possible," he choked out.

Justice's hand clamped onto my arm, his grip almost painful. "I won't stand by and watch you die," he growled.

"I know," I whispered, slowly backing away. Each step toward the altar felt like I was moving through quicksand, my legs trembling beneath me.

As I faced the hissing serpent, its eyes bored into me, seeming to pierce my soul. My legs shook, threatening to give way beneath me as I opened the memory I had tried to bury for so long.

Tears welled in my eyes, blurring my vision. "When I was seven," I began, my voice quivering, "I met a man—a vampire. I didn't know what he was. He was so charming and kind, and I… I told him about our home, about Mom."

Damon's sharp intake of breath cut through the silence. He stepped closer. "What are you saying, Sawyer?"

I swallowed hard, the bitterness of the truth coating my tongue. "That vampire used the information I gave him to find us. He came to our house because of me. I led him right to our doorstep. I didn't know, I was just a kid, but…it's my fault Mom died."

The cave fell silent in the significance of my confession. I felt Damon's eyes on me, anger and sorrow radiating from him in waves. The silence stretched on, each second feeling like an eternity as I waited, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst from my chest.

I braced myself, not for the serpent's reaction, but for my brother's. The truth I had carried for so long was finally out, and I felt both lighter and more vulnerable than ever before. Whatever came next, the serpent's judgment or my brother's response, nothing would ever be the same again.

"But you weren't there when Mom died," Damon stated behind me, his voice thick with confusion. "I was the one who found her."

I turned to face him, my body trembling under the burden of my confession. "I saw the man leave the house," I choked out, the words burning my throat. "He had blood running down his chin. He laughed at me, thanking me for allowing him to kill the hunter who murdered his mate." I bowed my head, unable to meet Damon's gaze. "I'm sorry, Damon. It's my fault."

Suddenly, Damon's arms were around me, pulling me close. I collapsed against his chest, sobs wracking my body. His shirt grew damp with my tears as he held me tightly.

"It's not, Sawyer," he rumbled. "You weren't responsible. I forgive you."

A loud hiss cut through the emotional moment, making me flinch. "You are worthy," a slippery voice echoed in my mind. "You have earned the crown."

My heart clenched. The snake was using telepathy to communicate.

I pulled away from Damon, wiping my tears with shaking hands. The serpent's eyes seemed sincere, but wariness kept me on edge. "Thank you, Damon," I murmured, slowly backing away from him.

He clasped my wrist, his grip desperate. "Sawyer, no. Don't do it."

I gently pried his fingers away, my heart breaking at the fear in his eyes. "It's my destiny, Damon. Whatever happens, it was meant to be."

With leaden feet, I approached the serpent. It revealed its fangs, and I froze, my muscles tensing for an attack. However, its gaze wasn't on me. I glanced over my shoulder, following its line of sight to Zara and Lisa.

I drew a deep breath that did little to calm my racing heart and reached for the Crown of Envy. The serpent rolled through it, coiling up on the altar, its hiss raising goosebumps on my arms.

I won't kill you. Its voice slithered through my mind.

Relief flooded me, quickly followed by a new wave of dread. If not me, who?

The serpent's gaze remained fixed behind me. Instinct took over, and I lunged for the Crown, my fingers closing around the cool metal.

"She has it. Come forth, Maci."

The words hit me like a physical blow. That wasn't Zara's voice. It was Lisa's.

Justice's panicked yell cut through my shock. "Sawyer, look out. Behind you!"

I whirled, my heart leaping into my throat as I found myself nose-to-nose with Maci. Her eyes gleamed with triumph as she snatched the crown from my grasp. Before I could react, she shoved me hard. The world spun as I flew back, and pain exploded through my body as I smashed into the altar.

Through blurred vision, I saw the serpent lunging toward Lisa. Maci grabbed her hand, and before the snake's fangs could connect, Lisa's gaze met mine. Sorrow and desperation swam in her eyes.

"She promised to take me to my phoenix," Lisa rushed out. "I had no choice."

In a blink, they vanished, leaving us alone with the enraged Aegis serpent. The reality of what happened crashed over me like a tidal wave. We had lost the Crown of Envy, betrayed by someone we thought was a friend.

The chamber filled with the serpent's furious hisses and our own shocked gasps. As I struggled to my feet, pain lanced my body, the magnitude of our failure threatening to overwhelm me. We had come so far, faced so much, only to have victory snatched away at the last moment.

The bitter taste of betrayal mixed with the metallic tang of blood in my mouth. We had lost the Crown of Envy. Betrayed by a friend.

As I regarded my team's stunned faces, one thought echoed in my mind.

What do we do now?