3. Morgan

Blazeand I are in the witch Langwerda's cottage in the mystical realm, and he's holding the Crimson Quill—the artifact that will strengthen his blood magic—as if it's the lifeline he never knew he needed.

Our next step is getting to New York so he can use the quill to get the potion out of Amber's body.

I thought he'd smile at my suggestion that we take a plane. At least, I hoped he would.

Instead, he rolls his eyes and turns his attention to the witch.

"Where's the nearest airport?" he asks, sarcasm dripping from his tone. "Past the garden of drugged roses? Through the valley of deadly lightning? Or maybe we should turn right at the forest full of bears and radioactive rabbits?"

Langwerda gives him a look so sharp it could cut glass. "If sarcasm were an art, you'd be a master craftsman," she says. "But, as you've clearly deducted on your own, there are no planes or trains in the mystical realm."

My gaze travels back to the quill in Blaze's hand.

I can't fire travel between realms. I can't even fire travel with another person.

But with the quill, there's no telling what Blaze might be able to do.

Before I can consider it further, I glance down at the scar on my forearm. The place where he engraved the word sanare on my skin. It's the word he used to heal me so he could stop the Tatzelwurm's bite from killing me.

The wind's whispers in my mind didn't start until after he cast the spell on me.

He did the spell with the penknife he carries with him, but still… I want him to keep that quill as far away from me as possible.

"I guess we'll just go back the way we came," I say, although I really don't want to do that. The journey was exhausting, and we barely made it through as it was.

"No need," Langwerda says, and my heart leaps at the possibility of another option. "The two of you did well in your trials. You can leave through the waterfall in my backyard. You did see it when you approached, correct?"

See it?

The narrow waterfall flows down the cliff of a mountain so tall that it touches the sky. It looks like the sort of place people visit to take photos of themselves and post online.

A person would have to be blind to miss it.

"Yeah. We saw it," Blaze says simply.

"All you have to do to return to your realm is walk through it," she replies.

"That's all?" I ask. "No catch?"

"No catch." She gives me a small smile, and I can't help but feel like maybe—finally—my luck is changing for the better. "Now, from what you've told me, your mission is urgent," she continues. "I'd offer you some stew but…" She glances at the bowls in front of us, which we haven't touched.

I don't distrust her. At the same time, it would be a shame to be poisoned this far along in our journey.

"Thank you. But you're right—we have to leave," I tell her, and she nods as I stand, as if she respects my decision.

Blaze stands as well, and we grab our packs from the floor. Carefully, he places the quill into his pack. We need to get it a small box for safekeeping, but for now, the pack will do.

Once it's secured, we give each other a look, and I swear I know exactly what he's thinking.

Let's get out of here while we still have a chance.

After a polite round of goodbyes with Langwerda, we make our way out of the cottage. The air outside is crisp, and waterfall roars in the background, leading into the river below.

The moment the door closes behind us, Blaze steps away from me, his grip on his pack tightening.

He's still angry at me.

I don't know why I hoped that getting the quill would change that.

"Blaze…" I say, unsure where to start. "You did amazing in there."

He barely acknowledges my words. Instead, his eyes are fixed on the path ahead, and his posture's tense, as if he's trying to put as much distance between us as possible.

My heart clenches as another wave of guilt crashes over me.

"Let's just get back to the mortal realm, okay?" he finally says. "No need to stay here longer than we have to."

He hates me.

He might be helping me, but he's never going to trust me.

Not after what I did to him.

But it didn't come from a bad place. I just needed to feel close to someone last night. To feel like there was someone on my side. Someone who cared for me.

Instead, I ruined the trust we'd been building together.

"I'm sorry," I finally say, even though it's not nearly enough. "I didn't want to hurt you. I just…"

I just what? Was feeling lonely, used you, and wish I could take it back?

It's horrible.

I'm horrible.

His eyes search mine, and for a moment, I see a flicker of something other than anger. Maybe it's confusion. Maybe it's pain.

But then it's gone, replaced by the stone wall he's been putting between us since I used my magic to scry our way out of that storm.

"You just should have been honest from the start?" he asks, although his words are sharp—clearly coming from a place of anger.

My heart drops as he turns away to stare at the waterfall.

A breeze stirs in the air, carrying an ominous chill that prickles against my skin.

And then, the whispers begin.

At first, they're faint—almost drowned out by the waterfall's roar. But as Blaze walks ahead, they grow louder, more insistent.

He doesn't trust you,the wind murmurs, its voice a cold breath against my ear. He never will.

I shiver, trying to push the whispers away, to blink them out of my mind.

You're not here, I think to the wind, although I can't bring myself to move forward. You're not real.

He's going to leave you,the wind continues, and while I don't think it's real, it feels real. He's going to take the quill and disappear. He won't help Amber. He doesn't care about her. He doesn't even know her. And he certainly won't help you. Why would he, after what you did to him?

I try to shut it out, to put one foot in front of the other and focus on the path ahead. But the wind's wrapping around my thoughts, pulling me in directions I don't want to go, digging deeper into my mind with every step I take.

Kill him,it whispers, and as I watch Blaze's back as he walks ahead of me, I realize how easy it could be. Take the quill for yourself. It's the only way to be sure. The only way to keep him from betraying you. It's the only way you can save yourself—and the people you love—from the darkness that's already starting to destroy his soul.