14. Adelaide

14

ADELAIDE

The thrill of rebellion courses through me as we make our way through MistHallow's winding corridors. Corvus leads the way, his steps confident and purposeful, while Zephyr brings up the rear, his shadows dancing around us to conceal our movements. The excitement of skipping class mingles with the nervousness of our upcoming adventure.

"Where are Ignatius and Zaiah?" I whisper as we duck into an empty classroom to avoid an oncoming professor.

"Ignatius, Zaiah. Come to us," Zephyr murmurs, then squeezes my hand. "On their way."

We move silently through the lesser-used passages of MistHallow, the ancient stones seeming to whisper secrets with every step. The air grows cooler as we descend, the scent of old magick and forgotten knowledge growing stronger.

Ignatius and Zaiah appear in front of us, looking ready for this adventure.

"We're going exploring," Zephyr says, producing the leather-bound book he'd brought back from the Dark Fae Kingdom out of thin air. The book pulses with a magickal energy, and I find myself drawn to it. "This map shows hidden passages beneath MistHallow. We're going to see what we can find."

Ignatius's eyes light up, quite literally, sparks dancing in his irises. "Wicked ditching. Let's go." His enthusiasm is infectious, and I return his grin.

Zaiah steps into my space and gives me a quick kiss. "That orb is a giant pain in my arse," he growls.

"Tell me about it," I reply with a snicker. "Where is he?"

"Back in your room, I guess. He got annoyed with me and left."

I slap my hand over my mouth to stifle the burst of laughter. "Okay," I say, removing it. "We will work on him in my room later."

He nods in agreement, and with our group complete, we make our way to a secluded corner. Zephyr holds out the book in one hand and spreads the pages, his fingers tracing the intricate lines and symbols. The parchment crackles softly under his touch, and I lean in closer, fascinated by the complex network of tunnels and chambers depicted.

"Here," he says, pointing to a faded mark near the bottom of the page. "This looks like an entrance to the tunnels. It should be behind the statue of Morgana the Wise in the library."

We move cautiously through the library, on the lookout for the librarian. She is busy behind the front desk, so we move cautiously and quietly to the back. The statue of Morgana looms before us, her stone eyes seeming to follow our movements. The marble is cold under my fingertips as I run my hands along the base of the statue, searching for any sign of a hidden mechanism.

"Now what?" I whisper.

Zephyr consults the map again, his brow furrowed in concentration. "There should be a hidden switch... ah, here." He presses a small, unassuming knot in the stone. For a moment, nothing happens. The silence stretches, tight with suspense. Then, I wince at the grinding sound that seems impossibly loud in the quiet library, as the statue begins to rotate.

"Quickly," Corvus hisses, ushering us into the dark opening revealed behind Morgana.

The passage seals behind us, plunging us into darkness so complete I feel a sense of panic descend. But then my vampire eyes adjust to the pitch black, and I breathe a sigh of relief. Ignatius summons a small flame on his palm, casting a warm glow over our faces.

"Well," he grins, his eyes reflecting the flame, "this is exciting."

I giggle with nerves and move in closer to him. His heat is comforting. I remember his touch scorching my skin earlier, and I shiver as my insides heat up at the memory.

The tunnel stretches before us, ancient stone walls, damp and musty. The smell around us is thick with the scent of earth and old magick, making my skin tingle. Each breath feels heavy with potential, as if we're inhaling the essence of MistHallow's secrets. We move forward cautiously, Zephyr consulting the map at regular intervals. The parchment seems to glow faintly in the light of Ignatius's flame, the ink shifting and changing. "Why is it moving?"

"MistHallow is moving," he mutters. "We have spooked it."

"Oh, like when it did when I first arrived?"

"Yeah. It settled for a bit, but now it's annoyed with us for uncovering its secrets."

"So, that sounds like bad news," I whisper. "Should we turn back?"

"Not on your life, princess," he says in a normal tone that makes me jump and he laughs at my skittishness.

"Watch your step," Zaiah warns as we navigate a particularly tricky stretch of uneven ground. His white eyes glow in the dim light, scanning the path ahead. "Some of these stones are loose."

As soon as he says it, I feel a stone shift under my foot. There's a click, ominous in its finality, and the floor beneath us gives way. We tumble down a slick, winding chute, my cry of shock, echoing off the walls. The world becomes a dizzying blur of darkness and fleeting touches of cold stone.

We land in a heap at the bottom, in a large, circular chamber lit by flickering torches. The impact knocks the breath from my lungs, and for a moment, all I can do is lie there, trying to reorient myself. As we untangle ourselves, groaning, I notice strange symbols carved into the walls, glowing faintly with an unearthly light. The atmosphere here is different, charged with an energy that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

"Everyone okay?" Corvus asks, helping me to my feet. His cool hand in mine is reassuring, an anchor in this strange, unfamiliar place.

We nod, brushing off dust. Zephyr consults the map again, his face steeped in shadows and seriousness. The parchment seems to resist his scrutiny, the lines blurring and shifting under his gaze.

"This chamber isn't on the map," he says slowly. "We are exploring the unexplored." His glee at that is clear as he grins at us and plucks a fountain pen out of the air. He starts scrawling, looking around and taking in the surroundings as he sketches the chamber in the book, muttering things in a language so dark and complex that it makes me tremble under the power of it.

"Look," Zaiah says, drawing my attention away from Zephyr, and pointing to a series of archways around the perimeter of the room. Each one leads to a different tunnel, disappearing into darkness. The archways are adorned with more of the glowing symbols, each set unique and pulsing with its own rhythm.

"Which way?" Ignatius asks, his flame extinguished with the fall, flickering back to life. The light seems to be swallowed by the darkness beyond the archways, unable to penetrate their depths.

Before anyone can answer, we hear a low rumble. The sound seems to come from everywhere at once, reverberating through the stone and into our bones. The symbols on the walls begin to glow brighter, pulsing with a haunting rhythm that matches the beating of my heart.

"Uh, guys?" I say, backing away from the nearest wall, my voice trembling slightly. "I think we might have woken something."

The rumbling grows louder, drowning out all other sounds. Suddenly, spectral figures begin to emerge from the walls. They're translucent, glowing with the same light as the symbols, their features indistinct but somehow menacing. They move with a fluid grace that's beautiful but scary as all fuck.

"Guardians," Zephyr breathes. "Ancient protectors of MistHallow's secrets."

"How old is this place?" I mutter, more to myself than anyone else.

"In its earliest form, thousands of years old," Corvus replies anyway.

"So we have woken primordial beings?"

"Yep."

"Well, that's just fucking dandy."

Corvus snorts and grips my hand tighter. "Don't let go, no matter what, Addy, okay?"

His serious tone scares me more than the spectres. I squeeze his hand in response as words have failed me now.

The spectral figures advance on us, their movements synchronised and purposeful.

"What do we do?" I squeak, my voice higher than usual, betraying my fear.

"We fight," Corvus says grimly, his fangs dropping as he shifts into a defensive stance. His eyes gleam with a predatory light, and I'm reminded once again of the power that lurks beneath his calm exterior. I tug on his hand to let go, but he glares at me. "Do not let go."

"But—"

"No buts."

The others ready themselves as my breathing quickens. "If you're in there, could do with some help."

Silence.

What a surprise.

Zephyr's shadows writhe around him like living things, Ignatius's flames grow brighter and hotter, Zaiah's form shimmers as he taps into his djinn powers. With nothing but my syphoning power, I reach out, feeling for the threads of their magick. The energy swirls around us, a fabric of power waiting.

As the guardians attack, chaos erupts in the chamber. Dragging me along with him, Corvus moves with blinding speed, his free fist passing through the spectral forms but somehow still causing them to recoil. Each impact sends ripples through the air, distorting the space around us. Zephyr's shadows lash out, entangling the guardians and slowing their advance. The darkness seems alive, writhing and coiling with a will of its own.

Ignatius hurls fireballs that explode in brilliant flashes, temporarily dispersing our attackers. The heat is intense as sweat beads on my forehead. Zaiah phases in and out of reality, his form is blurring and shifting, confusing and disorienting the guardians. The air around him shimmers with distorted space, and I feel a momentary vertigo just watching him.

This is where I need to get my panic under control and stop. I yank my hand from Corvus's. He growls, but I shake my head and close my eyes. I focus on the ability that I know is mine. That I know how to use—sort of. I become a conduit, channelling and amplifying the others' powers. I feel Zephyr's shadows coursing through me, growing darker and more potent. Ignatius's flames burn hotter, turning from orange to blue to white-hot. Zaiah's reality-warping abilities expand, creating pockets of distorted space around us that bend light and confuse our spectral attackers. Corvus's fists connect with the spectres, flinging them back to the runes etched in the walls.

I feel powerful, invincible, the combined magick of my companions flows through me like a raging river. But there's a nagging fear in the back of my mind, a whisper of doubt that grows louder with each passing moment. How much of this power is truly mine? And how much belongs to the ancient presence lurking in my consciousness?

"You there?"

Nothing.

I refocus as the battle rages on, neither side gaining a clear advantage. The chamber is a whirlwind of shadows, flame, and distorted reality. The guardians press their attack relentlessly, their spectral forms reforming each time we manage to disperse them.

Just as I feel my strength beginning to wane, my limbs growing heavy with exhaustion, Zephyr shouts, "The archways! We need to pick one!"

"But which one?" I yell back as Corvus dives in front of me to protect me from an incoming spectre.

"Trust your instincts," Corvus yells, ducking under a spectral blade that passes through the space where his head had been a moment before. "Addy, it's your choice!"

I scan the archways, my heart pounding so hard I can feel it in my throat. They all look the same at first glance, dark and foreboding, promising unknown dangers. But then I feel it - a pull, subtle but unmistakable, towards one on the far side of the chamber. The archway is calling to me, resonating with something deep inside.

Then I see her.

A ghostly form hovering under the arch, but it's her. It's… me.

"That one!" I point, already moving towards it with no fear, no doubt. "Hurry!"

We make a break for it, the guardians hot on our heels. Their unearthly wails fill the air, a chorus of otherworldly fury. As we pass through the archway, she disappears, but I feel a surge of magick wash over us, like stepping through a waterfall of pure energy. The tunnel beyond is pitch black, swallowing Ignatius's flames and leaving us in complete darkness. But I can hear the guardians' cries fading behind us, unable to follow.

"Keep moving," Zephyr urges, his hand finding mine in the darkness. His touch is a welcome relief in the disorienting blackness. "They can't follow us here."

We stumble forward, relying on touch and instinct to guide us. The tunnel seems to go on forever, twisting and turning, sometimes sloping up, sometimes down. After what feels like an eternity, the tunnel begins to widen, and I feel the air change. It becomes fresher, tinged with the scent of old books and ancient magick. The oppressive darkness begins to lift, giving way to a soft light.

Ignatius summons another flame, illuminating our surroundings. We've emerged into a vast library, its shelves stretching up into shadows so deep they appear like an abyss before us. Dust motes dance in the air, glittering in the firelight like tiny stars. The sight takes my breath away, a hidden world of knowledge stretching out before us.

"Whoa," Zaiah breathes, his white eyes wide with wonder. "What is this place?"

"Absolutely no idea. It's not in the book," Zephyr says.

As we take in the vast library before us, I feel a sense of awe and trepidation. The shelves seem to stretch endlessly in every direction, filled with ancient tomes and scrolls.

"This is incredible," I whisper.

Corvus nods in agreement, his blue eyes scanning the shelves with keen interest. "There must be centuries of knowledge here. Maybe even millennia."

Zephyr moves towards the nearest shelf, his fingers hovering over the spines of the books. "We need to be careful," he warns. "In a place like this, knowledge can be as dangerous as it is valuable."

I take a tentative step forward, drawn by an inexplicable pull towards a particular section of the library. As I move, the soft light in the room seems to pulse, growing brighter around me.

"Guys," Zaiah says, his voice tight with concern. "Look at Addy."

I glance down at myself and gasp. My skin is glowing faintly, pulsing in rhythm with the light in the room. It's as if the library is responding to my presence.

"What's happening to me?" I ask, my voice shaking slightly.

"I don't know," Zephyr says, moving closer to examine me. "But I think the library is recognising you somehow."

"You mean her ," Ignatius murmurs.

I gulp. Yeah, it's definitely not me who is so keen to merge with this library.

The glow intensifies as I move deeper into the library, drawn by an unseen force. The others follow cautiously behind me, their eyes darting around for any sign of danger.

"Addy," Corvus says, the warning in his tone urgent. "Maybe we should?—"

"Wait," I interrupt, my gaze fixed on a large, ornate book resting on a pedestal ahead. "I need to see that book."

As I get closer, the book emits a gentle, rhythmic glow that matches the illumination of my skin. I reach out, fingers brushing the ancient leather cover.

The moment I touch it, a jolt of energy courses through me. Images flood my mind - the usual flashes of battles, rituals, and faces I don't recognise but somehow feel familiar. I see her—the ancient vampire woman wielding immense power.

"Addy!" Zephyr's voice sounds distant, muffled. "Addy, let go!"

But I can't. The book's power has me in its grip, pouring knowledge into my mind faster than I can process it. I see the creation of MistHallow, the forging of alliances between supernatural races, the rise and fall of empires. And through it all, she is there, a constant presence shaping events from the shadows.

Finally, with a gasp, I wrench my hand away from the book. My knees tremble, but Ignatius is there to hold me up. His touch lingers, his expression is hard to read. "What?" I murmur, clutching my head.

"I shouldn't be able to touch you without burning you," he replies, perplexed.

"What do you mean?"

"Watch…" He reaches out and touches Corvus.

Corvus hisses and bares his fangs as Ignatius scorches his skin. He quickly heals and narrows his eyes at the fire elemental. "Dick."

"Proving a point," Ignatius responds calmly. "Look." He takes my hand and links our fingers together. He has a glorious warmth that is welcome in this dark pit of despair we have found ourselves in.

Corvus stares at it for a long moment. "More than the average vampire."

"Well, we already knew that," Zaiah interrupts. "Let's focus, guys. I want to get out of here like, yesterday. This place is giving me the serious creeps."

Zephyr snorts. "Little djinn afraid, is he?"

Zaiah gives him the finger. "Not afraid, just cautious. I can't access the other realm from here. Can you?" He fires the question at Zephyr, who frowns.

"No," he mutters. "That is not good."

"See?" Zaiah says. "So let's speed this adventure up."

Ignatius lets me go, and we spread out, each drawn to different sections of the library. The shelves seem to go on forever, each aisle promising new discoveries. I walk down an aisle dedicated to obscure magickal theories, apparently, my fingers trailing over leather-bound spines embossed with titles in languages I don't recognise and can't even sound out. The books seem to hum with power, centuries of knowledge waiting to be unlocked.

Something catches my eye, and I pause. It's a small, unassuming book wedged between two larger volumes. It's easy to overlook, but something about it calls to me, an energy that resonates with the power pulsing through my veins. With trembling hands, I pull it from the shelf. The leather is soft and worn, speaking of countless hands that have held it before me.

The cover is blank, but as I open it, I feel a jolt of recognition. The handwriting inside is familiar, though I can't quite place it. The ink seems to shimmer on the page, the words almost alive. My eyes widen as I begin to read fluently in a language as dead as can be, each sentence revealing secrets I never imagined.

"Guys," I call out, my voice shaky with excitement but severe apprehension. "I think I've found something. Something important."