Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Maci's sudden movement caught our attention. Her head snapped to the side as if hearing something we couldn't. Instinctively, we all pressed deeper into the forest's embrace. The thick foliage offered a false sense of security, but my racing heart knew better. This was foolish, even reckless. Every shadow seemed to hide a potential threat. A dragon's scaly form or the leering faces of sloth and lust demons.

I tilted my head up, seeking Justice's steady gaze for reassurance, for some sign of what to do next. His gaze, usually so certain, was fixed in the distance. The furrow in his brow and the tight set of his jaw spoke volumes about the turmoil within. He was strategizing, weighing our limited options against the immense danger surrounding us.

The attack was swift and silent. One moment, we were alone in the forest's hushed darkness. The next, we were encircled. Six men with solid black eyes materialized around us, their crisp suits a jarring contrast to our disheveled state.

The resemblance to the creatures that had ensnared Grady and Scott was undeniable. Sloth demons.

One reached for Maggie, its movements unnaturally fluid. I lunged forward, placing myself between the demon and my friend.

Justice's panicked cry nearly drowned out Maggie's sharp intake of breath. "Sawyer, no!" He reached for me, but it was too late. I was already in motion.

I opened my backpack, and my fingers closed around the Mirror of Aethereal, raising it high. The effect was instantaneous and horrifying. The demon before me recoiled, a bone-chilling hiss escaping its lips. Its body twisted and contorted in ways that defied nature, limbs bending at impossible angles. A scream tore from its throat, the sound more bestial than human. Its form dissolved into thick, oily smoke that seeped into the ground, leaving no trace behind.

The forest fell silent for a heartbeat, the remaining demons frozen in shock. I seized the moment, my voice ringing out with a confidence I didn't entirely feel. "Stay back," I warned, the mirror held high like a shield.

The demons retreated, melting into the shadows, but their absence brought little comfort. I felt their presence lingering, waiting for the right moment to strike. The air felt charged and heavy with wicked anticipation.

My arms trembled from the effort of holding the mirror aloft, but I refused to lower it. Adrenaline coursed through me, sharpening my senses. Every rustle of leaves, every shifting shadow drew my attention. The demons were out there, circling, looking for any sign of weakness.

Justice moved closer, his presence at my back a reassuring warmth. I heard Maggie's rapid breathing, sensed Garrick's tense readiness. We were surrounded, outnumbered, but not defeated.

Not yet.

A low, menacing growl rippled through the air. It wasn't the familiar sound of a wolf, which might have been comforting, given our company. No, this was something far more ancient and terrifying. I knew that sound. Every hair on my body stood on end, a primal response to a predator beyond my worst nightmares.

Dragon.

The growl rose in pitch and volume, becoming a bone-rattling shriek that seemed to shake the earth beneath our feet. The sound reverberated through my chest, stealing the breath from my lungs.

Time seemed to slow as I saw Justice's eyes widen in alarm, his mouth opening to shout a warning lost in the deafening roar. In that suspended moment, I glimpsed movement through the trees. A massive, serpentine form, scales glinting in the dim light.

Then, chaos erupted.

A stream of blindingly bright, searing hot fire burst through the trees. The inferno moved with terrifying speed, engulfing everything in its path. Ancient trees that had stood for centuries were reduced to towering candlesticks in seconds. The heat hit us in a wave, scorching the air in our lungs.

Justice sprang into action. His arms wrapped around me with impossible speed, and suddenly the world spun. I felt the impact as we hit the ground, Justice's body covering mine like a living shield.

His weight pressed me into the earth, leaves and twigs digging into my back. Through the cage of his arms, I saw the world burning around us. The fire roared overhead, a dragon's breath turned weapon. The ashy smell of smoke filled my nostrils, and embers rained down, hissing as they hit the damp forest floor.

While pinned beneath Justice, my heart racing so fast it felt like it might burst from my chest, my thoughts turned to Garrick and Maggie. Had they managed to get clear? I strained my ears, trying to hear anything over the crackling of flames and the dragon's continued shrieks.

But there was nothing.

No shouts, no signs of movement.

Justice's body tensed. I felt the rapid rise and fall of his chest, heard the low rumble in his throat. Part growl, part words I couldn't make out.

I wanted to ask if there was a possibility of escape, but silence was golden right now.

The heat pressed in around me, making it hard to breathe. Sweat beaded on my skin, and Justice's grip tightened as if he feared I might be torn away at any moment. Through gaps in the fiery canopy above, I caught flashes of movement. A massive wing, a scaled tail. The dragon was still out there, circling, waiting.

As I lay trapped between Justice and the unyielding ground, surrounded by a world suddenly transformed into a burning nightmare, one thought echoed through my mind. How could we possibly fight this? And how would we get Damon and Zara out of Garrick's sanctuary?

The Mirror of Aethereal, our one weapon against the supernatural threats we'd faced, felt woefully inadequate against a dragon of such raw, elemental power. Would looking into the mirror even affect Maci?

She wasn't under a spell like Maggie, Justice, and Garrick had been. Unless ruthless revenge could be considered a spell.

No, I didn't think the mirror would work.

There had to be another way to get my brother and Zara out before we all lit up like matchsticks.

Yet as Justice shifted above me, preparing for whatever came next, I knew I had no choice but to try.

Somehow, we had to find a way to survive this inferno, to face down a dragon, and to save my brother and Zara. As another ear-splitting shriek tore through the air, I steeled myself for another wave of fire, waiting for the agony of being burned alive. The fear was paralyzing, but beneath it, a fierce determination burned just as hot as the flames around us.

Justice's hand clamped around my arm. In a blur of motion that left my stomach lurching, he whipped me off the ground. Colors streaked past, my vision unable to keep up with the supernatural speed. The air was knocked from my lungs, and I struggled to breathe as Justice dragged me to safety.

When we finally stopped, my head spinning, I frantically scanned our surroundings. The absence of two familiar faces sent a spike of panic through me. "Where's Garrick and Maggie?" I gasped, dreading the answer.

Justice's face was grim, his eyes haunted. "I don't know. I couldn't get to them."

My throat constricted. "They're dead?" The possibility was suffocating and sickening.

He shrugged, but I saw the tension in his shoulders, the worry etched in the lines of his face. "Like I said, I don't know."

I didn't want to think of either one being a pile of ash. I could use the hourglass, but it was a one-time deal. If I used it to save them, Brody would remain dead, and Maci would still possess the Crown of Envy.

While trying to calm my racing heart, I took in our new surroundings. Thick trees surrounded us, but these were different from the burning forest we'd left behind. A small creek bubbled nearby, its gentle sound a stark contrast to the chaos we'd escaped. The air here felt different. Almost pleasant, if such a word could be used in the Unseelie realm.

Confusion mingled with my fear. "Where are we?"

Justice's gaze snapped to mine, his expression suddenly intense. "You need to stay here," he snapped, his tone brooking no argument.

But I wasn't about to be left behind. I straightened my spine, lifting my chin defiantly. "I'm not leaving without my brother."

He clasped my shoulders, his grip firm but not painful. The worry in his eyes softened his usually stoic features. "Do you trust me?"

The question caught me off guard. Memories of recent events flashed through my mind. Justice under the spell, his attack, the moment our love broke through the dark magic. Despite it all, I searched his face, trying to read the thoughts behind those eyes that held so many secrets.

"Yes, of course," I replied slowly, cautiously. "But?—"

"Stay here." His fingers tightened on my shoulders, emphasizing each word. "I can get your brother and Zara out of Garrick's home, but not if I have to worry about you. Can you do this for me?"

Part of me wanted to argue, to insist I could handle myself. But the rational part of my brain knew better. I wasn't supernatural. I didn't have his speed or strength. What I did have, however, was the mirror. A fact that Justice seemed to have momentarily forgotten.

I swallowed my pride and nodded. "All right. I'll stay here."

Relief washed over his face, his hands dropping from my shoulders as he sighed heavily. Then, his eyebrow cocked, a hint of suspicion in his gaze. "Promise me?"

I met his gaze, steady and unwavering. "I promise." At that moment, I meant it. I wouldn't go after Damon and Zara.

But as Justice prepared to leave, a plan was already forming in my mind. I hadn't promised not to look for Garrick and Maggie. The Mirror of Aethereal felt heavy in my hand, a reminder of the power I held.

As I watched Justice disappear into the strange forest, I drew a deep breath. I'd keep my promise but on my own terms. Our friends were out there somewhere, possibly hurt or in danger. And I had the means to help them.

I raised the mirror. "Can you tell me if Garrick and Maggie are alive?"

I held my breath.

Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say yes.

The mirror rippled like a pond and spoke in my mother's voice. "Yes, they are alive."

I tightened my grip on the handle. "Show me."

"Follow the stream. It will guide you."

With one last glance in the direction Justice had gone, I turned to face the unknown. The gentle babbling of a nearby creek urged me into the heart of this deceptively peaceful part of the Unseelie realm. I followed it, pressing the mirror to my thigh, ready to use it to send demons back to hell.

But if Maci caught me…well, that was another story, and I'd be seeing my mother soon.