Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

A firm hand patted my back, and the impact sent shockwaves through my water-logged body. "Sawyer, calm down. It's me." The voice was familiar, an anchor in the chaos of my senses.

I coughed violently, and water spewed from my mouth and nose. My throat felt raw, as if I'd swallowed fire instead of water. As my vision slowly cleared, I stared into a pair of eyes I knew all too well. Yet, instead of the warmth and love I was accustomed to seeing there, they blazed with anger and disappointment.

"Justice?" I rasped.

His jaw clenched tight, a muscle twitching at its corner. His hair was disheveled, droplets of water clinging to the strands. Despite the anger in his eyes, his hands were gentle as they steadied me.

"You broke your promise," he stated, his voice low and controlled with an undercurrent of hurt that cut deeper than any shouted accusation could have.

The pond had been nearly boiling, but out here, I was freezing. My teeth chattered, and I shivered. "No, I didn't," I sputtered. "I promised…not to follow you back…to Garrick's house."

He cocked an eyebrow. "Splitting hairs, are we?"

"Seriously, Sawyer?" Damon interjected with exasperation and grudging admiration. "You're gonna play the technicality card? That's my move."

"Damon?" My voice cracked with hope.

There he stood, a few feet away, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. His dark hair was tousled, and his clothes were rumpled, but his eyes were alert and dancing with their usual mischief. I scanned him, searching for any sign of injury or magical influence, but he seemed untouched by the horrors we'd faced. Relief washed over me in a powerful wave, nearly buckling my knees.

I spun back to Justice, throwing my arms around him in a fierce embrace. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," I murmured into his chest, muffled but heartfelt. I felt the tension in his body, a reminder of his earlier anger, but at that moment, I only cared that he'd kept his word. He had brought my brother back safely.

Justice clasped my chin. " I kept my promise."

As I pulled away from Justice, I glimpsed a softening in his eyes, but there was no time to dwell on it. I turned and rushed toward Damon, my feet barely touching the ground. In seconds, I flung myself into my brother's arms, nearly knocking him over with the force of my embrace.

"The sloth demons didn't get you?" I asked. I could smell the familiar scent of his leather jacket mixed with something distinctly otherworldly, a reminder of where we were.

Damon laughed, rich and warm, as he swung me around in a circle. The motion was so familiar, so normal, that I could almost forget the dangers surrounding us. "Apparently, if you're asleep, their little spell is useless," he explained, setting me back on my feet but keeping an arm around my shoulders.

He tilted his head toward a spot behind me, and I turned to see Zara standing there, her red hair a vibrant splash of color against the muted tones of the Unseelie realm. She offered a small wave, looking tired but unharmed.

"So, the redhead and I played possum," Damon continued, a note of pride in his voice. He gave Zara an admiring gaze. "Gotta say, it was some of our best work. Oscar-worthy performances, really."

I laughed, the sound bordering on hysterical with relief. Leave it to Damon to find a way to outsmart supernatural beings with a trick out of a cartoon.

Zara stepped forward with a shy smile that lit her entire face. "It wasn't easy," she admitted.

The last time I'd seen her, she'd been pale and weak, barely able to stand on her own. Now, the transformation was remarkable. Her face flushed a healthy pink instead of the previous sickly pallor. Her eyes, once dull with exhaustion, shone with alertness and a hint of pride at their successful deception.

I took a moment to truly look at her, assessing her condition. Gone was the fragile, almost breakable woman we'd escorted into Garrick's cottage. In her place stood someone who looked ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead. Her posture was straight and confident, no longer bowed by weakness. Even her rumpled clothes couldn't hide her newfound strength.

"You look…amazing," I blurted, surprise coloring my tone. "I mean, considering everything that's happened. How do you feel?"

Zara's smile widened a fraction, a hint of her usual mischief returning to her eyes. "Better than I have in a long time, actually. Turns out, sometimes all you need is a life-or-death situation and a good nap to get you back on your feet."

Her attempt at humor didn't hide the underlying tension in her voice. I saw it in the slight tightness around her eyes, the way her hands fidgeted at her sides. She was putting on a brave face, but the ordeal had left its mark.

"Playing dead while surrounded by sloth demons isn't exactly restful," she continued in a whisper. "Every moment, I was terrified they'd realize I was faking. But…" She paused, glancing at Damon with admiration. "Your brother's pretty good at this whole ‘outsmarting supernatural beings' thing."

I couldn't help but notice the way Damon puffed up at her words with a proud smirk. There was definitely a story there, one I'd have to get out of him later.

I marveled at Zara's resilience. She'd quite literally been through hell, yet here she was. Standing tall and ready for whatever came next. It was a potent reminder of why we were all here, why we were fighting so hard. People like Zara, caught in the crossfire of supernatural conflicts, deserving a chance at a normal life.

"Well." I reached out to gently squeeze her arm. "I'm glad you're okay. And thank you for everything you've done to help us."

Zara nodded, her expression turning serious. "We're not out of the woods yet, though, are we?" she asked, her gaze darting around our strange surroundings.

I shook my head as the weight of our situation settled back onto my shoulders. "No, we're not."

I looked back at Justice, then to Garrick and Maggie, who were recovering nearby, before turning to Damon. The relief of seeing him safe was immense, but I knew we weren't home free yet.

"I'm so glad you're okay." I gave Damon another quick squeeze. "But we need to figure out our next move. We're still in the heart of enemy territory, and I have a feeling Maci isn't done with us yet."

Damon's grin eased away, but I could still see the glint of excitement in his eyes. This was what we did. Facing impossible odds, outsmarting supernatural threats. It was practically the family business.

"Well, little sister," he drawled with determination and a hint of sarcasm. "Looks like it's time for the Grants to do what they do best. Save the day and look damn good doing it."

I kept my focus on the forest, scanning for any sign of the enemy to ensure our safety. "Garrick, we need to get to a portal. Is there one nearby?"

He pointed away from the creek down a narrow, winding trail. "There's another one near my castle, not far from here."

I scowled, memories of his castle flooding back. It stood exposed in the middle of open terrain, leaving us vulnerable. "But we'd be easy targets there, won't we?"

"Yes, but it's the closest one," Garrick replied tightly. "Justice, you'll know it when you see it. Look for the stump of a dead tree. That's the portal." He scrutinized the tree line, tension evident in his posture. "Come on. We've got to move. Now."

Justice's gaze swept over our group, assessing the situation. "Everyone, join hands again."

"I hate flying Vampire Airways," Damon muttered.

Justice glared. "I could leave you behind, and you could become a permanent statue at this little pond."

"I said I hated it. That doesn't mean I won't fly it," he retorted as he took Zara's hand.

She was holding Garrick's.

"Get ready," Justice told us. "I hear them. They're coming."

I placed the mirror in my backpack before I clasped Justice's hand firmly in my right. Maggie slid her hand into my left one. I braced myself for what was to come. Once more, Justice tapped into his vampiric speed, and we were hurtling down the grassy path.

As we tore through the forest, my ears picked up unsettling sounds. Low, menacing growls that echoed from all directions. The realization struck me with cold clarity. We were being pursued. Maci had clearly anticipated our plan and was doing everything in her power to prevent us from reaching that portal.

We pushed on, knowing our window of escape was rapidly closing. Every shadow held the potential for danger, every rustle of leaves a possible threat. Our fate balanced on a knife's edge with the promise of safety tantalizingly close yet still agonizingly out of reach.