Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Suddenly, Justice released us, and I stumbled to a halt. The abrupt stop sent my world spinning, and my stomach lurched. I blindly reached out, and my palm hit the rough-hewn wall. The stone was cool and slightly slimy under my fingers, supporting me as I fought to regain my equilibrium.

As my racing heart slowed, the catacombs gradually came into focus. My eyes adjusted to the gloom, picking out details in the wavering light of distant torches. Shadows danced across walls adorned with ancient carvings and patches of phosphorescent moss. Droplets of water trickled down from unseen crevices, their quiet clinks echoing in the eerie silence.

I drew in a shaky breath, the chill air seeping into my bones. We were deep in the belly of the earth, trapped in a labyrinth of the dead with a creature of the night as our guide. As my vision cleared fully, I caught sight of Justice's pale face in the gloom, his eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light that made my skin prickle with unease.

Justice's eyes darted from face to face, his brow furrowed with concern. "Is everyone okay?" The flickering torchlight cast dancing shadows across his pale features, making him look more ghostly than ever.

Damon hunched over, hands on his knees, and released a ragged cough. When he straightened, his face was a mask of discomfort. "About as well as a cat caught in a blender," he grumbled. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, grimacing. "Next time, I think I'll take the granny pass."

Bitterness tinged my lips. I swallowed hard, my eyes stinging with unshed tears as I surveyed what remained of our team. "We need to get back to the manor," I whispered hoarsely.

Damon's green eyes met mine, their usual mischievous glint replaced by a somber intensity. "And spread the good news that we were duped, lost the Crown of Envy, and a friend?" His words hung heavy in the musty air.

I squared my shoulders, wishing I could turn back time and none of this would have happened, but when did hunters ever get a break? A single tear escaped, tracing a cool path down my cheek. I wiped it away with a trembling hand, smearing dirt onto my palm. "Yes," I replied, trying to sound stronger than I felt.

I was about as strong as a wet kitten.

Damon closed the distance between us in two quick strides. His calloused hands gripped my shoulders, warm and reassuring against the chill seeping into my bones. "It wasn't your fault, Sawyer."

I lowered my head, unable to meet his gaze. The smell of damp earth and ancient stone filled my nostrils as I inhaled a shuddering breath. "I accused the wrong person. If I wasn't so blinded by my own pride, maybe I would have seen the signs. Then I could have stopped it."

"Listen to me." Damon gave my shoulders a gentle shake. I looked up and met his determined gaze. His face was inches from mine, his breath warm on my skin. "We all fell for Lisa's lies. None of us were immune." The conviction in his voice was almost enough to make me believe him. Almost.

Soft footsteps echoed through the cavernous space, barely audible over the constant drip of water from unseen crevices. I held my breath as I picked up a rock, ready to bash it over Lisa's or Maci's head. The fight hadn't gone out of me yet, and I wanted revenge for Brody.

Zara emerged from the shadows, her approach slow and hesitant. I exhaled a breath of relief and dropped the rock with a thud. Then, I grimaced at the flash of fear in her eyes. Did she think I would hurt her? If you would have asked me an hour ago, I might have said yes, but I had wool over my eyes. I saw what I wanted to see. Lisa fed me lies to keep me thinking Zara was the enemy. What a fool I was.

The flickering torchlight caught the copper highlights in Zara's red hair, creating a halo effect around her pale face. Her blue eyes, usually bright and determined, now swam with unshed tears, glistening like sapphires in the dim light.

With trembling fingers, she pushed a stray lock of hair off her face, tucking it behind her ear. Her soft, low voice seemed to fill the catacomb. "You thought I was the traitor, didn't you?"

The question was a punch to the gut, forcing the air from my lungs. I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry as sandpaper. The bitter, acrid taste of guilt filled my mouth. Lying wasn't an option. She deserved to hear the truth, no matter how much it pained me to admit it.

"Yes, I did," I confessed, the words feeling like shards of glass in my throat. I met her gaze, forcing myself not to look away from the hurt in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I had these dreams about you, and I thought… I thought they were premonitions."

Zara's breath hitched. She wrapped her arms around herself as if trying to hold herself together. "Dreams can be misleading," she murmured. She sniffed, then choked back a laugh that sounded more like a sob. "I thought so. All of you treated me like I was some kind of parasite."

I flinched, feeling each syllable like a knife to my gut. But Zara wasn't finished. She stepped closer, her eyes blazing with hurt and determination.

"But there's something you don't understand," she continued, her voice growing stronger. "Betrayal goes against the Thistlewood code. When we pledge ourselves to help someone, we can't go back on our word." Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, knuckles white with tension. "We would be banned from the coven if we did."

Her words drifted over me like a shroud. The damp, cool air of the catacombs suddenly felt suffocating. I heard my own heartbeat pounding in my ears, a rapid drumbeat of shame and regret. The enormity of my mistake crashed down on me, as suffocating as the walls of the catacombs. I opened my mouth to speak, to apologize again, but no words came out. What could I possibly say to make this right?

Damon clasped her arm. "Look, we screwed the pooch on this one. Backed the wrong horse, and it bit us in the ass something fierce. But I swear on my baby's spark plugs, it ain't happening again."

Zara's brow furrowed, her blue eyes narrowing in confusion. "I'm sorry, your baby's what?"

Damon chuckled, the sound a low rumble in his chest. He shifted his weight, his leather jacket creaking as he crossed his arms.

"His car," I jumped in, a smile tugging at my lips despite the tension in the air. "A Ford Fairlane. It's back home. He considers it his baby."

"Damn straight," Damon muttered, his green eyes glinting with affection. "She's a beauty."

I turned back to Zara, my heart hammering. The musty scent of the catacombs filled my nostrils as I drew a deep breath, searching her face for any sign of forgiveness. "Can you forgive us?" I whispered.

Zara's lips trembled, then slowly curved into a small smile. A wave of relief washed over me, so powerful it made my knees weak.

"Yes," she replied softly. "Next time, if you doubt me, just ask. I won't lie to you. It's?—"

"Let me guess," Damon cut in with a grin that reminded me of the Cheshire Cat. He cocked an eyebrow, looking every bit the confident hunter. "It's against the Thistlewood code."

"No," Zara replied, tilting her head to meet his gaze. Her eyes flashed with amusement and determination. "It's against mine. I might be many things, but a liar isn't one of them."

Her words hung in the air, as tangible as the moisture clinging to the stone walls around us. I swallowed hard, my throat tight with emotion. "I swear to you," I told her, my voice cracking slightly. "We'll ask."

Damon nodded and clapped a hand on Zara's shoulder. "You got it, Red," he replied. "No more jumping to conclusions. Scout's honor." He held up three fingers in a mock salute, a hint of that Damon Grant charm shining through.

I faced her. "Zara, I promise we will help you free your sister. Even though we lost the Crown of Envy, we will find a way to break the curse that turned your sister into stone."

"Thank you," she murmured.

The tension in the air began to dissipate, replaced by a cautious sense of renewed trust. As we stood in the dim, flickering light of the catacombs, I felt the first stirrings of hope. Maybe we could move past this and become stronger as a team.

Justice tilted his head. "We need to get going. Maci could return with an army of demons, or the Aegis serpent might want to finish what it started."

"Meaning Brody would have company in the afterlife," Damon grumbled as he peered down the long, dim tunnel. "Yeah, let's follow the creepy catacomb path out of here."

I brought out my compass. "According to this, Damon's right. That's the way out."

As I led them through the tunnel, I prayed we didn't run into more catastrophes. I wasn't sure my team could cope with another one.

But Maci was just getting started. Tearing her enemies apart from the inside was her idea of a good time.