Page 37 of Secrets and Shadows

With a loud groan, I grip the branch impaling me and pull it out. My magic aids the effort, but the pain as it tears through muscle and skin is excruciating. For a moment, I think I mightpass out from the intensity, but somehow I manage to stay conscious by focusing on my fox.

Instinctively, my hand moves to the wound, pressing on it tightly in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding—or what bleeding there is. It’s more like a dark liquid seeping from me. I push harder, ignoring the pain, and rise to my shaky feet, fighting to keep my balance. I need help. I have to find a way to heal myself before—

Brave girl,the voice sneers, echoing through the darkness. I do my best to ignore it, knowing with certainty that it’s here to do me harm. For what reason? I have no idea. But it doesn’t matter.You will not escape me again.

A gentle glow pierces through the darkness, radiating from the fox still guarding me. Confusion washes over me when I realize the light is coming from my Predator, but also… not. I can’t look away as the glow begins to gather into a small, concentrated form, as if it’s struggling to take shape into something other than my fox.

I have no clue what’s happening, but it doesn’t seem threatening. In fact, it feels almost familiar, like it’s a part of me, born from my own magic. The light continues to grow until it matches the intensity of the fox, burning with the same fiery brilliance. And then, to my astonishment, it takes the shape of a deer.

A deer.

Holy shit.

The deer gives my fox a silent nod of acknowledgment before turning its gaze to me. What…?A Predator and a Prey teaming up. That’s… unheard of.

DidIsomehow do this?

The deer slowly approaches me step by step until it finally reaches me and sinks into my body. A powerful surge of energytears through me. Then, another wave of energy washes over me as the fox also melds into my being.

The entire forest is flooded with a blinding light, brighter than the sun, radiating from my limbs and exploding outward. An instant later, it vanishes.

And that’s when I crash onto the cold, unforgiving ground.

Fifteen

SIMON

As I stumblethrough the blinding light, I raise my hand to shield my eyes, but it barely helps.

My Shadow appears beside me in an instant, its protective aura wrapping around me and I race toward the source of the glow. With each step, the trees sway closer, their branches looming overhead and blocking my path.

“Lilith!” I shout, but my voice gets swallowed up by the overwhelming brightness. Every step feels like a struggle, as if something is trying to keep me from reaching her and I start to panic.

Damn it. How did she get so far away when she was right next to me moments ago?

I can’t shake the feeling that whatever happened to Lilith during her Shadowing isn’t a one-time thing like we thought. There’s something off about this forest, something that feels like it’s specifically targeting her, somethingtainted.

A dark presence lurks among the trees, its menacing energy pressing in on me from all sides. I grit my teeth and force one foot in front of the other, driven by the need to reach her. I’d never forgive myself if something happened when Iwas supposed to protect her—especially when I promised her everything would be fine.

When I finally reach Lilith, I find her surrounded by two Shadows—one is her burning fox, but the other is a deer I don’t recognize. I look to see who else is in the forest but don’t see anyone. Just the ominous dark presence closing in. What the fuck?

With a fierce growl, my bear charges toward Lilith, ready to defend her from whatever dark force is threatening her. But an invisible barrier surrounding Lilith and the two Shadows stops my bear in its tracks.

No!

Desperate to reach her, I try to push through the energy field, but it pushes me back with a force that makes my head spin.

“Lilith!” I scream, drawing my blade and slashing at the energy barrier in a frantic attempt to break through, but it holds strong.

My heart sinks as I helplessly watch the deer charge toward Lilith, sinking into her body. Moments later, her fox collides with her, releasing a bright blast that destroys everything in its path—including the trees, which are reduced to ash in seconds.

No, that can’t be possible. Can it?

Typically, a person can only summon one Shadow—either a Predator or a Prey. It’s unheard of for someone to summon both.

My own Shadow and I are thrown back by the force and land hard on the ground. The intense light fades as quickly as it appeared, and it reveals Lilith lying motionless on the ground.

Ignoring the pain coursing through my entire body, I scramble to my feet and rush toward her. Something black seeps from a deep gash on her left side, and I gently shake her, desperate for any sign of life amidst the destruction surrounding us. She can’t be dead. She’s too strong for that. Ihaveto believe that.

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