Page 37 of Whispers of the Elderoak

“Shit,” she said as she tried to run faster.

She entered the clearing with the ruins once again and froze, panicking. In her fervor to get away, she had run right back into the hands of her enemy.

Andras was there in an instant, fist meeting her face so powerfully she fell to the ground. She curled over herself, eye throbbing where he had punched her, and held her face in her still bound hands.

Dazed, she could barely move.

He reached down and yanked her up by her hair, turning her to face the woods where the creature emerged. His body was hard against her back as he held her, holding her wrists down in front of her with his other hand, and tilted her head to expose her neck to the creature.

“If we didn’t need you alive, you would make a wonderful meal for Deidamia. She hasn’t consumed anyone with magic in their blood in decades and she’s hungry,” he whispered into her ear.

The creature stalked forward, taking its time. It leaned in and smelled her, breathing in slowly as if savoring her scent. Long claws caressed her throat and trailed down the rest of herbody. Ava trembled as she tried to lean away but Andras was too strong. A whimper sounded from her lips as the claws caressed her throat again, like it was preparing to do to her exactly what it did to Eleanor.

In the blink of an eye, the figure shifted into the woman. Deidamia.

“I thought you said magic doesn’t work here,” Ava croaked.

“It doesn’t work well,” she said as she walked around the two of them. “Hold her still.” She flicked her hand toward Andras.

Andras dragged her over to the archway, letting go of her hair as he urged her to walk forward. Reaching the archway, he held her as they faced the ancient symbols.

Deidamia followed, reaching into Andras’ pocket for a knife and he wrapped his arms around Ava so she couldn’t move. She tried struggling but he was too strong and too close for her to kick.

If she let them get the portal open, that meant this world called Eorhan was in danger. Her world, supposedly. She had to try to stop them. She struggled harder, fighting against Andras’ grasp but he held her firm as Deidamia walked closer and grabbed Ava’s left wrist, gripping it so hard she thought it would break. She tried to pull away, but they were so much stronger than she was. Deidamia sliced Ava’s palm deep and she gritted her teeth against the sting of the blade. Blood blossomed from the cut as the throbbing almost overtook her, dripping onto the grass.

Taking her palm, Andras walked her closer to the archway and pressed it onto the stone. At first nothing happened, but then the throbbing turned into burning and excruciating pain spread to her wrist, her arm, then coursed through her whole body. Her muscles went rigid as the feeling intensified, making her dizzy as she stared in horror at the archway.

The voice from her dreams sounded, shouting her name to stop.

“Ava! No!”

Was that only in her head? Or could they hear it too?

She tried to pull her hand away, tried to stop the doorway from opening but Andras was still pushing her hand against the stone with immense strength as the pain continued to pulse through her.

Her vision started to hum in rhythm with the throbbing throughout her body. Fading in and out.

In and out.

It was like thousands of needles were piercing her skin, deeper and deeper.

The symbols glowed an eerie blue, bathing the clearing in a turquoise light. Brighter and brighter until the empty space within the archway filled in. Swirling blackness erupted framed by the blue glow of the symbols.

She had failed. The doorway was open.

She had brought death to an unknown realm she had never heard of.

A realm she had learned she was from. Where her parents were from.

Oh, god.

Andras pulled her back and the pain subsided as they backed away, gazing at the portal. Deidamia regarded it with reverence, triumph on her face forming into a wicked smile.

“We did it,” she whispered.

Maybe Ava could still escape. Leave them to conquer whatever they wanted. She didn’t know anyone in this other world, she could stay here and live her life. Leave them to handle the demons themselves. She was still human. It wasn’t her responsibility to fight their battles.

She wanted no part of it. If her mother truly wanted her togo save their world, she should have told her everything years ago.

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