Page 64 of Beasts of Briar
“The east wing.” Leoni snapped her fingers. “We can make him think she’s gone into the east wing.”
The east wing that I hadn’t been to in weeks. I wondered about the prisoner. How she was doing. I should visit her again, but for whatever reason, I couldn’t bring myself to knowing what she’d told me about Kairoth and their relationship.
“And when he discovers she hasn’t actually gone to the east wing?...” Driscoll gestured. “Then it’s just our heads?”
“He won’t kill you,”I said.
“Really?” Driscoll gestured to the jungle in the distance. “Because he kind of has a bad track record when it comes to that.”
Leoni sighed. “Driscoll . . .”
“Fine, but if he kills me, you are so getting haunted.” He jabbed a finger in my direction.
Leoni stepped forward. “Just get down the mountain and to the wall. When the sun sets and the stars appear, be ready. We’ll make sure he’s distracted enough that you can get over that wall and disappear into the jungle. The rest will be up to you.”
I swallowed. I still wasn’t exactly sure how I could use my magic to defend myself against the shadows. But I supposed I had a long walk to figure it out.
I moved to go, then stopped.“Thank you,”I signed.“For helping me when you don’t have to.”
Leoni shrugged. “It’s what we do.”
Driscoll pressed a hand to his chest. “Well, I get dragged into it.”
Leoni swatted the back of his head.
“Ow.” He rubbed his head, curly hair now tousled, as they turned and walked back toward the castle. “You didn’t have to hit me that hard.”
“I was hoping it would knock some sense into you,” Leoni shot back.
“You’re kind of mean sometimes.”
Their voices faded, and I turned on the cliff, looking out over the jungle, wondering where the nettle weed might be and if I would be able to find it before he found me.
Chapter Thirty-Six
BELLAMY
Iarrived at the tall gate near the entrance to the shadow court. The sun had sank below the horizon, the sky lavender and stars emerging.
Shadows swirled around me. They didn’t touch me, didn’t even seem to notice I was there, but the minute I started climbing the gate, that would change.
I arched my neck to gaze up at the stars, wondering just how many shadows’s minds I could infiltrate at once and if it would be enough.
There was only one way to find out.
I stretched my hands up, beckoning the stars. In response, they sparkled, brightening, beams of their silver light shining down over the shadows.
It wasn’t sunlight or firelight, not a type of light that the shadows feared since stars were just as much a part of the darkness as shadows. But that didn’t matter. I didn’t need the shadows to fear the light. I just needed them to respond to it.
I wasn’t entering their minds as in depth as I sometimes did with others. I stayed just on the surface, enough to make the shadows still, to calm their minds and fill it with thoughts of sleep. I held out my hands, drawing the starlight to each shadow that swirled around me, and one by one, they all began to droop, their wispy forms hanging in the air as I walked through them.
I kept my mental connection to them as I forced my body forward. This was strong magic, but I’d spent my early life training in the Wilds, using my magic in all different ways as my father and brothers pushed me hard. They didn’t want to always have to step in and be my protectors. They wanted me to be able to protect myself one day.
And they had taught me well.
I climbed up the gate, the shadows unmoving. It was working. I couldn’t believe I’d actually done it. I looked up, no Kairoth swooping down from the sky. Which meant whatever Driscoll and Leoni were doing was working too.
I couldn’t even imagine how they’d distracted him. But the thought of it made me smile. Those two were persistent. Annoying. But they were growing on me. And I’d gone and pushed them away like I did everyone. It was for the best. We’d part ways after this mission. I likely wouldn’t see them again. So why even bother?
