Page 16 of Crowned By the Shadow
He hesitated for a moment before taking a breath and letting it out slowly, as if preparing himself for an unwelcome truth.
“I see light battling against darkness,” he said softly. “But also a choice, one that will shape not just your destiny, but that of all fae kind.”
“And if we don’t find this mage?” I asked, urgency creeping into my voice.
“Then darkness will consume us all,” he replied, his tone laced with sorrowful gravity.
I swallowed hard, but something deeper than fear ignited within me—a fire kindled by defiance against fate itself.
“Let’s not dwell on what could happen,” Thorn urged gently, but with an edge of steel behind it. “We focus on saving Wyn and then finding this mage.”
With newfound determination pushing us forward, we navigated through hidden passageways lined with cold stone until we reached a narrow stairwell leading upward toward what seemed like freedom.
But then there came a noise, a low rumble that reverberated through the surrounding air like thunder echoing across an endless sky.
“What was that?” Sebastian whispered urgently as he halted mid-step.
“I don’t know.” Thorn kept his voice low but intense as he surveyed our surroundings cautiously. “But we need to move faster.”
We pressed onward until we emerged onto a balcony overlooking the sprawling chaos below; the capital teeming with fae bustling about in alarming disarray as news spread aboutFenvalur’s sudden downfall and disappearance. It wasn’t just that, though, there was too much panic.
Before my thoughts could settle, Sebastian’s voice cut in, “This way!” He gestured down another flight of stairs leading away from prying eyes and noise alike.
I followed Sebastian and Thorn down the winding staircase, my heart pounding in rhythm with each step. The air felt charged, alive with an urgency that clung to my skin like a second layer. I couldn’t shake the feeling that danger lurked just beyond our sight.
Sebastian moved ahead of us, his stature commanding even in shadows. I could hardly believe he was my father, the man who had been a ghost in my life until moments ago. Every memory of longing and loss coalesced into a singular thought: I would do everything to protect him now.
“Do you think Fenvalur will come after us?” I whispered, glancing back up the staircase we’d just descended.
“He’ll try,” Thorn replied, his voice low but steady. “But we can’t afford to think about him now. We need to reach Wyn before it’s too late.”
The thought of Wyn sent a fresh wave of determination coursing through me. She was just as much my family as Sebastian, more so in fact. She was someone I had fought alongside, someone worth every risk we faced.
Sebastian turned sharply, eyes glimmering with a mixture of pride and sorrow as he caught my gaze. “You’re stronger than you know, Senara,” he said quietly. “Don’t let fear cloud your instincts.”
“Easier said than done,” I muttered under my breath, but the warmth in his words wrapped around me like armor.
We continued down another corridor, its walls adorned with faded tapestries depicting ancient battles between light anddark, a stark reminder of the stakes we faced. Shadows flickered at the edges of my vision, making every footfall feel precarious.
Suddenly, a clatter echoed from behind us, heavy boots thudding against stone floors as shouts rang out in the distance.
“Move!” Thorn commanded, propelling us forward with urgency.
I sprinted behind Sebastian, adrenaline sharpening my senses as we rounded a corner into an expansive hall lined with towering windows overlooking the city below. The sunlight poured in like liquid gold, illuminating our path but also exposing us if we lingered too long.
“Out there!” I pointed toward a balcony leading to the gardens below—the only escape route visible.
Thorn nodded without hesitation and bounded toward it first. “Stay close!”
We darted across the hall just as the sound of voices grew louder, guards converging on our location. My pulse quickened; each footfall seemed to echo like a war drum against stone.
Sebastian reached the balcony first and motioned for me to follow him out into the open air. “We’ll have cover among the hedges!” he urged.
I hesitated only for a moment before leaping through the threshold onto cool marble beneath my feet, quickly joining them on solid ground again.
“Go!” Thorn urged again as more shouts rang through the halls behind us; panic surged within me as I pushed myself faster toward freedom. The garden stretched before us—a wild tangle of blooming flowers and thick foliage perfect for concealment.
I dove into it without looking back.
