Page 88 of Midnight Reign
“This way,” I say, pointing towards a grove of trees with silvery leaves.
As we make our way through the sanctuary, even here, in this protected haven, I can feel the underlying current of unease.
We reach a grove, and there, perched on a branch of burnished gold, is the phoenix. Its feathers are a brilliant array of reds and golds, shimmering with an inner fire. As we approach, it turns its head to regard us with eyes that burn like embers.
The phoenix trills softly, a sound like distant bells. It hops down from its perch, landing gracefully on a lower branch, closer to us. Its gaze is fixed on Adelaide, curiosity evident in its fiery eyes.
“I think it likes you,” Zephyr murmurs, his shadows coiling protectively around us.
“Or it knows I nicked its feather last time,” she whispers but takes a step forward, her hand outstretched. “We need your help,” she says softly to the phoenix. “We need the ash from one of your feathers to complete a ritual that will return MistHallow to the sanctuary it once was. Will you help us?”
To my amazement, the phoenix bows its head. With a soft whoosh, one of its tail feathers bursts into flame, turning to ash that floats gently to the ground.
“Well, fuck me,” I mutter, quickly scooping up the still-warm ash and dropping it into a small pouch that Zephyr conjures up from nowhere. “That was almost too easy.”
As soon as the words leave my mouth, I regret them. A piercing shriek fills the air, and suddenly, we’re surrounded by a flock of various birds, their eyes glowing with an unnatural light.
“You just had to say it, didn’t you?” Zephyr growls, his shadows expanding to form a protective barrier around us.
The birds attack in a flurry of beaks and talons. I pull Adelaide close, shielding her with my body as I lash out at our assailants. Zephyr’s shadows whip through the air, knocking birds aside.
“We need to get out of here,” I shout over the racket of screeching birds.
Adelaide nods, her face set. She closes her eyes and murmurs, “Come to me, my pets.”
In an instant, five shadow creatures descend from above like dark angels, scattering the birds to the corners of the aviary.
“Now!” Zephyr yells, grabbing Adelaide’s hand.
We run, dodging and weaving through the sanctuary. The birds dive at us from all directions, but the shadow pets keep them at bay. We burst through the wards, the magickal barrier shattering like glass behind us as it lets off a wail of epic proportions.
“Ah!” I grit out, my sensitive vampire hearing assaulted by the screech behind us.
We don’t stop running until we’re well away from the sanctuary, the noise now a distant wail. As we slow to a stop, I turn to Adelaide, panting slightly, not from the exertion but from the violation of my senses.
She is bleeding from her eyes and ears. “Are you alright, Dollie?” I ask, cupping her face in my hands, and wiping away the blood from her face.
She nods. “Better now. That hurt.”
“No, shit,” I smirk and let her go before I lick her face.
“At least we got what we came for. One ingredient down, one to go,” Zephyr says, unruffled and not bothered by the howl of the wards. “Let’s bounce.”
As we make our way towards the Whispering Woods, the shadow pets follow us at a distance, protecting their mistress from whatever lies out there, watching us, waiting for us to fuck up.
“I don’t like this,” Zephyr murmurs, his shadows writhing uneasily around him. “It feels like the forest is waiting for something.”
Adelaide nods, her eyes scanning the treeline. “I feel it, too. Like we’re walking into a trap.”
I take a deep breath. “Well, trap or not, we need that water from the sacred spring. Let’s just be on our guard.”
As we enter the Whispering Woods part of the MistHallow forest, the atmosphere changes dramatically. The air is filled with whispers just on the edge of hearing. Mist curls around our feet, and the trees lean in, their branches reaching for us like grasping fingers.
“Stay close,” I mutter, taking Adelaide’s hand. Zephyr flanks her other side, his shadows spreading out around us protectively again. The shadow pets move in closer, forming a circle around us.
We push deeper into the woods, following Adelaide. She seems to know exactly where she is going. But then I realise, it’s not her. We’re following the shadow pet in the lead. The whispers grow louder, sometimes forming words that send chills into my soul. Promises of power, hints of forgotten secrets, warnings of impending doom - all swirl around us in a maddening mishmash.
Suddenly, we stop.
