Page 69 of Shattered Veil
Bile rising in my throat and I feel that fucking pull inside that seems to come straight from my guts.
No. That won’t happen. I won’t let it.
Focus, asshole. This is just another mind game.
I study the spaces between the mirrors again, ignoring the nightmarish visions. There’s a tiny gap where two mirrors don’t quite meet. It’s barely visible, but it’s there, and a slight shimmer.
The world twists, and suddenly I’m through.
“Fucking hell.” Whoever designed this trial is a sadistic genius.
The mirrors vanish behind me, replaced by a long, dark tunnel. Ahead, I catch a glimpse of Brigid disappearing around a corner.
I pick up my pace to keep up with her, still staying a distance behind so she doesn’t become aware that I’m there.
The tunnel empties into a chamber. It’s a cavernous space, the darkness thick and suffocating. My eyes strain to adjust, picking out vague shapes in the gloom. Eventually, I start to see that scattered throughout the space are luminescent fungi, their pale blue light barely piercing the darkness. They cluster in patches, forming weird constellations on the walls and floor.
I take a cautious step forward and immediately regret it. The floor beneath my foot is gone and there’s an endless black hole below it. The ground is unstable, covered with hidden traps. I look up quickly to see where Brigid is, but movement catches my eye.
Laria. The vampire bitch is trailing Brigid, a vulturous gleam in her eyes.
Brigid’s on the other side of the chamber, and she’s facing two exits. To the left, an archway that looks like it leads to another tunnel. To the right, a corridor lined with razor-sharp pendulums.
She chooses right.
Brigid takes a deep breath and darts forward. The pendulums swing with a deadly rhythm. She weaves through them with surprising grace, narrowly avoiding having body parts sliced off with each step.
I watch, holding my breath, as Brigid emerges on the other side, panting but alive.
I glance over at Laria, who’s eyeing the pendulums with disdain. She crouches, muscles tensing, then leaps. Her vampiric speed carries her through the gauntlet in a blur. She lands gracefully on the other side, a smug smile curving her lips as she stalks after Brigid.
Fuck.
I set my jaw and face the pendulums. No time for finesse. I summon the shadows, wrapping them around me like armor. The blades slice through the darkness, but I push forward, ignoring the sting as they nick my skin. I emerge on the other side, my shadows dissipating.
Laria lurks against the walls, watching Brigid with less than good intent. I tense, ready to intervene in case Laria decides to do something stupid. Which is likely, given what I’ve seen of the bloodsucker.
Brigid pauses at yet another sadistic puzzle, courtesy of the perverse minds that came up with this challenge.
A flicker of movement catches my eye. Laria slinks closer, gaze fixed on Brigid. The vampire’s lips curl into an evil smile as she reaches for a lever half-hidden in an alcove.
Fuck.
I react without thinking, melting into the shadows and materializing behind Laria. My hand clamps over her mouth as I drag her back into the darkness.
“Not today, bitch,” I growl in her ear.“Brigid’s off-limits.”
She thrashes in my grip, fangs bared. Laria laughs, a harsh sound.“Says who? You? Please. She’s nothing but prey.”
“Listen carefully,” I hiss.“If I see you near Brigid again, I’ll make sure you don’t leave alive. Understand?”
Laria growls, then she nods. I release her and she stumbles away.
Brigid solves the new puzzle before Laria can change her mind. A hidden door grinds open, revealing a narrow passage. Brigid slips through, and I follow, leaving Laria snarling.
The passage twists and turns, leading to a room. At its center sits a ghostly figure, a wraith-like form shrouded in black cloth, with glowing eyes and skeletal fingers. Brigid approaches it cautiously.
“Speak the name of your greatest fear,” it intones.
