Page 99 of The Silent Mountain
Again, Lorelai nods.
“Goddess,” I mutter. “And the bird who tried to drag me away?”
Lorelai gestures at the path leading into the island.
“But why did they want to bring me here?”
“Because you are Favian’s mate,” Elio says all of a sudden. “By Aengus, Alana, you have made him so much stronger just by existing!”
“They are after me, aren’t they?” I ask Lorelai. “The mare that attacked me, and then whatever pulled me towards the ocean that night, tried to get rid of me also. You saved me back then too.”
“But what lured you into the water in the first place?” Elio asks.
Again, Lorelai draws something into the ground. This time, a cloaked figure. “Who is that?” I mutter.
Elio shakes his head. “No clue, but I assume he is behind all of this. Right, Lorelai?”
Lorelai nods her agreement.
“Lorelai,” I say. “I know you are scared and want to protect us, but we need to return to the dragon clan. We can’t stay here. It’s too dangerous, and we need back-up. I know it’s dangerous in the water, but we need to risk it.”
“I think the same,” Elio agrees.
Lorelai seems to contemplate our words before she sighs. She reaches out her hand, but before I can take it, I see the water starts gurgling. “Careful,” I yell. “Lorelai!”
Lorelai spins around and moves to the side before a tentacle can reach for her.
“It’s here again!” Elio yells.
“Let’s help Lorelai!”
Elio and I dash forward, but we don’t reach the water, as Lorelai dives up again, and lashes out with her fin, pushing us back. More and more tentacles appear, easily surrounding Lorelai. This can’t just be one creature. “But…” I gasp.
Lorelai hisses something and signals towards the path leading away from the water.
“She wants us to run,” Elio says quietly. “But how can we leave her behind?”
“We can’t leave you here,” I exclaim.
Lorelai puts her hand on her heart and points at the point on the ground where she drew Maggie’s name. My heart sinks at her gesture.
“Damn it,” Elio mutters.
“Alright,” I whisper. “I will honor your wish, Lorelai.” I take Elio’s arm. “Come, maybe there is something we can do from inside of the island!”
We rush towards the path and disappear through it just in time, as one of the tentacle monsters reaches out for us. Grabbing Elio’s arm tighter, I drag him into the safety of the underground corridors where no sea monster can reach us. “Don’t die, Lorelai!” Elio yells before she is out of sight completely.
I only stop once I am sure there is nothing following us, finally taking time to look around. It’s indeed an underground corridor, but fortunately not a labyrinth of paths as I feared. Elio shivers slightly and pulls his jacket around himself more tightly. I don’t know what kind of magic Lorelai used on us when she saved us, but our clothes are dry, fortunately. This makes it so much easier to survive here.
It’s not cold here, but there is a suffocating aura lingering all around us that feels like fear is gripping my heart. “What is this?” I whisper. “Do you feel that too?”
“Yes,” Elio mutters. “It’s as if there is a presence all around us, and it’s not a good one.”
“Let’s make sure to stay as silent as we can,” I say. “I am not sure what we’ll find here.”
*FAVIAN*
I am rushing from one place to another, searching for my mate and my brother. The birds had been fought back easily, but only then did I realize that Alana and Elio were nowhere to be found. I try to reach out to both of them, but with no success. My dragon tried to push for the mate bond and find Alana that way, but the bond is completely muted.
