Page 74 of An Oath at Midnight

Each of his words left a bruise. It fucking killed me to think about the pain I’d caused Bram. “I will be there in thirty-six hours. I love Bram, and I’m going to prove it to him.”

“It’s your funeral,” he said, then he disconnected.

I didn’t know if he’d pass on my message, but either way, I was doing it, and I hoped like hell Bram was waiting for me at the other end.

Agatheena’s words filtered through my mind. Your task, it’ll be a test of strength—magical, physical, but mostly…” She’d tapped the side of her head. “But mostly a test of what’s in here. Are you mentally strong, Magnolia? Because you’ll need to be.” Her finger had pressed against the center of my chest. “And in here. Your heart will need to be sure, true.”

I hadn’t known what she meant at the time, but I did now. My heart was sure, and it was true. I knew what my heart wanted now, what it needed. I needed Bram in my life, not just for this task but for all my days and all my nights. For forever.

I’d always needed him, and not just as my familiar—I needed my mate.

Shoving my phone in my pocket, I started running.

CHAPTER 19

Magnolia

Planting my foot on the demon’s chest, I yanked Asher’s knife from its throat. Blood sprayed me, and I dragged my forearm over my eyes so I could see, then scooped up more of its blood and smeared it over any exposed skin to cover my scent. I’d been doing it regularly, but still some of the creatures in these woods scented me.

I hadn’t slept in thirty-five hours. I was cut and clawed, there were several bites on my arm and one on my side that I was pretty sure was getting infected, and I had one hour to reach Bram, and a lot of ground still to cover.

Shoving the knife back in its sheath, I spun from the flailing, bleeding demon and ran like hell. Roars and hisses echoed behind me, from breeds of demons, from creatures I’d never encountered before I’d walked into this forest. I shuddered, but now knew more about than I’d ever wanted to.

Hopefully, the demon thrashing about back there would keep them busy for a short time and give me the chance to put some distance between me and them.

A snarl came from my right several seconds before a demon ran at me. They tended to do that, gave themselves away before they attacked. It was all the time I needed. Spinning, I kicked it in the head. It stumbled back, then came at me again. I tumbled into a roll as it lunged, jumping up and kicking it in the back. It face-planted, and I quickly slashed the tendons above each knee and ankle. The demon screamed, and I jumped to my feet and kept running.

I was fueled by adrenaline and desperation at this point. I’d finished the last of my water a few hours ago. I was hungry as hell, but without water I wasn’t sure I’d be able to choke down my last energy bar.

A group of four…not demons, but creatures, appeared out of nowhere. Their hideous faces were wide, noses pointed and bony, bloodshot eyes protruding. I cringed. If my belly wasn’t so empty, I’d be dry heaving from their smell alone. I yanked a glass vile from my pocket and threw it with force at the rock by one of the fugly fuckers’ hairy feet. It smashed, and my potion did its thing, the vapor exploding around them and sending them deep into a hallucination haze, blinding them to me.

I only had two vials left. One like the potion I’d just used, inducing confusion and causing hallucinations, and the other, well, that one caused a little more damage.

I yanked my knife free, using it on the next demon who ran at me, somehow taking him out of commission with my frenzied hacking. Yeah, I was running out of steam, and fast. Digging deep, I thought of Bram, of how much pain I’d caused him, of how much I missed him, needed him, of how much I wanted to show him what he meant to me, and gritted my teeth, pushing harder.

I only had twenty minutes left.

Light broke through the trees ahead. I was almost at the edge of the forest. So close. Almost at the clearing between this forest and the crows’ village. I just had to get there. I just had to find the strength to run that clearing.

The excited calls and whoops, the growls, grew in volume behind me. I focused ahead, about to pick up the pace, but was forced to slam on the brakes instead.

Demons.

They hadn’t seen me yet, but ahead of me were more demons than I had a single hope of getting by.

Fuck.

The hungry sounds grew louder behind me, more of them closing in from all directions.

I needed to make a move. Now. I looked up at the massive tree beside me, its thick branches reaching out to the one beside it. With no time to waste, I gathered every bit of strength I could muster and scrambled up the wide trunk, somehow finding foothold after foothold, like I was being guided by someone else.

The demons crashed through the forest beneath, searching for me. I’d never seen so many demons or hideous creatures in my life. If I fell now, I’d be torn to shreds in seconds.

Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I stepped out onto one of the thick branches, using the one above to steady me, then onto another that touched the tree beside it. I focused on my balance, making my way to the next tree, then the next, slowly working my way to the edge of the forest.

What I planned to do when I got there? I had no fucking clue, but I had to think of something fast, because time was almost up.

If I was going to prove to Bram that I was worthy of being his mate, I had to finish this.