Page 60 of The Heir the Fae Forgot
My feet stumbled beneath me as my head started to spin.
Shiel tightened his hold on me and tried to keep dragging me forward, but with every step, that dread grew worse and worse until I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
It had settled into me like a dead weight, twisting my stomach until I thought I’d puke.
“Stop!” I said, pulling against Shiel’s hand as I tried to slow.
He just looked back at me like I was crazy and kept trying to pull me forward. But the dizziness, that crushing weight, it only got worse. I felt it taking hold of my soul and dragging it down until all I felt was hopelessness.
Thatwas when I remembered it.
I’d been here before,feltthis before, but that time was different. That time, I’d been unable to answer the call.
I twisted my head over my shoulder, and through the gloom, I saw it—the far off golden glow offire.
This time, I wrenched my hand from Shiel’s without asking him to stop, first. By the time his feet were skittering to a halt, his body turning to see what had forced me to a halt, I was already headed straight back towards that glow.
“Aurra, what are you doing? You’re headed the wrong way.”
Every step towards that fire, the weight of dread that had threatened to drown me grew a little lighter.
Shiel was at my side again, his hand reaching for mine, grabbing at me, trying to pull me back in the right direction. I shook him off and quickened my pace.
The sounds of far-off soliders was growing again, but I forced myself to ignore them. This might not be therightway, but it was the way I had to go.
I wouldn’t let myself fall into that blackness that had consumed me in the crystal.
Shiel tried once more to grab me, but I’d finally had enough.
“Shiel,” I said, stopping. As soon as I stopped moving, the dread came abck full force, trying to double me over with the pain. “Ihaveto go this way.”
His eyes narrowed as he looked at me, his hands refusing to let go of me still. “Are you under some kind of spell?” His eyes suddenly widened. “Is this Icarus? The wildness?”
Another pang of hopelessness threatened to knock me down. It was all I could do to keep from vomiting again.
I looked Shiel deep in the eyes then.
“Rember what you told me, before we entered the tunnels?”
It took him a second, but then he nodded.
“Split up. You draw the guards away.” I turned back towards that glow. “I have to go this way.”
I turned back one last time, my free hand reaching up to press against his cheek. I fought back that nausea as I looked him deep in the eyes.
“Do you trust me?”
He searched my face for a moment, but then he nodded. “How will I know where to find you?”
“You won’t,” I said. “I’ll find you.”
That was the end of it. Shiel shifted before my eyes, taking on his fox form. He hesitated only for a moment, his golden eyes looking up at me before he let out a yelp and took off, his footsteps heavy as he led the guards—at least we hoped—away from me.
And way from the fire that I now plunged directly towards.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
I already knewwhat I would find at the end of this journey into the smoke.
