by Lila Kane
I blow out a breath and close my eyes. “Good,” I whisper.
I need his trust. I need everyone to trust me because Selena isn’t going to make this easy. And if we all can’t work together and do what’s necessary, someone is going to get hurt.
Chapter 24
Logan and I arrive at the hotel before everyone else. I lounge against the outside of his car, sipping my coffee and watching while Cheyenne pulls up with my mom and Ryan arrives just after in his truck.
I salute them with my coffee. “Morning.”
“You look calm,” Cheyenne says.
Ryan’s eyes wander over my face and travel to Logan briefly before returning to me. “You do.”
I shrug. I’m not. I’m nervous. But there’s no point in showing it. I want everyone to think I’m confident about this. To believe it’s going to work out as well as we planned. Walk to the cave, walk inside the cave, find the Book of Shadows and then get the hell out of there. Easy as pie.
Faye’s eyes meet mine and she gives a small smile. She can tell how I feel. I bet she can read it on my face.
I turn to Logan. “Where’s Myra? She should be here by now.”
He grips my fingers tight in his. “She’ll be here. Don’t worry.”
“Now you don’t look calm,” Ryan says. His eyes dip to my hand, still linked with Logan’s. “What’s going on? Something happen with Myra?”
“Logan’s brother is here,” I say. “And I think you’re right about the blackbird being a shapeshifter. It tried to attack us last night and I had a vision‒about Kane.”
Cheyenne’s mouth opens but nothing comes out. Finally, she says, “Willow, I can’t leave you alone for ten minutes. I go home and look what happens. You get attacked by a bird, have visions…” She smiles at Logan. “Get kidnapped.”
Ryan smirks, but he controls it quickly. “Just what we need. More vampires to deal with.”
“I don’t want to argue, I just want to make sure Myra is okay and then tell you all to be on the lookout. Once we deal with Selena, we’ll need to figure out how to redo the spell. And quick.” I see Myra’s car pulling into the parking lot and blow out a breath. “Good, she’s here.”
When Myra steps out with a wide smile, I figure she hasn’t had any problems. Logan fills her in as we start to walk.
“So what’s the plan again?” Faye asks.
“Get inside the cave and find the book,” I say.
Cheyenne walks on my other side. “So, not much of a plan.”
I scowl at her. “What else is there to do?”
“I’m not putting down the idea. I have no idea what else to do. I just seems a little…simple, is all.”
“And dangerous,” Ryan adds.
The air is warm as we start into the trees. Clouds block the sun today, giving us some reprieve from the heat. So far it feels nice. And normal.
“It is simple‒and let’s hope it stays that way. As far as dangerous…” I meet Ryan’s eyes. “That’s why you’re all here.”
Faye nods. “And I’ll be in there with you.”
“No.” I smile at her, grateful for the back-up. But I want to do this on my own as much as possible. To keep it simple, like Cheyenne said. “Just stay outside the cave if you can. So there’s one of us inside and one of us out, just in case.”
“But then you’ll be in there alone,” Ryan says.
I flash him a grin. “I’ll be quick.”
He doesn’t seem to find that amusing. I shoot Cheyenne a look and she walks ahead with my mother, understanding right away that I need a moment with Ryan.
“You know this has to be done,” I say when it’s just us walking side-by-side. I can’t help but glance over my shoulder, though. I meet Logan’s eyes. He gives me a smile, though I can tell it’s forced.
Ryan nods. “I know. Doesn’t make it any easier, though.”
“But you know…if we can finish this with Selena, and then do something about the spell, maybe things will be different. Maybe instead of just putting the spell back in place we can do more.”
“What do you mean?”
“Make a new spell. Make it so you’re not stuck in Shadow Hill anymore.” I smile. “If that’s what you want.”
He keeps walking, but his gaze stays on me for a long moment. “Where would I go?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. Anywhere.” I grin at him. “Everywhere.”
He laughs. “Sounds like your kind of thing, not mine.”
“You don’t want to leave? Or travel? Get out of here?”
“I don’t really care about all that. I just want…”
“What do you want?” I prompt when he doesn’t continue.
“I want all of this over. I want to walk outside without worrying I’m going to see an animal and shift into something else. I want to have a normal relationship with someone.”
He stops talking and a muscle flexes in his jaw. He glances back to the rest of the group and sighs. His eyes meet mine briefly before dropping to watch his feet as we cross the forest floor.
“So,” he says quietly before I can answer. “You and Logan, huh?”
I lift my chin but bite my lip. This is what I need to tell him, right? But the resignation in his eyes is hard to see.
“Yes.” I spot the cave up ahead. “He understands me.”
Ryan flashes me a quick smile. “You don’t have to explain.”
I feel like I do. I feel like I owe him something for being here for me‒and for trying to keep me safe from Logan when we actually thought he was a threat.
But before I can turn and say anything else, the earth starts to shake beneath my feet. Ryan grabs my arm and we both turn to the rest of the group. Cheyenne’s eyes widen.
“What’s going on?” Faye asks, hand fumbling for a rock or something else to steady herself with.
“Is someone else coming into Shadow Hill?” Myra grabs a tree trunk as the ground continues to tremble.
Branches crack overhead and then rain down on us. We duck, covering our heads.
Leave now!
The voice rings loud in my ears and I gasp, looking up. It’s Selena. She’s trying to get us to leave.
I’ll kill them all!
“Did you hear that?” I ask, standing again. I stumble and pitch to the side, grabbing a tree branch to right myself.
You’re going to die!!
Logan starts toward me, but I spin in the other direction. “Did you hear that?”
“I don’t hear anything,” Myra says. “Just the trees. What is it, Willow?”
I whip around when hands close on my shoulders. It’s Logan. He’s bending to peer into my face.
“It’s Selena,” I whisper.
More tree branches crack overhead. A huge one falls above Faye and both Ryan and Myra stop it from crashing down on her head.
“You need to get out of here,” I tell Logan. I clutch his forearms as the earth tips. “She’s going to try to hurt you. Get them out of here, Logan, please.”
“If we go, you’re coming with us,” he says.
“No.” I try to pull from his grasp. “Logan, listen‒”
“Let’s do this,” Faye says, nodding at me. “Let’s get it done and get out of here.”
I hold her gaze for another moment and then swivel. “Okay. We’re almost there.”
Logan reaches for my hand, keeping me steady. The wind picks up the closer to the cave we get. I keep glancing around, making sure the entire group is nearby. Selena is still here, spitting words in my head, tossing branches.
Thankfully she’s up against a group of paranormals who don’t hurt easily. All except for me and my mom. When I look for Faye again, she’s right beside me.
We arrive at the cave.
“Let me go in first.” Faye starts to protest, but I shake my head. “Please. I’ll be quick.”
I duck inside before she can say anything else. The air is cool. I barely see anything but the flicker of light off the amethysts covering the walls. Using my powe
r, I push a ball of light into existence.
“Do you know where it is?” Myra asks, hovering outside the opening.
“No.” My voice echoes in the dark cave. I shiver. “How is everything out there?”
“The shaking stopped,” Cheyenne says.
Inside, the light extinguishes itself, plunging me into blackness. I gasp and keep my gaze focused on the opening, which orients me. A small amount of light still shines in and I cling to it.
“Willow.” Logan peers inside, eyes probably stronger than mine in the darkness. “Are you okay?”
“Willow…”
I whip toward the sound of the voice. My heart bangs against my ribs. Selena’s in here with me.
“Willow?” Logan says again. “Answer me, Willow, or I’m coming in there.”
“No.” I swallow my fear. “Stay there. I’m going to try to find the book.”
I close my eyes, even though it’s so dark, and feel around with my mind. Selena’s book holds a lot of her power, especially since she herself isn’t a physical being.
“It’s here,” I whisper. “The book. I can feel it.”
Power flickers, but I’m not strong enough to pinpoint it. The trembling starts again and I pitch to the ground, losing my balance on the smooth stone floor.
“Willow!” Logan starts into the cave, but my mom pushes him aside.
She’s careful as she walks in, bracing her hand on the wall of the cave so she doesn’t fall.
“No, Mom, don’t come in.”
Faye flashes a smile, then sucks in a breath when the shaking gets worse. “You called me Mom.”
I scowl at her, getting to my knees. “Not good timing,” I mutter.
She smiles. “It distracted you, didn’t it?” She holds out her hand. “Come on, we need to find that book.”
“I need more power.”
She wiggles her fingers and I take her hand. I brace my free hand on the cool cave wall and close my eyes again.
The book is like a beacon, its power pulsing in low, deep hums. “Can you feel that?” I ask.
“Yes.”
The cave stops shaking. I point to the tunnel. “It’s back there.”
“What’s going on?” Cheyenne asks.
“We’re going to look in the tunnel.”
Ryan’s worried face comes into view. “Be careful.”
Logan doesn’t say anything, but his mouth is tight, eyes dark.
“Come on.” I pull my mom’s hand. “We need to hurry.”
When we reach the opening of the tunnel, a slow wind creeps up. It’s darker back here. The breeze is chilly and it picks up speed.
“She’s trying to stop us,” Faye says. “We must be close.”
I can barely see the outline of her face now. I make a ball of light, but Selena puts it out right away. I reach for my mom’s hand again.
“Concentrate,” I tell her. “I need to find exactly where it is.”
“Leave now!”
Faye’s hand tightens on mine. “I heard that.”
My breathing quickens. “You did?”
“Hurry, Willow.”
The wind yanks at my hair and I face the wall. “Behind these stones. Help me!”
The cave is trembling again, the wind ripping through me like icicles. I dig my fingers into the stones, trying to pull them away from the wall of the tunnel. My mother is doing the same thing, and I can hear her nervous breath beside me.
“Get out!” Selena shouts.
Her voice is so loud and strong, it reverberates through me.
“Willow!” Logan yells. “You need to get out of there.”
“We almost have it,” I call back.
Then I hear a crash further back in the tunnel. My mom’s gaze whips that way as well and she steps in that direction. “Hurry, Willow, she’s bringing down the cave.”
I dig faster, and then in a huff of frustration, I push my power to the wall. The stones start tumbling down. A chorus of voices calls for us from the entryway to the cave. There’s no way they can see us back here, but they can hear the noise.
“Get out of there now,” Logan growls.
The book hums with energy and I shove my hand inside a space I’ve dug from the wall. It closes around something hard. “I’ve got it!”
Faye blows out a breath of relief. And then a sharp breeze whips by us and the tunnel collapses. Rock rains down. A large stone hits my mother on the shoulder, and then another on the head. She falls to the ground as I’m pelted with pieces from the cave.
“Mom!” I drop to my knees, my hands fumbling over Faye’s arms and the cut of blood on her head. I shake her arm. “No, Faye, you wake up right now.”
“Willow!” Ryan calls.
Logan’s voice comes right after his. “Willow, get out of there.”
“Help!” My voice breaks with anguish. I swallow a sob, knowing my mom and I are the only ones who can come into the cave unharmed.
The walls continue to crumble and a stray rock hits me hard on the thigh. I yank in a sharp breath, and then Logan is there. His cheeks are taut with pain, but he’s calm, hands on my arms. “We have to get out of here.”
My eyes widen when I see Myra behind him. Her movements are slower and I can see the pain in her eyes as well, but she gets to my side.
“Come on,” she says, grabbing my mom.
Rocks crash down on us, dust flying up from the cave floor and amethyst sparkling everywhere. I hear Selena’s laughter echoing all around us, but I keep the book tight in my arms. Logan tucks me close to him as we’re hit with debris.
In another moment, we’re out in the sunshine and the entire cave crumbles to the ground. I gasp as Myra barely makes it out with my mom. I stumble to her side and lean over Faye, my heart in my throat.
My hands shake as I reach for her. Logan nudges me aside and feels for her pulse.
Cheyenne’s arm comes around me. Tears blur my vision and my heart stutters when my mom doesn’t move. There’s still blood on her head and dirt smudged on her cheek. I have no idea how hard she was hit, but I know she was hit several times with large rocks.
“I can feel a faint pulse,” Logan says, glancing at me. “We should get her to the hospital.”
I clutch the Book of Shadows to my chest and curse Selena in her crumbled cave as we hurry from the forest.
Chapter 25
My head is in my hands. The Book of Shadows is in my bag on the floor beneath my chair.
I know I need to destroy the book, but right now I don’t want to think about it. I want to know my mom is okay first.
Footsteps squeak on the shiny tile of the hospital floor and I look up. My shoulders slump. It’s only Ryan. With coffee.
“I thought you were the doctor,” I say.
“It hasn’t been that long. Give them some time.”
I stand. I don’t want to wait.
“Logan went to see if he could get any information,” Ryan says.
He tries to pass me the coffee. I shake my head. “Ryan, I can’t.”
“You should sit, take it easy.”
I frown, but then Cheyenne and Myra return with their own coffee and Cheyenne nods. “Sorry, Willow, but you look terrible. You should have a doctor check you out.”
My hands are still dirty and my clothes covered with dust. But I refused to do anything or go with anyone when we got here. I wanted to make sure someone saw my mom. And then they made me wait.
“I don’t need a doctor,” I whisper. “I need some news.”
“Willow,” Ryan starts.
Myra shakes her head and puts her arm around my shoulders. “Come on. Let’s at least go to the bathroom and get you cleaned up.”
I walk with her and Cheyenne because it’s better than sitting and waiting. But anger simmers deep inside me. I know it’s only a matter of time before it bubbles over. Selena hurt my mother. She tried to kill us both. And now I need to take away her power forever.
Inside the nearest restroom, I lean against
the sink. I’m afraid to look in the mirror. Afraid to see that I’m not strong enough to handle this. Or afraid to see that Selena has made me so angry, I won’t look like myself anymore.
Myra turns the water on, testing the temperature. “Come on, honey,” she says quietly. “Wash your face.”
I do what she says, splashing a handful of warm water against my cheeks. I keep going until the water is clear and most of the dirt is washed away. Then I scrub my arms and my hands. My whole body aches. I feel bruises forming on my shoulders and my arms. One on my cheek.
When I finally look in the mirror, my eyes are tired. My cheekbone is bruised. I don’t look angry or sad or upset, even. Just pale. And determined.
I’m going to get Selena back for this.
I take paper towels from Cheyenne to dry my face. After I toss them in the trash, I square my shoulders. “I’m going to destroy the book. Right now.”
“Wait,” Myra says, but I grab the door handle.
They follow me out and Cheyenne jogs to keep up with my determined strides. “I think you need to wait.”
“Wait?” I spare her a glance. “So Selena can hurt someone else? I don’t think so.”
“But, is it really that easy?” Myra asks. “If she did what she did when you went into the cave, don’t you think she’s going to try to do the same thing if you try to destroy the book?”
“Or something worse?” Cheyenne adds.
Ryan glances over when he hears our voices and his brow furrows. “What’s going on?”
“I’m going to destroy the book.”
“Right now?” When I go for my bag under the chair, he hastily sets the coffee aside and steps in my path. “Wait, Willow. You shouldn’t be thinking about that right now.”
“Move.”
He shoots a look to Cheyenne and Myra, worry in his eyes. Myra puts her hand on my shoulder. “Willow, please. Let’s just‒”
I shrug her off. “Don’t try to stop me. Just let me deal with Selena.”
Ryan shakes his head. “It could be dangerous.”
I blow out a sharp breath. “Of course it is, why do you think we’re here? We need to stop this.”
Before he can say anything else, I lunge for my bag. Ryan’s caught off guard, but he’s still faster than me. They all are. He scoops an arm around my waist and holds me back while Myra grabs my bag.
