32. 

Everything moves in slow motion. Aaliyah's body slumping to the ground, Cassia's frantic movements, Eric's attempts at pulling her back. She shoves and hits against him when he covers her mouth, squirming to let go. But it's all in my peripheral vision because I can't look away from Cynthia. She's wiping the blade of the machete on a cloth, the material coming away red. There's a scowl etched on her face, like the blood is an annoyance, not a reminder that she just murdered someone.

"Let me go," Cassia muffles from beneath Eric's hand. "Eric, let me go."

"Shh."

"Elias tell him to let go of me!"

Elias rises to his feet and puts his hand on Cassia's arm. "Only if you promise not to run over there straight away."

Cassia's eyes flash a violent silver, like she's offended by his words. "She just killed Aaliyah."

"And it all would've been for nothing if you give yourself over right now."

For a moment, she stops struggling as she stares at him, her rage-filled expression shifting to something more broken, helpless. There's something so vulnerable in her eyes that I feel like I have to look away.

"You okay?" Malik asks. He puts his hand on my arm, as if he's afraid I'll bolt towards them, too. I nod. I couldn't move even if I wanted to. Aaliyah's body is like an anchor, tying us all to this spot.

"Aaliyah's..." Cassia murmurs. "She's dead. Aaliyah."

Nobody says anything. Nobody knows what to say. The news lingers in the air, not quite sinking in, as if what we just witnessed was nothing more than a horrible nightmare.

"They're bringing more out," Malik says, the only one still watching the clearing. He's right. Behind Cynthia, a trail of people—both shifter and human—are being led from the castle, connected to one another by silver chains. I hold my breath as I scan the line. I recognise a few people, but they don't look like how I remember them. There's Harrison, about halfway down. But still no Bastian. My stomach tightens, the image of him curled up on the prison floor returning to mind.

Cynthia raises the shell to her lips again, eyes scanning the forest. She looks right at us as she peers through, but moves on just as quickly. It's so dark and we're concealed well behind shrub, but it's almost like she saw us. Almost like she knows exactly where we are.

"You have thirty minutes to turn yourselves over," she says, voice low. "Starting now."

Then she turns away from us and walks back over to the line of villagers, the machete in her hand. I turn to the others. Their expressions mirror the horror I feel. None of us expected this to happen, none of us even knew that Cynthia knew we were here. Is it because of Elias and I? Is it because Elias killed Valerie and we left her body there?

"What do we do?" I ask.

Nobody says anything for a few moments, the tension rising in the air. "We have to hand ourselves over," Cassia says eventually. "They'll kill everyone there."

"What good would that do? Then they'll kill everyone here including us," Eric says.

A cool breeze lingers amongst the trees, sending a shiver down my spine. My skin crawls. It feels like there are eyes on me, eyes that I can't see.

"We have the shadow," I say, "and we know that it works. We can use that against her."

"Not if we've all been chained up," Eric says. "Elias, you know I'm right. We can't give ourselves over. Not now. It would be suicide."

Elias is still looking at Aaliyah. They've forgotten about her body on the ground. She's been shoved aside like a piece of rubbish, her body flopped on her back, the wound exposed and seeping onto the earth beneath her. "Elias?"

He turns, looking directly at Eric. "I won't stand here and watch her massacre our people."

"You want us to die instead?"

"It's me that she wants." His words silence Eric's scoffs. "If I hand myself over, she might stop."

The weight of them hangs over us and I can't help but think about what he told me about his time there—the hollowing, the hallucinations. There's no way we're giving him back to her. There's truth to his words, sure, but he's not all that she wants. There's a bounty out for me, too. "No," I say. "Elias, that's crazy."

"I know it sounds like it but think about it." He pulls the shadow from the sheath at his ankle, holding it delicately in front of us. "She won't try to kill me but I can kill her . None of you can."

I try to think of something to say, something to argue with his point, but I can't. He's right. He's the only one she won't try to kill, and he's the only one who can kill her. It's logical. But that doesn't mean I like it.

"So what?" Eric says. "We just stand here and watch as you hand yourself over?"

"She asked us all to hand ourselves over," Malik adds. "Who's to say she won't keep killing till she has us all."

"I'm the only one she cares about," Elias says.

"That's not true and you know it," Cassia says. They all look at me.

Elias' expression darkens. "Even if she does want more than me I'll be able to buy us some time at least."

"Time for what?"

"Time to get help." He looks at Eric. "You and Cassia stay here, keep tabs on everything that's happening. Malik, you go to your village. If you leave now you'll get back by tonight. Stop at any villages along the way and bring reinforcements. We're going to need them."

"And me?"

He looks at me, eyes burning. "What I want to tell you is to get as far away from here as possible."

"But you know I won't."

"Cynthia will kill you the second she sees you, so you can't be anywhere near her, but that doesn't mean we can't use you. When we were inside I tried to get into the infirmary but it was heavily guarded. You're the only one who can get past those bars they've put up everywhere. We going to need medicine, infumine, and lot's of it."

Adrenaline pulses through my veins as I listen to his instructions, a mixture of fear and anticipation thrumming through my body.

"Are you crazy?" Malik says suddenly. "You can't send Milena off on her own."

Elias doesn't even hesitate. "She's more than capable."

"But—" Malik looks at me, his eyebrows furrowed. "No, this is crazy." His words deliver like a stab but I keep my expression neutral. I always thought Malik believed in me, saw me as strong. "This won't work," Malik says.

"What would you suggest?" Cassia asks.

"Elias is the only one who can take her down, you're the only one who shouldn't hand yourself over."

"You want us to hand ourselves over?" Cassia asks.

"She'll kill me, Malik," I say. "She won't even hesitate."

"We won't let her," he assures me. "And if you go off on your own and someone catches you who will protect you then? They'll kill you, too, Milena. And handing Elias over would be the most foolish decision. If she gets you we won't be able to use the shadow against her."

"I'm the only one who can use it but at the moment I can't get close enough. I have to give myself over. It's the only way. I'm the only one she won't try to kill."

"We can't risk losing the shadow like that," Malik protests, "if she finds it and destroys it we'll have nothing."

"You want her to kill Milena instead?"

"I want to protect Milena—"

"It's over, Malik. I've decided."

Elias' tone is final, offering no room for debate. They stare at each other, neither one relenting. The tension between them thickens the air; I can't seem to look away. Malik's lips are pressed together in defiance, but eventually, he averts his gaze. They're both leaders, both used to making the decisions, but Malik is on foreign ground.

"It's settled, then," Elias nods. Malik doesn't acknowledge him, he looks away, back to the clearing. "Get your things ready. Milena, do you have your dagger?"

"I lost it when I was trying to break free from Valerie."

Eric hands me another, his eyes meeting mine as he draws away, a small nod. It's all the affirmation I need. He trusts me.

"Can I speak to you alone for moment?" Malik moves in front of me, his face still troubled. I open my mouth to protest. "Please."

Over his shoulder, Eric scowls, bending over to help Cassia with a pack. Elias' expression conveys nothing when his eyes meet mine. I sigh, "Two minutes."

"That's all I need."

I nod in the direction of the forest and walk further in, Malik's footsteps following. It gets darker the further we venture from the treeline, the foliage above thicker, blocking the moonlight. Once we're a significant distance away, I turn to face him. "We have to be quick," I say, "they're going to keep killing people."

He stands a few feet away, towering over me and looking down at me with those glacial eyes. They once felt so intense, almost intrusive, but now, there's something else—desperation.

"You can't do this," he says. "It's a suicide mission, for all of us, but especially for you."

"This is the only way."

Ever since we met, he's been the epitome of confidence. It exudes from him like a light. In his face, in his walk, in his voice. I don't know if I've ever seen him truly afraid. But now, staring at me with frantic eyes, he looks terrified.

"You can't go off on your own."

"I have to, you don't understand."

"No you don't understand." He steps closer, eyes searching my face. "If something happens to you..." he shakes his head. "Milena, please, just listen to me."

"I am listening, Malik, but all I'm hearing is that you don't think I can do this."

"That's not it. I just..." He reaches out, his fingers brushing mine by my side. "Let me go with you, Cassia or Eric can go to my village and get reinforcements. I can help you. Keep you safe."

His eyes glow a vibrant blue, it's hard not to feel trapped in them. I almost slip. Even though I believe in myself, the fears lurks underneath the confidence, threatening to come out. The offer of having Malik by my side comforts me. I remember what he said in the forest before Eric interrupted us, the way it made me feel, and my stomach flops. But I push it away. I've always liked Malik because he makes me feel capable, his actions now completely contradict that.

"We have a plan, Malik. And it's t, whether or not you agree." I step away, so his hand drops. "We should get back, before Cynthia does something we can't reverse." He watches after me, helpless, as I walk past him, back towards the others. But as I walk away, I can't ignore the pressing thought on my mind, the one that stings. I turn to look at him over my shoulder. "What happened to believing in me? To thinking I'm strong?"

"I still do." He frowns. "You know I believe in you. Milena." He steps forward, coming so close I can feel his breath on my cheek. There's something buried beneath the ice in his eyes, something warmer, more desperate. There are things he wants to say but for some reason, can't. "I know you." 

"Because that's what you've told me. But those are just words. And right now, you're showing me that you didn't mean them."

He purses his lips but doesn't say anything. I turn around and head back, trying to shake myself of the heavy feeling on my chest. Was it really all a ruse? Does Malik truly not trust me on my own? Did he ever think I was strong? He grabs my arm and spins me around.

"Malik—"

He presses me into the tree behind me, his body pressed against mine, and leans in, pressing his mouth to the shell of my ear. "I'm sorry, Milena. I can't let you do this."

That's when I feel the cool blade pressed against my throat.

~

DISCUSSION:

1. Welp. There it is. My question is WHAT IS GOING ON?

2. Do you think Elias' plan was a good one? What would you have done?

3. What do you think might happen next?