Lᴏɴᴇʟʏ Fᴀʟʟs || Tʜᴇ Cʜᴏsᴇɴ Eɪɢʜᴛ Bᴏᴏᴋ Tᴡᴏ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴇɴ || ᴅᴀʀᴋᴇsᴛ ɴɪɢʜᴛ

Lucia

Once dinner was finished and first watch was taken, we retired to our bedrolls. I'd sequestered myself beside Niko, and I laid down, staring up at the stars.

"Sleep well." Niko said drowsily beside me.

I smiled slightly. "You too." I closed my eyes.

And fell straight into a nightmare.

"You're nothing! You're a dirty, filthy girl, and you're—

—the mole! You killed them all!" Lizzie materialized  in a spray of blood, her eyes glazed and her teeth stained red.

"Get off me!" I shoved her aside, and froze. It was like my soul had dropped through my feet and fused me to the ground.

The ground was soaked with blood. Strewn with bodies. Bodies I recognized, I realized, like a shock that restarted my heart and suddenly I was sprinting.

Zay, face still carved in a furious snarl. Tazi, curled into the fetal position, his eyes closed in an eerily peaceful way. Sabien, splayed flat, his face dripping blood. It was impossible to tell whether it was his or someone else's. Tyler, his chest crushed. His face was contorted in one last stroke of pain, but even in death, he reached for Ryan, who lay facedown and unmoving beside him.

Navia was on her knees, sharing a pool of blood with Niko, who panted around the sword pierced through his chest.

I stumbled, bile rising in my throat, and came to rest beside Navia. I felt the blood soak into my clothes.

Navia barely looked over. "He's not going to make it." She breathed out, too pale and too shaky.

"Please." I could feel the sob crawling up my throat. "You have to save him."

"I can't." Navia whispered. She tumbled away beside me, and Niko clutched at my hands.

His bloodshot eyes bored into mine. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything." She whispered, but there was blood on her hands, and she didn't know where— who— it came from.

"You killed all of us." Niko gasped. He gripped the sword in his stomach, twisting it to point the handle at me. "You're the mole. It was you."

"No, no, no." I jerked my hands away, but the sword came with it. "I'm not!"

"Liar!" Sasha roared, appearing in my periphery. He stumbled on a broken leg and fell to his knees at my feet.

"Stop." I sobbed. "Stop, it was me!" But my body moved as if of its own accord, and the sword in my hands drew a dripping red smile across Sasha's throat.

"I told you." He hissed, then his eyes rolled back and he died.

I jerked awake with a muffled cry. Adrenaline frayed my nerves, made me shake so hard I could almost hear my teeth clacking. I desperately scanned the darkness around me, gasping for breath, trying to calm my galloping heart. In the darkness I kept seeing the blood, so I squeezed my eyes shut. But that didn't help. Beneath my eyelids, I saw Sasha, his eyes furious and his slit throat.

I swallowed, my eyes flicking open again. I slowly adjusted to the darkness, making out the shape of Niko beside me. On my other side, however, Tyler had vanished. My breath quickened, before I remembered that he had the second watch. I slowly lay back down, turning on my side and watching Niko's slow, deep breathing. My eyelids drooped, and I slid gently back into sleep.

I sat up, opening my eyes. My gaze flicked to my left, searching for Niko. When I saw he wasn't there,  my breath hitched. I twisted to the right, hoping for Tyler. Instead, I saw Sasha, on his knees, his blood wet on the blade in my hands. "You killed us all." He whispered, quiet triumph in his eyes.

I screamed.

And sat up, fear racing through my veins. Blinded by terror, I scrambled to my feet and ran. Through the forest, branches whipping my arms and face. I nearly crashed into a tree and came to a skidding stop, falling to my knees.

The forest around me came alive as I regained my senses, hooting and rustling and doing nothing for my already shot nerves. I released Elle, and the mare nickered worriedly.

"It's okay, it's okay." I whispered, "I'm okay." I repeated the words, as if that would make them come true.

Elle nuzzled my hair and I closed my eyes, breathing in her scent and letting her warmth wash over me. I opened my eyes again and met her steady, dark gaze. "I'm not the mole, right?" I felt like a child even as I asked it, begging for reassurance.

She couldn't have responded even if she wanted to, but she blinked softly and nudged my shoulder. I rubbed her nose and stood up to embrace her. "You're right." I murmured into her fur. "I know who I am."

I straightened again and looked around. "And what I am right now is very, very lost. Do you remember the way back?"

Elle tossed her head.

I sighed. "I'll take that as a no." I looked around, trying to remember which direction I'd come from.

Behind me, the bushes rustled, making both Elle and me jump defensively.

A figure emerged, clad in a dark cloak, and I suddenly regretted not having any weapons on me. The figure had an axe glinting on his belt. Elle stamped a foot.

The figure pulled his hood back and held up his hands in surrender. He shook back his dark hair. "Are you alright?" Tyler asked.

"You almost gave me a heart attack." I said sternly, but I couldn't deny the wave of relief at the sight of him. "What are you doing here?" I placed a calming hand on Elle's shoulder.

"I saw you run. It's not exactly a safe place for nighttime wandering." Tyler answered calmly. "Come on, we should get back. I left Niko on watch."

I nodded, and together we started heading back toward the camp— the right way, now that I'd had the chance to reorient myself. Elle returned to passive with a stinging flash. Goose flesh rose on my arms.

Tyler noticed and grabbed the hem of his cloak, wrapping it around my shoulders. He pulled me to him, the warmth of his body comforting.

"Thanks," I murmured. "Listen, I..."

He shook his head before I could say anything. "That's what I'm here for." He replied finally.

I stared at the trail in silence. "I'm sorry." I mumbled.

Tyler raised his eyebrows but didn't reply, waiting.

"I know I've been reckless and... made decisions that don't always align with the team, but I... I promise I'm not a mole. I'm not." I blurted finally.

Tyler was quiet for a long time. "I know." He murmured, then he heaved a sigh, "and I know how hard it must be for you, being so close to your family but not able to see them. It's difficult, and I understand that."

I looked him, surprised and wondering how he knew what it felt like.

He caught my eye, "that's a story for another time." His tone was serious, but his lips curled with amusement.

I furrowed my brows at him, "oh really."

He laughed, his arm squeezing my shoulder. "Yep. We can talk about my tragic life later."

I smiled, "thanks again, Tyler."

"My pleasure."

24/08/23
I did split chapter 10, just bcs I can
anyway it is past midnight where I live but it's close enough lol this was in honour of Skye's birthday
lmk y'all's thoughts
enjoy my lovelies xx