The Golden Chalice

✰✦✰ Chapter Eleven ✰✦✰

✰✦✰ Chapter Eleven ✰✦✰
" Umbra Isle "

THE NEXT MORNING I found myself in the kitchen with the girls, all of us too tired and very irritated. Well, Sarinne and I were at least.

"Can't you just learn to control that damn animal?" I asked Sarinne with a yawn.

I'd hardly slept the night before because of Darius Ambers. I couldn't because I wouldn't stop worrying that he'd do something to me. That he'd wake up and grab his dagger and kill me. So every time I dozed off it wasn't for longer than half an hour, ending up with me awaking in panic, staring at him. Though, as far as I knew, he'd slept normally. Comfortably even.

Because when I'd woken up this morning, his arms wrapped around his pillow and his expression peaceful, I didn't know what to do with myself. So I had gotten changed and practically sprinted out of the room.

"He's not a dog, Scar," Sarinne rolled her eyes as she handed us our glasses of water. "He's just very. . .bold."

I shot her a look. "Rinne, the man walked into my room and demanded I sleep on the floor."

She cringed. "It's not proper, I realise that, but he wouldn't actually kill you."

"So kidnapping is okay," I said, "but he draws the line at murder?"

At first, it seemed she was going to agree with me but instead, she stammered and squinted her eyes unsurely. "Well. . ."

I nearly choked on my drink. "What?"

"He's just. . ." She shifted uneasily. "You've heard my stories, Scar. There's some pretty gruesome stuff you've got to do if you work for the Crimson Dealer. He's never hurt anyone that didn't deserve it, I swear. Just other murderers and filthy criminals that did his boss wrong."

"You're mental, Rinne."

For the next half an hour or so we spent our time in the kitchen, making breakfast until the ship stopped abruptly, making nearly everything that stood above the floor clatter to the ground. I caught my glass just in time and shared a worried look with my friends.

We made our way outside, only to find the three boys already standing by the edge, looking ahead.

We approached carefully, unsure of what was going on.

"What's happened?" Sarinne asked.

"We've arrived," replied Jacks glumly.

I furrowed my eyebrows and squeezed my way between him and Darius. My stomach clenched as I took in the view. The view of Umbra Isle, one of the deadliest isles in all of Goldaria. This was where Shadow Stealers used to reside and where they still sometimes came to kill people. A humongous, dark cloud hung above the isle and I knew why. It was always night time on Umbra Isle. That was why it was so easy for Shadow Stealers to sneak up on people and take their souls. It was also why most people who had no other choice but to live here hid in their homes and only came out when absolutely necessary.

I had always been terrified of Shadow Stealers. Once they took hold of one, they'd steal your soul and you'd have five hours exactly to travel to Vacous Isle—the Shadow Stealers' home—to retrieve it. And the only way you could retrieve it was by offering them something in return. And nothing random. You'd have to hand over your most prized possession. The only fortunate thing about them was that most were too lazy to take your soul and would mercifully kill you right away, giving them more power if you had abilities.

It was safe to say I feared Shadow Stealers more than anything. And since they'd also killed my entire family, I had every reason to.

"Right," said Sarinne from behind me. I turned to see she'd rushed back to grab all of our bags. "Ready?"