90 DEADLY DAYS (WEEKLY UPDATES RETURNING THIS DECEMBER)

Chapter 42

In the lair he ignores me again, setting Jewel on a Fynx fur. Dusky moonlight sneaks in, illuminating the sharpness of her bones and sallowness of her cheeks. The sight knocks the breath from me. Forgetting Atol, I drop at her side, taking all of her in and half-expecting some cold wind to sweep in and steal her away.

It still hasn't sunk in all the way.

After kick starting a fire, Atol approaches. He pulls out antiseptic and cotton bandages, kneeling next to my dearest friend. That alone makes me crazed. I wince as he sterilizes a needle, imagining him stabbing her with it. I want to trust him, but I know he has his own dark motives for helping us. I wish one person could simply trust in the goodness of another. But true goodness rarely exists anymore.

My eyelids grow heavy from exhaustion as I peer over his shoulder, marking every move he makes. I pinch myself to stay awake. I'd be a fool to leave Jewel alone with him.

Atol finishes tying the last stitch on Jewel's head wound when her eyes snap open. We both startle, sitting up straight.

Her eyes cross and she scratches furiously around her neck. Her head snaps from left to right. The actions become creepy when she starts laughing—the high-pitched cackles raising the hairs on my arms.

"Jewel, what's wrong?"

Grabbing her wrist, Atol flips it over. Her tracker's flashing red. My heartbeat soars. Jewel shrieks at the ceiling. I look up, expecting to see droves of monstrous dragons. There are only craggy stones. When Jewel begins clawing her eyes, shaking as if she's experiencing a seizure, I whip to Atol, barely holding back a scream.

"Do something!"

Why now?

Why now, Xaro? Must you take everything?

A tingling, buttery hand glides over my skin. My eyes flutter closed until the hand reaches my throat and clamps down. I croak, trying to yank myself free. When I close my eyes and open them, I note that a black shadow creeps in the cave's corner. I study it, preparing to run. Abruptly, it springs loose from chains and jumps for me. I shriek.

Does Jewel see this? Is it coming for her as well?

Jagged teeth like that of a sea dragon shine. I scratch at the hand around my neck. Jewel and I must to escape before it is too late.

The shadow splits in two, then four, then sixteen. They lurch like phantoms. They crawl my way, whispering my name with a snakelike hiss. Scarlet tongues curl. The strangling force tightens. I see red. My lungs burn.

The first shadow grabs my face, surrounding it in darkness. I scream. I grope for light that vanishes. I fight to get outside, away from the growing hell. Terror infiltrates my first purpose, which was getting to Jewel. I run blindly into the snow, naked of my coat and hat. Icy chills hit me.

They will kill us. Death breathes too closely this time. I saw what they were doing to Jewel before I went under.

Is this Xaro's way of separating us forever? Of exaggerating our grief?

I rush down the hill, lost to the world, falling into the underworld.

Something crashes into my back, bringing me down. I fight with everything in me, believing myself pitted against the might of a shadow. Then a voice whispers in my ear.

"Phoenix! Phoenix, it's me."

Arms encircle my waist.

"Come back. You'll kill yourself."

"No! They'll kill me! Look! It's coming!"

For once these strong arms don't fill me with hatred or malice. For once bile doesn't churn in my gut. I lean into the warmth. I never felt protected out here.