Shadows of the Night | BOOK 2 DRAFT

28

28.

We're simply shadows of the night, swallowed by the forest. My heart thrums in my chest. It's just Elias and me, we can't rely on the others and we're seriously outnumbered. We cannot be seen. A light crawls through gaps in the foliage, staining the earth, inviting us closer to the castle.

Elias leads us, holding his hand up to halt me every few seconds before pressing on. He can move much quicker, we're not that far from the castle, but he's careful. Each step is slow and calculated. He knows which leaves will crunch beneath his feet, which trees won't block his form. His arm is stained red to the elbow and his slender fingers were, only moments ago, holding a heart. He's a lethal predator. And he has his eyes set on the prey.

Elias leads us around the back of the castle, out of view from the front entrance. He crouches down in the shrub and examines the stone castle stretching high above us. It's the side my bedroom was on. The ledge of the window juts out—the window I escaped from twice. If I could get down, I can get myself back up.

Elias gestures for me to crouch beside him. Energy thrums through my body, it's hard to sit still, but I know we have to wait for Eric, Cassia and Malik to cause a distraction—not something big enough to worry about, just something to draw their attention.

Humidity hangs in the night air. The strands of hair that escaped my braid hang at the sides of my face, frizzy from the warmth. Sweat beads at the back of my neck. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Elias fiddling with the dagger sheathed at his ankle. I'm glad we have the shadow with us, but it isn't as reassuring as it should be. Only Elias can use the shadow. I have no defence against immortal hollowers. And they have a vendetta against me. We can't get caught.

"When I tell you to go, start climbing," Elias murmurs, mouth close to my ear. His breath brushes down my neck. "Try to get to the window ledge. I'll wait down here."

I try for a smile, but it's wobbly. "Leaving me to do all your dirty work?"

"Somebody has to catch you if you fall. Unless you'd rather I go up—"

"Wait down here at first," I say. He's right. A fall for him may leave bruise. For me, it could break my neck. I lean forward on my toes, eyeing the castle wall. The stones jut out in uneven patterns, like somebody has poked half of them from the other side, and thick vines choke the towers.

Elias leans forward, eyes narrowed, listening for something I can't hear—Eric's signal. The tension builds in my shoulders as I bounce on my toes, adrenaline raging across my body. Each second ticks by like an hour, the silence filled with tension.

"Now."

I spring off the ground, sprinting to the wall and starting to climb. Moss grows in between the stones where I put my hands, burying beneath my finger nails. The first few metres are easy, the vines are thicker at the bottom, and there are more footholds. I crane my neck to look up; I'm only halfway. My upper arms shake but I press on, body aching in protest. Climbing up is definitely harder than climbing down.

I lift my left foot to another jutted out section, but the stone is covered in moss; I slip, a small yelp escaping my mouth as my nails dig into the vine above my head, my legs flailing around. Before I can fall, I manage to steady myself on another foothold, pressing my stomach against the stone and squeezing my eyes shut before looking down. My body shakes, breath ragged.

Elias looks so far away, his eyes burning through the night, arms out, ready to catch me if I fall. His mouth opens, lips mouthing something I can't hear. I nod. I'm okay. Taking a deep breath, I try again, more careful with my footholds. Finally, I reach the window ledge and heave myself up. Like the hollower said, metal bars have been haphazardly shoved to fit the window frame. They're slightly crooked, made for a more rectangular space, but they're not bolted in. The room on the other side is dark, I peer through. The bed is half made, as if someone has been sleeping in it, but it looks empty.