Death Is Coming

Chapter 12: Blair

A single note was all I got, a single letter with few to Little Words. the delivery boy handed it to me and left without another word and as I tore it open urgently reading every last word on that page my heart sank. my blood ran cold.

" help, Blair help. they got me. The Mortals have me" the same Mortals that were killing Faye for their blood.

My heart pounded in my chest as I read and reread the brief, desperate message from Elizabeth. The Mortals had her. The very Mortals who were hunting Faye for their blood. The enormity of the situation crashed over me like a tidal wave. Elizabeth was in danger, and the clock was ticking.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts. I needed a plan, and I needed to act fast. First, I had to ensure Aaron wouldn't know what I was up to. If he controlled the shadows and they reported back to him, then I had to find a way to stay out of their reach.

I hurried back to my room, careful to avoid any prying eyes or lurking shadows. Once inside, I locked the door and pulled out the old texts I had been studying. I had to find that portal to the human realm. It was my only chance to reach Elizabeth and save her.

Flipping through the pages, I found the reference again—a hidden portal deep within the ancient forest, a place where natural light reigned supreme. It was risky, but I had no other choice. I gathered a few essentials: a map, a flashlight, and a small knife for protection. I couldn't risk telling anyone, not even Lila, about my plan. The shadows were everywhere, and trust was a luxury I couldn't afford.

I tucked Elizabeth's note into my pocket, close to my heart, and quietly slipped out of my room. I made my way through the palace, sticking to the well-lit corridors, avoiding the shadows at all costs. The ancient forest lay beyond the palace grounds, a place of old magic and untamed wilderness.

Reaching the edge of the forest, I hesitated for a moment. The path ahead was shrouded in darkness, the trees towering above like silent sentinels. I took a deep breath, summoned my courage, and stepped into the forest.

The air grew cooler, and the sounds of the palace faded behind me. I pressed on, using the flashlight to guide my way. The natural light filtering through the canopy above was a welcome relief, a sign that the shadows couldn't reach me here.

After what felt like hours, I finally stumbled upon the hidden portal. It was an unassuming stone archway, covered in moss and vines, but the air around it hummed with a strange energy. I took a step closer, feeling the pull of the portal, the promise of another realm just beyond.

With a deep breath, I stepped through the portal and into the human realm. The world around me shifted, and I found myself standing in a dense forest, but the sounds and smells were different. The human realm was familiar yet foreign, a place I hadn't seen in years.

I had to find Elizabeth, and I had to do it quickly. The mortals had her, and there was no telling what they might do. My only lead was the network of safe houses Elizabeth had mentioned in her letters. I needed to find one and hope it held more clues.

Navigating the human realm was challenging, but I managed to find a small village nearby. I kept to the shadows, avoiding contact with anyone, and made my way to an old, abandoned house at the edge of the village. It looked like a safe house, a place where Elizabeth might have hidden before.

I pushed open the door and stepped inside, my flashlight cutting through the darkness. The house was empty, but I found a hidden compartment in the floor. Inside, there was a map and another note from Elizabeth, more cryptic messages urging me to trust no one and to find the Dawnfire siblings.