CONQUERING SHADOWS (Shadows Book 3)

Chapter 10

Arden made everyone check that our parcels to control time were secure before we continued. The shadows kept their distance, slithering after us as we crossed the barren land. For miles and miles, there was nothing, and weariness was beginning to set like cement in my joints.

Then, one moment we were wading through a chasm of shadowy whispers and the next, our path led us to a clearing, a small island of solid ground set in a sea of shifting darkness.

In the centre stood a door. It rose from the ground like a monument. The gateway itself was a marvel of craftsmanship, a construct of smooth, black stone that melded seamlessly with the surrounding abyssal landscape. It was adorned with intricate symbols that seemed to writhe with an inner life.

As we approached, a low, thrumming sound filled the air, vibrating deep within my bones.

Arden came to a stop in front of it, slinging his rucksack off his shoulders. It hit the ground with a heavy thump. "Well this looks ominous."

Fawn's eyes were wide with wonder and fear in equal measure. "Where do you think it goes?"

I discarded my own bag and rolled each shoulder, relishing in the relief of the weight that had been pressuring my now aching limbs finally lifting. "My hope is that it leads to another part of Chaos, far away from these shadows." I glanced over my shoulder to where they still lurked behind us. "-And nearer to Rafe."

Ingrid nodded slowly, her expression guarded. "There are worse things than shadows lurking in Chaos," she murmured, her gaze fixed on the shimmering surface of the gateway. "I'm betting some of them are beyond that gate."

I glanced at Callan. He more than any of us had experience of the other. "It's our only way forward," he said, his voice steady and resolute, as he responded to my unspoken question.

"That settles it then." I took a step closer to the gateway, my heart pounding. The markings pulsed in response, their glow intensifying at my presence. I extended my hand, resting it against the smooth surface. Instantly, a surge of energy coursed through me, pricking my skin.

I dropped my hand with a gasp.

"Let me try," said Callan, gently nudging me out of the way. He laid his own hands on the door, splaying them wide over the cold stone. The muscles in his back and arms tensed as he pushed. The energy behind the markings died and the door didn't budge. Not even an inch.

Ingrid stepped forward at the same time Callan dropped his hands, defeated. He groaned in frustration.

"My turn," she said. But once more, as she placed her hand on the door, nothing happened. The runes didn't glow. They didn't do anything.

"Do you feel anything?" I asked. "Like pins and needles?"

"Nothing."

"Neither did I," answered Callan.

Fawn stood next to me and placed a hand on my arm. "It's you," she said, softly. "Your blood is the key. The gateway recognises you, acknowledges the Darkmore blood in your veins."

It made sense. My heritage, my lineage, my very essence seemed to resonate with the magic woven into the gateway's design. And it was with my blood that Rafe was able to claim the dark throne in the first place.

My fingers traced the intricate carvings. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Arden regarding me with concern, his brow furrowed in thought. "Decide. We continue in this bleak place, or we see what's on the other side of that door."