Empyreal, Book 1

Chapter 16

The rain poured down in sheets, a relentless cascade beating against the stone grotto. Max and Kai huddled together as the wind howled and sent needles of water slicing through the opening.

"Some storm," Kai muttered through chattering teeth. "Let's take a look at the map while we're stuck here."

Max nodded, pulling out the worn parchment. They leaned over it together, tracing possible routes with their fingers.

"The underground tunnels seem promising," Kai said. "We could avoid detection and maybe sneak right under the manor."

"Risky," Max murmured. "But it could work."

Kai marked the winding passages with a charcoal stick. Max watched the black lines take shape as his thoughts drifted. A memory surfaced unbidden—fishing nets weighted with stolen trout, his father's scowl. Shame flooded him.

"You alright?" Kai asked, glancing up.

Max blinked, returning to the present. "Yeah...just thinking."

Kai studied his face, patience in his eyes. "About?"

"The past," Max sighed. "All the wrong I've done. But being here with you...I feel like I could finally do some good. I'm tired of running."

Kai clasped his shoulder. "The past is done. We choose who we become now."

Max managed a small smile. "You're right."

They turned back to the map, hope kindling in Max's chest despite the storm's fury.

Kai traced his finger along the penciled tunnels once more. "If we take this path here it should lead us right under the east wing. That might be our best chance of getting in undetected."

Max nodded, though his mind was still adrift in the past. He saw himself as a boy, wiry arms struggling to carry the heavy load of stolen fish. His father's vice-like grip on his shoulder, propelling him back into the winding alleys. The shame that clung to him for days after like the fishy smell he could never quite wash off.

He shook his head, trying to dislodge the vivid memories. There was nothing he could do to change what had happened back then. Kai was right - the only thing that mattered now was the future they were hurtling towards, one that he desperately hoped would turn out differently.

"Max?" Kai prodded gently. "You still with me?"

"Yeah, sorry," Max sighed. "Just can't seem to keep the ghosts at bay today."

Kai rolled up the map and met Max's eyes. "Whatever you did, whatever happened, it wasn't your fault. You were just a kid trying to survive. But you're not that person anymore. And after this, after we stop Malachi, you'll never have to look back again."

Max managed a small, grateful smile. Maybe Kai was right. Maybe this was his chance to break free of the past for good.

"Come on," Kai said, clapping him on the back. "The storm's letting up. Let's keep moving."

Max took a deep breath, letting the last dark remnants of memory fall away. When he stepped back out into the rain-washed sunlight, he felt lighter than he had in years.

Max followed Kai out from under the rocky overhang, blinking against the brightness as the clouds began to break. The rain had slowed to a drizzle, leaving the earthy scent of petrichor hanging in the air.

As they trekked across the muddy terrain, Max couldn't stop thinking about what Kai had said. He knew his friend was right - the only way forward was to let go of the past. But it felt like an impossible task, like asking a bird not to fly or a fish not to swim. The memories of hunger, of desperation, of doing what he had to in order to survive, were seared into his very bones.