We walked back empty handed to where we had split up. We were in a much healthier looking area, just a few meters away from a small clearing. Standing here with moss between my toes, I felt like the death we'd witnessed just a few moments ago had been merely a bad dream. Even Emmet, who'd seemed like he'd been dying from the inside out, vibrated with life. His face had regained its normal color, his almost white lips were a pulsating red while his hazel eyes sparkled, as if he were excited. His hair seemed fluffier—I hadn't even noticed how much volume it had. It was a brutal contrast—one so harsh, it really made me doubt my sanity. Now I knew what the Thrakos men had meant. The world really was dying...

Not even Emmet, the all-knowing, could explain the way he, and the rest of us soon after, had felt back there. The lack of sunlight, even he had to admit, could not be the cause of it. Where there was shade, there was not automatically death in its path. Sunlight came and went with day turning into night, some plants needing more light while others required less. Not all plants would wither and die in the shadows.

To explain the death of all trees and plants within that large of a diameter was simply put: not possible. At least not to Emmet, because Emmet didn't know an essential part of how our ecosystem worked. Kendra and I did.

The lack of magic flowing through the ground here was the reason for the plants' tragic fate. There wasn't enough of it to sustain them.

We were in one of those parts in Espheros that was having its magic drained from the ground, happening all around Espheros. It was frustrating to see how Emmet kept trying to explain a concept he couldn't begin to grasp, especially since it was his gift to know things, to memorize everything he'd ever learned. Just like it was mine to handle emotions, or Reece's to take control over the mind.

We'd always been taught that while there was a thing called magic, it was only ever something we explained our shift with. Magic was what let immortals outlive humans and shifters by centuries. But that everything, living and breathing in one way or another, was touched by magic, even humans? That was an entirely new idea one needed to comprehend.

I couldn't quite fathom it either.

Unfortunately, I couldn't pester the Thrakos men about it, since Reece would go ballistic if I'd disappear for even a minute. I could contact Reagan, but I wasn't sure I was ready for that level of intimacy again. It wasn't supposed to become a habit to just invade his mind whenever I needed to. I sure didn't want him to breach my walls whenever he pleased. We'd already shared a few moments, but our link had never been active for longer than a few seconds.

Who knew what else would be conveyed except for spoken words.

My countless questions would have to wait.

And Emmet would have to deal with not knowing for a change.

"The whole section of the forest was dead back there. Did you find anything worthwhile, at least?" Reece asked as Holden and his group approached us. Shyla held out her hands which were full with dark blue berries. Tyler did the same.

Debrova, Jaxxon and the rest of their group brought some more in different shapes and colors. Most of them Emmet said were safe to eat, the ones we weren't sure about, we let be.

We rationed the berries we had, each receiving an equal amount. Once we finished chewing on them, most of them soggy and tasteless, we searched the perimeter to make sure we wouldn't be attacked by another immortal. Although it was strange there had only been one, considering the council would have hardly sent out just one of their soldiers, we didn't dwell on the abnormality of it and instead concentrated on getting out of Everett Valley altogether.

We slowly approached a long chain of mountains, countless snowy summits peeking out in the horizon. According to Jarred it would take us two or three days until we'd reach the base of one of the mountains.

Jarred had read, in one of the few books that recorded our history, that there was supposed to be a narrow path that led through one of the mountains to the other side. There was No-Man's Land beyond that, but the Denhid Forest was believed to be within an acceptable distance.

The longest part of our journey would be behind us, and although No-Man's Land wasn't something I felt comfortable—let alone safe—to be in, the maps of Espheros I'd seen showed that the forest wasn't all that far away.

Everything beyond that... Well, anyone's guess was as good as mine.

The only place we knew of was Ior'Gea, thanks to Mr. Markoff, who'd been there half a millennia ago.

He never shared his story about finding Everett Valley with us.

Just because immortals outlived both humans and shifters, didn't mean their memory was any better, but I reckoned he probably came with the rest of the immortals a few hundred years ago.

Most of them couldn't remember the details of their arrival anyway...

So many things about our history didn't add up. Stories that didn't correspond with each other. There were so many secrets, questions I hadn't even known to ask until they stepped into our lives. It still bothered me that I didn't know why the Thrakos men had picked Everett Valley, of all places. It was blindly infuriating that the leader of the four should be my promised yet I knew absolutely nothing about him, his purpose or anything else for that matter.

I knew nothing. And the little I did know was still not enough to piece the entire puzzle together.

The next two days went by without any hiccups, only dragging on. Night turned into day at an exceptionally slow pace and it seemed to take even longer for day to turn back into night.

There was a strange ache growing within my chest with each hour that passed. It wasn't until I thought about Reagan that something changed and the ache dulled, if only for a few moments. I felt the strangest things, although I tried hard to keep my mind focused on the Rukhs'.

The strangest feeling of all was wanting to be near him. I wanted his energy-loaded presence to be close to me, his warmth to wrap around me like a blanket. To feel his skin touch mine. I even imagined it to be a prickly, electrifying sensation. The one time I had actually touched him had been in the midst of an emotional hurricane that I didn't even have the time to fully register.

Now, I yearned for it.

The hope and exhilaration of seeing him again, of being promised to someone, was what kept my body running. I wasn't sure if I would have made it so long without it.

Something about him gave me strength. It was crazy to assume it was the mere thought of him—but strangely enough, it was all it took.

We're here, Reece announced, his voice ringing in my head, tearing me out of my pondering thoughts.

Completely shocked at how sucked into my own mind I had been, I hadn't even noticed that we had—finally—arrived.

Before me stood an enormous mountain, belonging to the chain that surrounded Everett Valley. It was steep, reaching into the sky like it had been in a rush to grab the clouds—just to be frozen midway.

The side that I could see was covered in more forest and just below the part of the summit—which was hidden from sight—there was snow.

It was a sight I would have painted onto canvas and hung up on a wall, had I even an ounce of artistic blood in me.

It was stunningly beautiful to be so close to something I'd only ever seen from afar.

And where the hell is that path you told us about? Jaxxon grumbled, staring upwards like the rest of us.

A few birds flew out from the mist that hid half of the mountain, screeching as they flew above us. Kendra's raven didn't fly as high but screeched along with them nonetheless.

I read that it lies where dawn marks its end. Whatever that means, Jarred answered, trailing off as his voice grew distant.

The instant uproar caused my head to hurt. Everyone shouted through the link at once.

What does that mean?

Why didn't you mention this earlier?

How are we supposed to get to the other side?

You should have said something earlier!

Reece let it go on for quite a while until his voice boomed through the link, silencing all of the frantic voices in an instant. His authority blared along with the magnitude of his voice. It caused my head to throb even more but I kept quiet nonetheless. Silence!

Ever since Reece got so angry at Kendra and me, I thought it would be wise to silently obey him and not step out of line again. I could sense how much this journey was draining him, more so than the rest of us. We spoke scarcely, and when we did it was only about what our next steps would be.

I missed our rich breakfasts, Reece standing at the counter while Emmet and I set the table. I missed our runs, skirting through the forest like we owned the place.

Besides my longing for a home, my head was filled with questions and voices yet not a single answer.

But I knew that taking time to sort through it all wasn't in the picture, not by a long shot. It would still take us weeks to reach civilization or until I could sit down and think about where I wanted my life to go. Where I wanted to go with my promised...

That also meant eating wild animals and raw, uncooked food...

When will this torture end?

The link grew silent the second I accidentally sent my thoughts through it. Reece turned his head into my direction, staring at me. I could imagine he would have an eyebrow cocked if he were in his human skin.

Sorry, I mumbled, feeling awkward at my lack of self-control.

We'll stay here for the day. Reece turned around, whipping his tail in the process. We all scattered but remained at a safe distance until we let ourselves plop onto the ground, our muscles finally relieved of constantly carrying our body weight.

My muscles were screaming in pain and knowing that it wouldn't lessen any time soon made the pain even worse.

I watched as Holden, Shyla and Tyler trotted offside, distancing themselves from the group. I wouldn't have thought anything of it. But the three of them were acting suspicious, trying to find alone time whenever they could. It was hard to get some space, I had tried it numerous times, but never found the right moment. It made having a private conversation hard. Whatever it was that the three of them needed to discuss, I wanted to hear what it was.

So, without them noticing, I followed them.

We don't have much time, Holden, we have to do it soon, I heard Shyla's voice say in a hushed whisper. 

Hehe. Little bit of a cliffhanger there. Any thoughts on what the sneaky little trio mean?

Any theories?