The price was worth it. Whatever it was, I’d pay it. I scrambled to the object as Driscoll yelled out.
“No.” He grabbed my arm, and I whirled, glaring at him. “You can’t use that.” He pointed to the bottle laying on its side. “You know that’s dark magic. If you use it to save your brother, there will be a cost. And you don’t even know what it is.”
I shook my arm loose. He was right, but I didn’t care. All I cared about was saving Soloman.
“Don’t do this, Bellamy. Would your brother really want this? What about your father? You know he’s alive. We saw him in the Wilds after you left.”
I ignored him. The last person I wanted to think about right now was my father. Not when this was his fault. All his fault.
Tears pricked my eyes as I stared at Soloman.
As for my brother, I didn’t know what he’d want because I hadn’t seen him in over fifty years. Fifty years since he’d been cursed and trapped as a swan. And I’d finally escaped, finallygotten us where we needed to be to break the curse. Now I was going to lose him.
My hand hovered over the small glass bottle. No I wouldn’t. I snatched it and shoved past Driscoll. I popped open the cork and gently prodded Soloman’s beak open as I poured the liquid in his mouth, telling the magic what to do.
Save my brother.
Leoni shot Driscoll an unsure look, but I didn’t care. This was worth it. It would all be worth it. His labored breathing stopped, his chest now rising and falling underneath the feathers in even breaths.
I slowly peeled back the bandage and gasped. His wound was gone, his wing completely healed. I almost cried out in relief but stopped myself. Soloman stood, shaking out his wings and turning his long neck. I threw my arms around him and squeezed him tight.
“Uh, are they supposed to be doing that?”
I looked up as Driscoll pointed to the other swans, who were all flying off—straight into the jungle.
Chapter Seven
BELLAMY
Ishot to my feet and raced after the swans, who had already disappeared behind the thick foliage.
“Do we have to follow her?” Driscoll whined from somewhere behind me.
“That’s literally why we’re here!” Leoni said back to him.
I paid them no mind as I darted between the palm trees and into the darkness of the shadow court. Shadows swirled overhead, forming dark clouds. I looked behind me as Driscoll and Leoni entered the jungle. Driscoll tried to back up, but shadows darted down and blocked his path. Once you entered this jungle, you weren’t allowed to leave. That was another problem I’d work out once I saved my brothers. My brothers who were currently flying away in all different directions.
I wasn’t even sure who to chase after.
The thick canopies allowed very little sunlight in, and my eyes were having a hard time adjusting to the dimmer light.
I blinked a few times, the area around me becoming clearer. Thick palm trees jutted from the black soil. Vines hung fromtrees, big bushes sprouted from the ground, some green, some black, some blood red.
Sweat pricked my skin, and I swiped it from my forehead, already feeling sticky and smothered by the heat.
It didn’t matter which direction I went. I just needed to move, to start collecting my brothers so I could keep them safe and in one place. With my decision made, I set off.
“Oh, she’s running again,” Driscoll whined.
“If you’re going to whine like this the entire time, I’m making you stay here.”
“With the freaky shadows?” Driscoll huffed. “I don’t think so.”
Their feet pounded after me as I ran, my satchel thumping against my back. A long sword lay on the ground, and I jumped over it. I couldn’t tell if that was another magical item or just someone’s weapon that got left behind when their shadow was ripped from them—or when they died. There were many things in this jungle that could kill you. The shadows being the number one threat. But I imagined there were also dangerous animals, the elements, lack of food. Spirit Shadow. Not to mention the pixies that populated this island.
A flash of white appeared in the distance, and I pumped my arms and legs to catch up. The swans could be fast when they wanted to be. And right now they were probably scared and confused. Shadows swirled over my head, their red eyes staring. So many shadows. All of them taken by Spirit Shadow.
“Bellamy, wait!” Driscoll called out.
