Hal stared at the gaping hole in the ground that led to the cave, the dark abyss contrasting sharply with how bright and cheery it was outside. She felt sick. The thought of even stepping foot inside made her tremble in fear. The fact that her magic had even made this hole was disbelieving.

"I never thought we'd have to come back to this place," Murtagh mumbled, more under his breath than to her. But Hal sighed in agreement, forlorn. She wanted to believe that they would go in, destroy the Ra'zac, and live happily ever after. But the longer she stared into the eerie blackness of the underground cave, the more she felt nothing but dread awaited her.

Her hands ached.

Invidia and Blödhgarm were down there now, exploring what they could of the cave and checking on Hal's theory about the Ra'zac using tunnels. It would explain why not even Thorn had been able to smell them, allowing them to travel around the island and avoid sunlight. Hal was almost hoping she was wrong, but as soon as the thought crossed her mind, she had known she was right.

But she'd really, really like to be wrong.

Murtagh came and stood beside her, taking her hand in his and squeezing it tightly. They shared a knowing look, Hal's hesitation obvious. "I will be with you every step of the way," he assured her. "And if you do not want me to, I will not let go of your hand. Okay?"

She nodded, clinging to him even tighter. She was grateful he didn't try to talk her out of it. Didn't try to plant additional and unnecessary seeds of doubt when hers were already in full bloom. But he had always been consistent in maintaining his confidence in her, even when she held none for herself.

Murtagh kissed the back of her hand. He had been largely quiet on the ride up, which had taken practically half the time as it had before since Hal didn't need to worry about tracking anymore. Everything had happened quickly after Hal's revelation. They had returned to their village with their group the following day, but left almost immediately afterwards. Hal felt guilty, providing Denu with only a vague explanation and a promise to explain everything when they returned. But now that she thought about it —

"You wanted to tell me something," she reminded him, only just remembering herself. "Back on the beach, you said you wanted to talk about why you've been so quiet lately."

He inhaled sharply, as if he hadn't forgotten, but hadn't wanted to bring it up. "It's — it can wait." He seemed unsure of himself, which Hal picked up on immediately.

"We have a few moments. You can tell me whatever's bothering you."

"And I will. But just…not now. It wouldn't be right, considering…" His eyes darted over to the cavern and Hal thought she understood. Was it something he feared would upset her focus if he told her beforehand? It was the only thing she could think of, which made her stomach clench.

"Okay, if I'm being honest, you're worrying me a bit, rider —"

He lunged forward and kissed her, his hands cradling her cheeks. Hal sighed, hating how quickly her emotions were temporarily quelled. He deepened the kiss, and Hal gripped the material of his tunic, frightened as to why something in his touch felt different. But she couldn't figure out what it was.

"Halen."

He said her name almost like it pained him. She took his face in her hands, holding his gaze as she studied him carefully, trying to figure out what could be bothering him to this degree. As if seeing her concern, he leaned down and kissed her again, this time with such tenderness that Hal shivered in response. He pressed his forehead to hers, looking for all the world like he was fighting himself on the matter.

She licked her lips nervously. She almost wondered if…

"Halen. My Halen." His gaze found hers once more. "I l —"

"We found it!" Blödhgarm shouted from below. "Murtagh, Halen — it's here!"

Murtagh closed his eyes and Hal could see whatever surge of confidence he had felt to speak had passed. "Murtagh, wait!" she said, grabbing his hand as he moved to walk away. "What aren't you telling me?"

He leaned forward and kissed her again, slow and sweet before pulling away. "No matter what happens, stay by my side. Okay?"

She prepared to argue when Blödhgarm called out again. "We're coming!" Murtagh shouted patiently. He turned back to Hal. "Okay?"

She nodded her head dejectedly. "Okay."

Using the same rope the elves had used to descend into the cave, Murtagh and Hal followed one-by-one, Hal's nerves on edge as she willingly lowered herself into the cavern where she had been tortured. When Hal jumped down onto the rock with the others, she glanced around, observing the water that had filled the space with trepidation. The damage looked even worse from here.

I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! PLEASE!

Hal fought to hide a whimper as the pain in her hands felt magnified by her proximity to the site of her suffering. She could still feel the ground shake as her magic had poured out of her, uncontrolled and dangerous. She turned her back from the others, trying to get her emotions in check when she felt Thorn touch her mind.

Be brave, little one. You are even stronger now than you were then. You are no longer a victim, but a warrior. Turn your fear into something the Ra'zac will regret using against you.

Hal looked up at where the dragon was waiting, too large to join them. She blinked back tears as she smiled up at him, his face looking down on her with such beautiful red eyes. Thank you, Thorn. I think I'll do just that.

And please…do not let Murtagh do anything rash.

Aye. Will do.

"Are we ready?" Blödhgarm asked, taking in Hal's nervousness but, thankfully, choosing not to comment as she came to stand with the rest of the group.

She nodded stiffly.

"There is a tunnel, just on the other side of the cave," Invidia explained, already soaked. "It's a long swim before the water is low enough to catch your breath, but it should be feasible. Are you both strong swimmers?" she asked, looking at Hal and Murtagh. They nodded. "Then we should get moving. Secure your belongings as best you can, they will get wet."

Hal removed her quiver from her back, tying the arrows together with a piece of twine so that they would not float away, then fastened the excess string to the quiver itself. Hopefully it would be enough. She made sure Murtagh's sword was securely fastened as well, and her bow strapped down tight to her back. She was not as pressed about the dagger in her boot.

They dove in almost all at once, resurfacing and following Invidia to the entrance to the tunnel. They stopped, and Hal turned to Murtagh. "Will Thorn be okay?"

"He will have to be, since he can't come. Although he's not happy about it."

She nodded in understanding, treading water as she looked back at the opening. Murtagh swam to her. "If you're not ready for this, there's no shame in staying behind," he said, finally reaching his limit of how long he could hold his tongue.

Hal swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Who would I be if I let you do this on your own? If I let cowardice rule my life while people I cared about forged ahead without me?" He didn't look convinced, and Hal was sure she didn't sound convincing. "I will be okay," she assured him.

He sighed, but did not argue further, giving her a reassuring look and confident smile. Hal looked to Invidia who gave her a look almost of approval before she took a deep breath and ducked her head under the surface of the dark water. Hal relaxed her lungs, filling them slowly and carefully with air. Then she took one deep breath and followed the elf underwater.

Invidia's blonde hair was perhaps the only light Hal had to follow. As her eyes adjusted, she could just barely make out the tunnel, but as they left the cavern behind, it grew increasingly darker. Hal kept near the walls, reaching out blindly every so often to center herself. She could feel Murtagh touch her leg occasionally, either to make sure he was going the right way or to make sure she was still there, Hal didn't know.

The swim was not nearly as bad as Hal had predicted, although she was grateful to resurface when they did. The water was low enough that she could stand, walking out until they were back on dry land. "Garjzla," Blödhgarm whispered, and a small orb of light appeared in his hand, lighting the space around them. The ceiling was about twice as tall as Hal, and just as wide, which was bigger than she had anticipated. But otherwise, there was nothing to observe that was unusual about the space, except for the fact that it existed at all.

"Let's dry our things then continue forward," Invidia told them. "There's no telling how far this tunnel goes or what we may run into."

Hal shivered at the thought.

Murtagh helped her dry her clothes and weapons and, when they were ready, took up her hand in his. It was better, walking through the tunnels, since Blödhgarm had the light for them to see. Hal wasn't sure what she would've done if they'd have to walk around in the pitch black. But the fear that they could run into the Ra'zac at any moment did not help calm her nerves either.

They walked endlessly, straining to listen for any sudden movements, looking for any sign that anyone or anything was down here. It didn't break off into other directions, either. It was just the one way in or out. Hal counted their steps in her head to keep track of what direction they were facing as the tunnel twisted and turned. She had an idea, but it didn't make any sense, so she kept it to herself until she was sure.

"There is no sign that this tunnel ends," Murtagh commented, his voice echoing across the rocky walls. "How long should we follow this path before considering an alternate route?"

"Surely it must end somewhere," Blödhgarm said thoughtfully. "It can't possibly go on forever."

Hal stopped moving. "I think it does," she whispered, realizing that her theory was looking more and more like a fact. When everyone stopped, turning to look at her, she continued slowly. "I've been tracking our steps, following every direction and turn we've made. I'm positive we're headed towards the ocean."

"The ocean?" Invidia said, startled. "Why the ocean?"

Hal began to shake, recalling a dream from months before — practically another lifetime at this point. A dream in which she had been running through the ocean, just before a pain in her chest had stopped her from going forward. Just as the water collapsed on top of her to keep her from going back.

Through the ocean.

Headed towards Uden.

"I think we should head back," Hal said quickly, fear gripping her as she remembered her dream. "Now. We need to get back, we need to —"

An explosion rocked the ground beneath them, knocking Hal off her feet and into Murtagh. "What was that?" he cried.

But Hal knew immediately what had happened, feeling like she had been warned and still walked right into the trap. She tightened her grip on Murtagh's hand and yanked him forward, grateful that Invidia and Blödhgarm followed without asking questions. She didn't dare look back. Didn't need to in order to know that the tunnel was collapsing behind them, that they were going to be forced to continue forward.

Right into the belly of the beast.

The sound of rocks falling around them got louder, the ground becoming more unsteady as they ran. Smaller rocks began to rain down on them, and she realized that the tunnel collapse was catching up to them. Hal spotted a clearing up ahead, an end to the tunnel, and pushed forward, Murtagh's hand still tight in hers. But they weren't going to make it. The rocks up ahead were already falling.

Murtagh cried out, his hand slipping from hers as he fell to the ground.

"Hal, no!" Invidia cried.

But Hal had already turned around and did the only thing she could think to do, throwing herself over Murtagh's to shield him, although little good it would do either of them. But before Murtagh could protest and as Hal braced herself for the impact, imagining the wall of water that had collapsed on her in the dream, it suddenly became still.

There was no crushing debris burying them alive, and Hal slowly lifted her head. Murtagh winced, blood dripping in his eyes. He must've been hit on the head. She rose slowly to her feet, helping him to his as her eyes widened in disbelief.

The rocks were suspended in midair. Hal looked to Invidia and Blödhgarm, but they looked equally surprised. And that's when she saw it, a spirit, just up ahead. Hal licked her lips, weighing their options, not that they had many.

"Can you walk?" she asked Murtagh, wiping some of the blood from his brow.

"I'm fine," he said curtly. She rolled her eyes, knowing he was angry with her. Knowing he would berate her later for her recklessness. She would deal with it when the time came.

"Then let's keep moving," Blödhgarm said slowly, his eyes following the spirit with suspicion. They did, ducking around rocks in their path until they reached the clearing, a cavern, smaller in scale than the one they had been in before. There were four tunnels, well three, now that one had completely collapsed.

Murtagh leaned up against the wall, panting, as Invidia helped with his injury. Hal and Blödhgarm both moved closer to the spirit, cautious and curious.

"There is something not quite right about this spirit," Blödhgarm said, speaking slowly. "I can't quite put my finger on it."

Hal blinked. She certainly agreed with him, but there was something drawing her in. She recalled the last time she had gotten this close. She thought of the constant presence she felt watching her. But now she could not help but wonder if the spirit had been watching her for a while now. How else could it have possibly known she would be here? That she would need help?

"It's like it's looking at me," she stated, realizing that it seemed to be true.

"Careful Hal," Murtagh warned.

She ignored him, stepping closer. The spirit didn't disappear, and Hal got within a few inches of it. "It feels…familiar," she continued, talking aloud but to herself, thinking. It was the same feeling she had when it appeared before her in the village. Like it knew her somehow. "This magic…I've felt it before."

Her eyes widened with realization. "Murtagh, do you remember that night, after you rescued me from the Ra'zac and we felt that magic in the air. That stillness."

"Yes." His eyes widened in understanding. "Hal…you're not suggesting —"

"How many of you are there?" Hal asked the spirit.

Halen.

She gasped in surprise. She heard the voice in her head, but this time, it echoed throughout the cavern so that the others could hear as well. Murtagh tried to put himself between Hal and the spirit, but Hal stopped him. "I don't think it means us harm," she told him gently, trying to ease his mind.

"We cannot trust them, Hal. Despite all the help they have offered, they have revealed nothing about themselves," Murtagh scolded.

"He's right," Blödhgarm added. To the spirit, he said, "Please, can you tell us who you are? Why are you aiding us?"

Halen.

"Is that your answer?" Murtagh shouted. "What do you want with her?"

They are coming.

"Who is coming?" Hal asked. "The Shade?" She swallowed. "The Ra'zac?"

"We need to get out of here," Murtagh hissed, grabbing Hal's hand. "This was a mistake."

Hal couldn't agree more, but it was too late now. Blödhgarm shoved her back, procuring an arrow of his own from his quiver and nocking it. He fired with an ease and expertise that made Hal look sloppy and her eyes widened in fear as he killed a Ra'zac just as it appeared from the tunnel to their left. There was a screech of pain as it died, but it was over quickly. But Hal felt her blood run cold when screams responded in kind, echoing around them, magnifying the noise and making it impossible to guess how many.

"Halen, arm yourself!" Invidia cried, but Hal had already pulled off her bow, nocking an arrow and moving to face the tunnel to the right. Murtagh had unsheathed Zar'roc and move to face the tunnel to the center. Invidia moved to stand beside Hal, and she noticed that although Blödhgarm was now armed, the light he had cast remained in the cavern, drifting lazily above them, providing enough light for them to see.

"Be careful of using magic," Blödhgarm warned. "We do not want to bring the tunnel down on ourselves as well."

Turn your fear into something the Ra'zac will regret using against you.

Hal breathed, trying to will the shake in her hands to go away. Or, at least, to lessen. Her archery would truly be useless otherwise.

Turn your fear into something the Ra'zac will regret using against you.

Hal forced herself to close her eyes, focusing on the air moving in and out of her lungs. She heard the breaths of her comrades around her. She could hear the rustling of the Ra'zac as they drew near. She thought of home, and what might happen to it should she fail. She thought of her trainings and her lessons.

She thought of her mother, and how her last words to Hal had been to remind her to fight. And as her heartbeat began to even out, as her mind began to find calm and focus, Hal opened her eyes.

The delay between the first Ra'zac and the rest was slight, but when they began to stagger out of the tunnels, Hal lost all train of thought as she tightened her grip on her bow. She moved with a calculated precision, picturing them as she would lovuk, working to keep the panic from her mind. With the size of the tunnels, they could only come out two at a time. It was not as great as one at a time, but a narrow space still meant Hal and the others were not ambushed all at once. A small mercy.

Hal knew her arrows would not last her long, but she used them to take down as many Ra'zac as she could from a distance, taking some small satisfaction in watching their bodies drop. She did not dare break her focus to check on Murtagh, but when she used her last arrow, she took a brief step back, hoping to feel him beside her. But all she got was air. But she thought she could just make out the sounds of his grunts as he fought, and she would have to take solace in that for now.

She yanked the sword off her back and thrusted into the first Ra'zac to reach her, pulling it back out as she dodged another, sweeping her blade across its midsection. At times, she caught herself responding to their attacks like she would an attack for Invidia or Murtagh during her training, calculated and precise. Other times, she fought almost on instinct. Her movements were still intended, but she did not feel as though she were thinking of the steps and then doing them. It was her body moving on its own, fueled by her own desire to simply survive.

Turn your fear into something the Ra'zac will regret using against you.

And arm went around her throat from behind, and Hal only had a moment to throw her left arm up, trapping it against her face. But it alleviated some of the pressure from the Ra'zac's arm off her windpipe. She grunted, kicking at another Ra'zac that had come close.

"You will come with usss," the creature hissed in her ear, it's breath rancid that she felt her vision blacken as a result of the foul stench. But she fought against the compulsion to pass out.

"Like hell I will!"

Another Ra'zac ran towards her and Hal threw her legs out, using its body as leverage since she didn't have a wall to use instead. She used the body to hurl herself over the Ra'zac that had thought it had her trapped. She sneered as her feet hit the ground, impaling the Ra'zac on her sword before it had a chance to grasp what she had done. The second Ra'zac moved towards her as she was pulling her blade back, but a dagger flew and hit it in the temple. She turned as Murtagh ran towards her.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm not hurt," she told him.

She felt movement behind her and spun around, sword raised, and realized it was only Invidia. She glanced around them and Hal realized that they had felled the Ra'zac. Blödhgarm was yanking his own blade out of a Ra'zac's body, and everyone joined him, going through and stabbing the Ra'zac one last time, making sure they were truly dead.

"We need to find a way out of here," Murtagh repeated. "Before more come to join their friends."

"He's right," Invidia said, looking to Blödhgarm. "But if we are not careful, we risk either trapping ourselves underground or between Ra'zac."

Hal wasn't paying attention. The spirit from before had returned, floating just in front of her. It was like it was trying to tell her something. Trying to warn her.

Murtagh gripped her arm, trying to pull her away from the spirit. However, Hal's feet remained planted on the ground, staring at the spirit with a slow understanding of what was about to happen. She directed her thoughts towards it, like she would Thorn or Murtagh, reaching out with hesitation, unsure of what she would find.

How many more? she asked it.

Silence.

Then.

Enough to overwhelm you. Magic will not help you here. You triggered the traps in the cave. Traps only you could set off. They know you are here. They will hunt you down, no matter where you go. They will take you, and only you, alive.

Hal's eyes widened, but then she relaxed her face as Murtagh argued with the elves about which way to get out. What must I do to ensure my friends survive?

It paused, and Hal feared it would tell her there was nothing that could be done. At last, the spirit spoke, it's tone remorseful. We can shield your friends. But you must make a run for it. We will bring the rocks down around them and block them in. Once we know it is safe, we will make sure they get out and that no Ra'zac get to them. But you must separate yourself from them. At this rate, your presence will only spell their doom.

And the tunnel I must go through — I assume it leads to Uden.

Silence. But it was more than answer enough. There was a frightening scream and Hal gritted her teeth, hating herself. She had walked everyone into a trap. And their only way out alive meant Hal had to break her promise to Murtagh.

No matter what happens, stay by my side.

But if this was the only way, then she would face his wrath any day over his death. Not to mention she promised Thorn that Murtagh wouldn't do anything rash. But he had said nothing about her.

Hal didn't realize she had begun to cry with the weight of what had to be done. And it frightened her. But she should've realized it would come to this eventually. She could not run any longer. She could not hide behind wards or shields. She could not hide behind Murtagh. She could not fight and she could not flee. If she wasn't so scared, so angry, she would admit what a brilliant trap it was. Perhaps, if she had never come — but no, the others then would never have made it out. It was meant to end like this.

"Hal, what's wrong, you're scaring me."

She turned to find Murtagh, Invidia, and Blödhgarm watching her carefully. Staring at her tear-stained face with confusion. She knew she could not say anything. Too much time would give them opportunity to stop her. Especially Murtagh.

Murtagh.

There was another scream, closer. Invidia and Blödhgarm raised their weapons, glancing from Hal to the tunnels with trepidation. But Murtagh did not take his eyes off her or even acknowledge that he'd heard the Ra'zac.

She looked at him, hear heart swelling with so much emotion she thought she would burst. There is not much time left, the spirit said, touching her mind. You must hurry. As soon as you give us the signal, we will trap them inside.

Hal swallowed, giving him a smile to ease his nerves. She went to him and cupped his face in her hands, pulling him down for a sweet kiss, uncaring that the elves would see. Her tears ran faster, her heart racing in fear. She pulled away. "I've been lying to you," she whispered, sniffing, "about how I felt. I think I've known — I think I've known for a while now." She smiled through her tears. "I love you, Murtagh Morzansson. And I'm so sorry I didn't tell you when I should have."

His eyes were wide, full of surprise and disbelief. But she only had a second to register it as she spun on her heels and ran. She kept straight, assuming this tunnel would lead to the ocean, to Uden, and decided that fate would take her there eventually. She might as well save it the time and energy.

Invidia shouted to her just as the rocks came tumbling down, rocking the cave and nearly knocking Hal off her feet. She dared look over her shoulder, but the way back was already blocked. No way out, no changing her mind now.

She screamed, letting out all of her pent-up emotions. Her hatred, her fear, her anger. She did not want this. Did not want to see what lay on the other side of this tunnel. But she was also tired of running. Tired of not knowing.

And she cried. Mainly for herself, but also for Denu, whom she would leave behind. Her village. Her people. But, perhaps, most painfully, she cried for the man to whom she had finally been able to give her heart, only to leave him behind to fend on his own.

…

Hal walked for miles. She was pretty sure she was under the ocean now, the walls damp, the ground muddier. Her legs were heavy, her soul depleted of any fight or energy from simply walking. She knew she should've passed out from lack of proper air, but she had a feeling that the spirit had something to do with how cognizant she was.

Who are you? Hal asked for the hundredth time. And for the hundredth time, it did not answer. How long have you been on Illium?

Nothing.

How powerful are you?

Why are you helping me?

What awaits me at the other end of this tunnel?

Am I going to die?

It continued to ignore her, but it never left her side. Hal didn't know whether to be comforted or annoyed. She had expected to run into more Ra'zac, but she supposed that, because there was only one way out, there was no point in having Ra'zac here now. And since this was the tunnel they wanted her walking…

She was weary on her feet, so she tried to think happier thoughts. She imagined what would have happened if she had confessed to Murtagh under different circumstances. Imagined how he might reciprocate. Back before they had entered the tunnel, she had thought, had hoped, it had been what he was trying to tell her. Tears welled in her eyes, her emotions becoming unbearable. No wonder he hadn't said it, if so. If he had, she would have likely been too out of it enter the cavern, too happy. What would have happened then, if they had all waited? Would she have at least have had a few moments, a few hours, a few days of bliss before her world came crashing down once more?

In a moment of weakness, she dropped to her knees and wailed, hugging herself tightly and cursing the world. All she wanted was peace. And it was cruel to realize that the disruption in her life had brought her the first person she had ever felt such peace with, only to take him away from her. Denu had always told her he had rather lost Isa than have never known her at all. But did it count when it was a few months versus a life-lasting marriage? Would it hurt any less for Hal, if she had never known this kind of heartbreak?

But she hadn't been happy before. Not fully, anyway. There was a peace of mind that came to her when she was with Murtagh. Falling for him, perhaps, had been a result of that. But he had given her what no one else had been able to. And now she feared never having it again. Never seeing him again. And that broke her heart.

She did not know how long she kneeled there, sobbing and wailing for all she had lost. More time. She just wished she had more time. More time to revel in what it felt like to be in love. To wonder if he loved her in return. Wonder what would happen if he did. To divert all of her attention to him rather than splitting it between trainings and the Ra'zac. She wanted to love him during a time of peace, not a time of upheaval.

She couldn't catch her breath, growing dizzy as she struggled to regain her composure. It was soul-crushing, how alone she felt. She didn't want to keep going. She knew she couldn't go back. Perhaps she would die here in this tunnel, pitiful and alone.

Hal felt her chest begin to loosen, her gasps fading into slow, even breaths. She looked up in surprise, the spirit having moved closer. So close, in fact, that Hal had to squint from the light emanating from it.

Not alone. Never alone.

And Hal gasped as the tunnel became alight with spirits. Dozens, then hundreds. They filled the space, all giving off a warm glow that gave her a strange sense of peace she knew she should not feel. Hal rose slowly to her feet, taking in the wonderment, the breathtaking beauty of just how many existed. She knew then that she had been right. The magic she had felt that night, standing beside Murtagh, had belonged, not to the Shade, but to these spirts.

She couldn't explain it. How suddenly relieved she was. How safe and comforted she felt. These emotions that were stirring within her. This feeling of…love. She felt a fresh wave of tears. "Who are you?"

Of course, they still didn't answer.

But Hal accepted it, eventually continuing forward with trepidation and newfound strength. This time, none of the spirits disappeared. They stayed with her, lighting a path so bright that Hal thought that, perhaps, it was okay to feel a sense of hope instead of doom.

She clenched her hands tightly at her side. She would see them again. She would see her village again. She would see Murtagh and Thorn again. She would see them all.

She had to.

…

Murtagh had never felt such fury before. An indignant rage fueled him as he hurled rocks, magic, and swears at the barricade that separated him from Hal. And make no mistake, most of his fury was directed at Hal. And when he found her...

He let out a scream, half rage, half anguish, as he began digging at the rocks. They were tightly packed, and the collapse ran deep. To move one rock, another dozen fell in its place. But he didn't care. Didn't care if he brought the entire damn cave down on them. Didn't care if there were Ra'zac waiting on the other side. No, that was a lie. He did care. Because he was going to scream himself hoarse at Hal when he found her, and he couldn't do that if he was dead.

His fingernails began to crack and bleed as he clawed at the stones. Yes, he would use his rage. Rage, he knew. He would find Hal, kill the spirits, kill the Shade, and then he would lay into Hal for her actions. He would never forgive her for this. Never. How dare she? How fucking dare she?

He screamed her name, tears burning his eyes and blurring his vision. He was so damn angry. And he would focus on his anger, his rage. Because he could not, dared not, think of the gripping panic for what he had just lost. If he did…

A hand gripped his shoulder and he spun around, yanking his arm away from Blödhgarm who looked at him with a stony expression. "Murtagh."

The rider blinked at him like he didn't even register he was there. Then he growled, "Are you just going to stand there useless or are you going to help me move these rocks?"

"Murtagh," he repeated, his tone firm but gentle.

"If you're not going to help then leave me alone." He turned back and began digging out the rocks again. He dropped to his knees, trying to act like he meant to dig from the bottom when, truthfully, his legs would not support him anymore. He couldn't stand that look in Blödhgarm eyes. One of pity.

"You've already exhausted yourself," Invidia stated unsympathetically. "Even if we were to rescue Hal, you would be in no condition to do so now."

Murtagh jumped to his feet, itching to hit the woman for her mouth. Blödhgarm gripped him tightly, stopping him. "That is enough, both of you. Invidia, now is not the time to antagonize him. Murtagh, check your emotions. We will bring her back."

But those words did not make him feel better. Instead, they broke him, and he let out a mangled sob of pain, dropping back to the ground as a torrent of emotions swept over him.

I love you, Murtagh Morzansson.

He replayed her words over and over and over again in his head, almost wishing they weren't real. Words he had never heard in his life. Had come to expect to never hear at all. Hadn't even been strong enough to say himself. And to hear them uttered as a goodbye devastated him. It broke some small, fragile piece of his heart that he had been trying to ignore. A piece of him that had never truly accepted that he was the kind of man who would love or be loved. That something so good and pure was even possible for someone as tainted as he.

He roared in fury, getting back to his feet and continuing to claw at the heavy stones that stood in his way. He would get her back. He would get her back. He had to. There were many things in this life he had willingly sacrificed.

Hal would not be one of them.

…

Hal felt like she was falling asleep as she walked. Her eyes were heavy, her head drooping as the tunnel stretched on. She couldn't recall how many miles were between Illium and Uden, but she knew it would take almost a day to traverse by boat.

She was weary and hungry, dehydrated and scared. As beautiful as the illumination of the spirits were, it did little to lift her spirits now. More than anything, she just wanted the tunnel to end.

After a while, the only thing that kept her going were thoughts of Murtagh. How desperate she was to get back to him. He would be furious with her, of that she had no doubt. But she wanted his anger, his grief, his joy, his boredom, his excitement. She wanted all of those things. And she did not want to die before she got a chance to have them. If he would have her, of course.

Many long and dreary hours passed before Hal began to feel a gust of air on her face. It took her a moment to realize what it was, and dread filled her as she slowed to a stop. Here she was, at the end of the tunnel. What awaited her on the other side was still to be determined, but she had some inkling. A Shade with unheard motivations, after her magic more than likely. But she would have to be cautious, and she would have to be smart.

There was another vast cavern, this one with only one tunnel. One way out. Hal breathed. In through her nose, out through her mouth. She stepped forward, walking until the tunnel began to slope upwards. Higher and higher she climbed, never having realized how far underground she was, despite knowing she was underwater as well.

Although it was dusk, the fading light still irritated her eyes. She was sure the only reason they weren't more bothered was because of the glow from the spirits that had lit her path. Hal braced her forearms on the ground, pulling herself up and out of the ground, like a body being reborn from the earth.

She rolled onto her back, her legs still in the tunnel, sucking in fresh air, relieved to get off her feet, which she could no longer feel. She wanted to collapse here. Sleep here. But the prickling sensation of being watched made her roll over, examining her surroundings with trepidation.

Only then did she realize the spirits were gone. An indignant rage swelled up within her at being so suddenly abandoned. They had said she was never alone. Was that a lie?

Halen.

Her shoulders slumped. So they were allowed to be invisible but she was not? This all just felt like some sort of sick game. Maybe it was. And Hal was tired of it. She wanted a semblance of her life back. She wanted this all to just be over.

She heard light footsteps and grew tense, rising wearily to her feet and reaching for the sword at her back. Her chest was tight as she began to tremble, wishing desperately for the feel of Murtagh's hand in hers. Especially when a Ra'zac stepped out from the growing shadows.

However, it seemed different from the others. Less volatile, if such a thing were possible. It took one deep pull of air, as if confirming Hal was who it thought she was.

"Thisss way," it hissed, leaving no room for arguments. "Massster is waiting."

Hal released her sword. Although she was tempted to pull it free, she had a feeling it would be taken from her. She wanted to keep it on her as long as possible, until she truly needed it. The walk was a short one, and Hal didn't know if she was grateful or not that the inevitable came sooner rather than later. She glanced around her, trying to recall where she was from her memories but finding nothing familiar in where she stood. That was probably for the best.

The land around her was dead. No trees, no animals, not even insects, existed in the area within a few feet of her. It was eerie, what had been done, as Hal was sure no such place had existed on Uden before. It was as if a recent fire had caused such devastation. But nothing around her showed signs of burning. And the stench of raw eggs had her gagging as it burned her eyes, clinging to her tongue and throat. Otherwise, there was nothing to show that this land was habitable.

There was simply the dead, blackened earth under her feet.

As Hal walked forward, the wind seemed to increase, making it harder to breath. Then, she spotted a figure up ahead and she began to grow ill. The Ra'zac pushed her from behind to continue walking, so she did. Trembling, she began to realize that the incline in the tunnel had not simply gotten her aboveground. She had hiked one of the larger hills on the island too. The view would have been breathtaking if not for the company as Hal realized she was staring down at part of the island. Thick, green trees filled the land below, and the setting sun added a strange yet beautiful look. Suddenly, she realized she did know where she was, and she inhaled sharply in surprise. She used to climb this hill all the time with her sister.

The figure, the Shade, had its back to her as Hal approached. It was smaller than Hal would've imagined, perhaps a head shorter than Hal and a narrower frame. The tight curls of its flaming red hair blew in the winds as Hal came to a stop. She didn't speak, for words escaped her. So, she waited.

"So, you are the woman who has been evading me these last several months," said the Shade, speaking at last. Its voice was definitely female, high-pitched with a harsh command to it. Yet there was something soft there as well, young, which Hal had not quite expected. She thought of when she had touched the Shade's mind, recalling the one, scared spirit amongst the others. Could that be it? Could she potentially appeal to it for mercy?

The Shade finally turned around and Hal cowardly took a step back. Eragon and Murtagh had warned her of what it would look like, but seeing something so close to human and yet so far from it as well was startling. The skin was pale, devoid of all color in its blush-less cheeks. The eyes were the worst part, blood red and cold. Evil lurked in those eyes, and Hal knew there would be no mercy found here. She fought to keep from shaking, but was slowly failing.

She couldn't loosen her tongue enough to speak, her fear all-consuming. The Shade drew closer, even more intimidating in her black leather, which should've been unbearable in the island heat. "That was very brave, sacrificing yourself like that so the others in your party may live. Although I'm sure you had…help."

Its tone was biting and annoyed. The Shade knew of the spirits too? Hal wondered if it also knew who they were, but she dared not ask.

"But it is no matter," the Shade continued, as if it couldn't be bothered with the specifics. "You are here, which is more important."

The Shade moved forward and Hal took another step back. She forgot, however, about the Ra'zac, and the creature kicked the back of her legs, her knees buckling and forcing her to the ground as the Shade grew close.

"Who are you?" The Shade asked, observing Hal curiously. "I feel as though I should know you. Your face is…familiar to me."

"I think I would remember meeting you," Hal said shakily.

The Shade threw her head back and laughed. Hal really wished she wouldn't laugh. "You are mistaken if you think I have always had this face." The Shade kneeled down beside her and tucked a loose strand of hair behind Hal's ear. Hal flinched, but didn't move. "I once had skin like yours. Beautiful and brown. But monsters have no need for beauty."

The Shade rose to its feet. "Tell me your name. Your full name."

Hal thought it curious she asked for Hal's full name, and not her true name, something Blödhgarm had taught her about, although she had yet to learn it. But either way, she was loathed to part with it.

Sensing her hesitation, the Shade commented, "Speak quickly, or I will let my pet have its way with you until you find your tongue."

"Halen Zarasdaughter," Hal blurted as the Ra'zac stepped towards her. Shame pooled her cheeks, her hands aching as she clenched it tightly.

The Shade spun around. Her face was twisted in fury as it stalked towards Hal. Without warning, it backhanded her so hard that she fell to the ground, crying out. Her eye twitched in pain and Hal was sure she was already bruising. The hit was heavier than she had expected for someone who looked so small. A testament that a Shade's strength and its appearance did not need to correlate in the slightest. Hal was just lucky that the ring the Shade wore, the only piece of jewelry on their persons, had a flat top and not a jewel. Hal could only imagine the scar it would have left across her face otherwise.

The Shade yanked Hal to her feet by her hair and she cried out, trying to lessen the Shade's grip on her. "You lie," the Shade hissed.

"Why would I lie about my name?" Hal spat. "You asked me my name and I told you."

Something flashed in the Shade's eyes: shock and disbelief. Surprisingly human reactions that Hal hadn't expected. The Shade let her go and Hal stumbled back, wincing but grateful to have been released. Hal watched it carefully as it processed the information, moving from surprise to delight, it's eyes returning to their usually cold look.

"I never would have guessed," the Shade hissed, talking to itself. "Oh, but it explains so much." Its red eyes found Hal. "It had to be you. Yes, I can see it now. No wonder those spirits were so protective of you. Of one of their own. But the odds that it would be you…"

Hal stood there, blinking in confusion. She swallowed nervously. "Who are they?"

The Shade grinned, delighted Hal did not know. "They, are the very reason you and I are here. They are the reason we exist." The Shade stepped forward. She took Hal's face in her hands, but the gesture held no warmth. "And it is with them, that I will make you into something like me."