Page 44 of Cursed By the Dawn

The shock of their removal was like a noose tightening around our collective necks. Some let out strangled cries, covering their mouths; others appeared frozen and pale. The water had taken the dreamers quickly—tooquickly. As though it had been stalking them, waiting for the first sign of weakness. I could palpably feel the tension rising, an unspoken question lurking in everyone’s minds:Who will be next?

Erebus’s voice cut through the chaos.

“Fear gives the water power!” he roared, silver eyes flashing as his attention swept over the group. It was as if he was trying to look into the eyes of every dreamer—to meet them face-to-face and instill bravery into their veins. He also spoke through our bond. “Just as it gives our enemies power. But we are more than our fear.If you let fear take hold, it will claim you. Donotlet it take you.” My chest swelled with pride at his leadership. Even in this wretched place, he was a beacon. An unyielding blade purging the night of its deepest shadows. “We have been tasked with the fate of Noctis and the Realm—so let us prove our worth. Keep your eyes forward. We move as one.”

His words lingered in the air, a stark reminder of what lay at stake.

“Stay close to one another,” I added, fortifying my voice to sound as confident as Erebus did. “Focus on each step and let the shadows guide you. Don’t give in. Don’t look down.”

Don’t give in.

Don’t look down.

Sweat beaded on the back of my neck. I wanted to do nothingbutlook down. Something was in the water, and it was watching us.

“The Weavers didn’t mention there would be demons in this trial,” Ceveon noted, keeping his pace behind me. “Even if they’re an illusion, we should try to kill them.”

From somewhere behind Ceveon, Sorren made an exasperated sound. “Yes, in the trial of restraint, judgment, and friendly teamwork, let us tear the demonic illusions limb from limb in a bloody frenzy.”

“They attacked us first,” Ceveon replied, bristling. “It would be justified. You just don’t want to sully your hands.”

Sorren sighed. “That is precisely what theywantus to do, my dear fool. Now be silent, before another dreamer hears and agrees with you.”

The path of rocks was impossibly narrow. Dreamers quieted, focusing on their steps. Below our feet, the water had grown eerily calm. Sated, perhaps. But the sensation of being watched was still tangible.

A low, sinister murmur slid through the water, directly under my feet.

“They only follow you because they’re afraid, not because they believe in you,” the water-bound voice warbled, creeping up my skin like a layer of frost. “It was a mistake for you to be given such godly power. You couldn’t even save me.…”

The words were a knife twisting in my chest. For a moment, I faltered, glancing down as a face formed in the water. A face I knew too well.

Eden.

I sucked in a breath. It had been so long since I’d seen her. I leaned forward. All I wanted to do was hold her—

Just then, another dreamer stumbled, shouting as the water rippled and splashed by her feet. A voice from the water taunted her, dredging up insecurities and memories left buried.

“They left you,” a voice keened to her from the water. A clawed hand, green and peeling, snaked around her ankle, caressing it. “Abandoned you like you were nothing.…”

Hundreds of hands leapt from the water, grabbing for dreamers’ legs.

Erebus’s guiding tether, uniting us all, splintered.

No.

“Every step is a lie,” another voice snarled, this time to a differentdreamer. Hundreds of disoriented cries garbled from the water, forming a dissonant chorus. “You don’t belong here, and you never will.…”

“Even in death, you’re worthless. A dreamer no one wants.…”

“Your children never loved you; they wished you were dead.…”

“You’re the reason he gave up. You put your selfish needs over his.…”

The dreamers staggered, crying out as they fought to avoid the hands, but there was nowhere to go. Nowhere to turn. Nowhere toescape. They swayed on the rocks, slipping and stumbling. The water surged, clawed hands poised to drag them down.

“Forget them all. They are weak,” snarled the voice in my head.

They’re not weak, I thought back, furious.