Page 46 of Cursed By the Dawn

“Forty-eight.”

The heat intensified, pressing on us as we ventured deeper. Sweat pricked at my brow, but I forced myself to stay calm, to let the warmth become a background hum rather than a smothering blanket. But just as we approached the halfway point, a strangled gasp sounded behind us. I whipped around just in time to see one of the dreamers wobble from the path, his face twisted in panic. An older man who had been trapped in Erebus’s castle for centuries—and had done his best to help new dreamers get acquainted with the domain.

“No!” I shouted.

I shot a spiral of shadow his way. Reaching for the dreamer’s arms, his legs—anything. Erebus also tried to help, shadows snapping from his hands. But it was too late. The flames reacted instantly, rearing up and feeding on the dreamer’s fear. Erebus staggered back, cursing. “Get back!” he snarled at the other dreamers, hurling another shadow at the blaze.

But it was useless.

Too late.

The man made hysterical sounds as the fire wrapped around him, a wriggling, smoking blaze that swallowed him whole. He vanished within seconds, leaving nothing behind. I was rooted to the spot, instantly nauseated, the echo of his anguished cries still ringing in my ears. The remaining dreamers clung to one another. I wanted to reach out, to say something that could pull them back from that edge of panic, but the words felt like ash on my tongue.

Come on, Esmer.

Be the leader they need.

But then, as soon as I opened my mouth, a searing pain overtookme, forcing me to my knees. The dreamers collapsed, too, knees slamming into the rocky path. The walls pressed in, showing us unspeakable visions within the flames. I saw Erebus, shackled in irons and surrounded by fire, weeping as flames crawled up his bare chest. They licked into his skin, biting,devouring.He’s being burned alive, I thought in horror, crawling toward him. A murky shape unfurled beside him, poised above his throat. The thing bared its teeth, ready to gorge itself on his pale neck—

The creature looked up, noticing me.

Raelion.

Raelion’s red smoking eyes found mine. His lips curled back as he licked his teeth. I continued to crawl, making progress inch by inch. I felt so weak. Why was I so weak?Don’t touch him. Get away from him.My hand found Erebus’s arm. His sweat-slicked skin was hot under mytouch, almost as if it was burning from within. Then suddenlymyhand was burning.

Flames.

I was touchingflames.

The vision disappeared as I hastily drew my hand back, but the damage had already been done. My skin was bubbling, peeling off. Hundreds of dreamers had also succumbed to their tormenting visions, limbs burning.

None of this is real.

I closed my eyes, forcing my breathing to slow, centering myself. “None of this is real,” I thought again, this time to the dreamers. Then my eyes flashed open, and I sent a wave of shadow across the dreamers, lapping at their wounds and sifting around their injured legs. I could feel the darkness in the shadows pulling at the darkness in their hearts. Coaxing, grounding,healing.

Finally, the flames receded.

Erebus—therealErebus—tried to reach for me, but I couldn’t bear to look at him. If I did, I’d shatter.

Not yet.

With renewed determination, Erebus and I resumed our pace. We counted our steps, shouting them so loudly my throat felt raw. At last, the corridor opened into a darkened chamber, free from the oppressive heat. I turned to face the dreamers, nervous at what I’d find. Were they angry with us? Disappointed we’d failed to protect everyone? But instead, I found eyes brimming with the embers of bravery. The water and fire had tested us. Forced us to confront our deepest fears. But we survived. And the exit—a wide archway that revealed our castle just beyond it—was so close.

We did it.

Without warning, the air grew thick.

It pressed down on us as if the room itself sensed the end was near.

Erebus and I stood together, the dreamers standing firm behind us. There was a tremor, a deep shuddering shift that rattled the stonebeneath our feet. The elements burst into life again, sudden and inescapable, surrounding us like a death trap. Towering waves crashed into flaming vortexes, sending scalding steam spiraling through the air. Everything was soon obscured in swirling mist.

“Get to the exit!” Erebus commanded, voice slicing through the chaos.

“We’re nearly there!” I shouted.“Go!”

We urged the dreamers ahead of us, watching in dread as several slipped on the wet stone. The elements were converging, closing in with relentless fury. Fire surged along the water’s surface, consuming it, and the steam thickened, searing our skin with each breath.

“They’ll never make it,” I gasped, running shoulder to shoulder with Erebus as we spurred the dreamers forward. “We have to shield them.”