Page 48 of Lethal Souls
His breathing is stifled.
He’s still alive, and right now, that’s more than enough for me.
TWENTY-EIGHT
CAZ
Once again, I’m engulfed by water.
I break through the surface, gasping for breath as I check my surroundings. I spot my bag floating ahead just as Rowan resurfaces too.
Inferno Isle is right behind him. With only a few strokes, we could make it.
“Caspian, you must listen to me!” Korah’s voice splits the air. I peer over my shoulder to see her flying toward us in a blaze of light. “You are not ready for this!”
What is she talking about? Ready for what?
It’s a trick. Has to be.
“Swim to the island!” I yell at Rowan.
I collect the bag, and we lap our way toward the shore. The saltwater burns my eyes and throat, but I don’t care. I’m doing this for Willow. I have to save her.
I can’t let Korah catch me. If she does, I have no doubt she’ll teleport my ass back to Blackwater.
I don’t even realize it then, how I’m no longer surrounded by water. Beneath my feet is a haunting sight—the familiar one from my nightmares. Lava trickling between cracks on a black field, the fiery orange an ominous warning. My body, however, is dripping wet, and my bag clings to my back.
I’m on the island.
“How did we—did we just fucking teleport?” Rowan exclaims.
I whip my head left at Rowan who stands beside me, eyes wide with shock. “I think we did,” I say, panting.
“Did you do that?” he wheezes.
“Not sure. Possibly?”
I look for signs of Korah. I’m not sure where she is but I know she’ll find us. One touch from her and I’ll be off this island before I can even blink.
He takes in our surroundings, wiping water from his eyes. “Inferno Isle,” he breathes. “Fuck me.”
Something screeches in the distance, and I frown, removing my bag from my shoulder and digging into it. That sound is just like the one from my nightmares and is enough to send a shock down my spine.
I retrieve two handguns and offer one to Rowan.
“They’re loaded with Luxor ash bullets. Don’t know what we’re dealing with on this island, but these should stop whatever comes after us…or at least hold them off for a while.”
“You don’t think I came unprepared, do you?” Rowan lifts his wet shirt to reveal the TC-15 attached to a clip on his belt. “Brought Lucy with me. She’s my favorite.”
“I figured you would.” I cock my head. “Let’s go.”
I march with no idea where I’m going.
“You gonna explain how we went from water to land that fast?” Rowan asks. “We had at least six more strokes at best before even reaching the shore.”
I work to swallow as the heat from the lava seeps through my shoes. “I don’t know.”
I really don’t. I’m still trying to figure it out myself. They say I’m powerful, that I can move mountains and destroy anything in my wake, yet I don’t know how to control any of it. Well, only when I feel I’m in danger, apparently.