Page 73 of Dawn of Hope
I don’t wait. I tear after her, trusting that whatever she saw was worth running from. Legs pumping and chest heaving, I sprint after her, and that’s when I realize what is happening.
The rock wall to our right is moving.
The tunnel is closing in on us.
Terror clutches at my throat as I stare straight ahead, refusing to look at the wall creeping in. All I can focus on is the ground under my feet and begging for an exit ahead.
“I see something!” Mara screams. “Go, go, go! We can make it!”
The wall is inches away from my shoulder and I can feel the panic bubbling up. If Mara is wrong, we are moments away from being crushed.
I push harder, my toes almost touching Mara’s heels as we sprinttoward whatever she sees. Seconds later I see it too, an arch of rock that looks like a portal. I pump my legs, the rock now scraping my arms as they swipe by with each step.
“Argh!” I let out a cry and push Mara forward, just as we reach the archway. She tumbles into the portal, and I follow behind, losing my balance from the force of pushing her. We hit the portal and fall straight down, landing in a heap in a pile of leafy plants.
“Sweet mother,” Mara pants. “That was so fucking close, Lennox.”
I gasp in breaths, and take in the scrapes up my arm and the blood dripping down my skin.
“Yeah,” I gasp. “What a great first day.”
Mara giggles, and I can’t help but laugh too. I don’t know which death would have been worse, eaten by the river beasts, or crushed underground. Either way, I thank the island for scaring the shit out of me, but also for letting us survive.
Maybe Mara was right. Maybe Dawnlin is watching us.
Maybe it is fighting us, but what if it is also helping us?
I look around to see where it spit us out and realize that despite this being my first real day, I recognize where we are.
“Are you kidding me?” I push to stand and take in the lush plants and wall covered with vines just next to us. “We went through all that, just to end up literally back at camp?”
Mara stands and slides her sword back into its sheath and holds the torch away from the foliage. She chuckles and says, “Welcome to Dawnlin.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Istand at the edge of a cliff, looking out over the waves crashing into the rocks below. I don’t dare step too close to the edge. There is no way down except for a free fall into the deep waters and deadly currents.
It is cold, which strikes me as odd from my time on the island. An icy wind rips over the cliff and cuts through the thin linen clothes I have worn since I arrived. I wish I had my cloak.
The swish of long grass startles me, and I turn quickly to see who approaches from behind. It’s Dane, a bright smile lighting up his face. I wave and smile back, wondering why he found me today.
He draws closer, and I see that what I thought was a smile isn’t one at all. He grimaces, his face full of anger and hatred. He reaches into his belt and pulls out a knife, stalking toward me as if I am his prey.
I gasp and reach into my waistband to pull my blade, but my hands came up empty. Shock and fear blazes through me as I look back at Dane. My mind races as I try to figure out where to go, what to do. Why is he doing this?
The glint of his knife catches my eye, and I realize it isn’t his. It is mine.
He brings his hand to his lips and lets out a sharp whistle. Creatures emerge from the grass behind him, followed by everyone from camp. They stand firmly behind Dane and stare me down.
“You’re a liar!” Dane snarls. “A traitor!”
I stammer, not knowing what to say or what he is talking about. “No, I’m not! What do you mean, Dane? It’s me! Lennox!”
“I know exactly who you are. You were a liar this whole time.”
“I’m not!” I urge, slowly backing away before halting. I feel the rock shift under my foot as it falls down the cliff and into the churning water. My mind swims and panic rises and settles in my throat.
I swallow the lump and beg, “Dane, stop this! Please!”