into the trees. They reminded me of the lights in Alia’s apartment, but they
seemed to be sentient, or at least under Cavra’s command.
Pretty little lights, leading us to our deaths.
We moved quickly, and my breathing became heavy. The forest was
humid, and my shirt dampened with sweat. The whole place pulsed with a
hypnotic drone that made me drowsy, despite the adrenaline pumping
through me.
Every motion I made felt a little too slow. I ducked under a sheet of
silvery moss that hung from a branch high above and tripped on a root. No—
a rock.
Jaxson wrapped his arm around my waist, catching me before I
faceplanted. “Keep your eyes on the ground.”
His deep voice dragged over my damp skin, and I couldn’t help the
tingles that spread through me. Once I’d found my footing, he released his
arm, though I could still feel the heat of his body behind me.
“Holy hell,” I whispered, taking in the sights ahead. The dilapidated ruins
of what looked like ancient stone buildings rose from the jungle, partially
covered by the dense vegetation. “What is this place?”
“Legends say that the Dreamlands have been populated by different
species of Magica for millennia. This must be the remnants of one the Great
Cities,” Jaxson said and softly pressed against my back. “Come on, let’s keep
moving. We don’t want to be left behind.”
I nodded and caught up with the lights, which had kept on winding their
way deeper into the trees. God, I hoped we could find our way back.
We circled around a giant bust of a humanoid creature with almond eyes
lying half buried on its side.
Taken by its unique features, I slowly stepped around it, but Jaxson
grabbed my arm and stopped me short. His hand cupped over my mouth as he
towed me down behind the stone bust, gesturing with his chin to the bushes
on our right.