Chapter 11: Shadows and Suspicions
The trek away from the ruins was long and tense. The group was silent, each of us lost in our own thoughts. The fight with that shadow beast had shaken us, but I knew the real reason for the tension: me.
Aric walked at the front, his light magic still faintly glowing around him. Lyra stuck close to Kieran, her wind magic swirling gently, as if she could shield him from further harm. Kieran, despite his wound, was stoic, the occasional wince betraying his pain.
And me? I stayed at the back, my eyes darting between the group and the shadows creeping along the edges of the forest.
They didn't trust me. I could feel it.
We found a small clearing as the sun began to dip below the horizon. Lyra suggested we camp there for the night, and everyone agreed without much debate.
I slumped against a tree, trying to ignore the sting of my wound. It wasn't deep, but it still hurt like hell. I hadn't said anything about it—no need to give Aric more reason to lecture me.
Lyra knelt by Kieran, inspecting his injury. She was quiet but efficient, wrapping his arm with strips torn from her cloak. "You should've said something sooner," she scolded softly.
Kieran shrugged. "I'm fine."
"Fine isn't bleeding out," she muttered, but there was no real anger in her voice.
Aric stood by the fire he'd just lit, his eyes fixed on me. He hadn't said a word since the fight, but his gaze spoke volumes.
"Something on your mind, Aric?" I asked, smirking to hide the discomfort building in my chest.
"You know exactly what's on my mind," he replied, his voice low and sharp.
I shrugged, leaning back against the tree. "Care to enlighten me? My mind-reading skills aren't what they used to be."
Lyra glanced between us, her brows furrowing. "What's going on?"
"Ask him," Aric said, jabbing a finger in my direction. "That shadow magic wasn't the creature's, was it?"
My smirk faltered for a split second, but I recovered quickly. "You're imagining things."
Aric stepped closer, his expression hard. "Don't lie to me, Theo. We all saw what happened."
I pushed myself to my feet, keeping my posture loose and casual. "You're making a lot of assumptions, pal."
"Enough!" Lyra snapped, standing between us. "We just fought a creature that could've killed us, and you two are squabbling like children? Grow up."
Aric's jaw tightened, but he stepped back. "Fine. But this isn't over."
"Looking forward to it," I muttered, brushing past him to sit by the fire.
The rest of the night passed in strained silence. Kieran eventually fell asleep, his face pale but peaceful. Lyra sat by the fire, her eyes fixed on the flames, while Aric kept watch near the edge of the clearing.
I leaned against the tree, pretending to sleep but keeping my ears open.
They were starting to piece things together. Aric, especially, wouldn't let it go.
I clenched my fists, feeling the familiar pull of the shadows beneath my skin. They were always there, waiting, but I couldn't let them out. Not yet.
If they found out what I was—what I could do—they'd turn on me in a heartbeat.
And I wasn't ready for that.