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Chapter 45
“Well, this is terrifying.” I hissed quietly, flinching when my voice bounced off the walls anyway.
“If I had known it was like this—” Helena whispered, but her words fizzled out.
“That would only make me want to go more.” I countered, trying and failing to lighten the mood.
We were walking down the stairs, towards the basement of the library. It seemed basement in the Iridescence Pack meant tunnels hundreds of feet beneath the earth.
I stayed at the front, whilst Helena watched our backs. Helena had fished one of those jumbo glow-sticks out of her book bag, the crisp snap echoing down the stairs.
I’m not sure what was more terrifying; becoming a part of the never-ending darkness, or becoming the only source of light within that darkness. My stomach twisted into knots, forming faces and glowing eyes within the darkness. As hard as I strained my ears, I could hear nothing more than our feet scuffing ag
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Iridian Chapter 46
Medieval looking sconces lined the shelved walls of the restricted section, casting orange light over the endless stacks that went on as far as the eye could see. It was poor lighting, but would be sufficient enough to read some words on a page. We stood at the beginning of the room, facing one of the many aisles down the endless book shelves. I peered to my left and right, seeing no notable end to the room. It must be similar to the magic at Castle Mist. The kind of magic that makes a castle span worlds and realms. My eyes scanned the bookshelves closest to us when Helena tapped on my shoulder. Her lips were pressed tightly together, and she pointed at the towering bookshelf to our left. On a golden plaque, the number ‘1’ was etched. It was a good sign, some promise that we could find our way out of this place. Helena and I locked eyes, and she spoke in a voice so low that I nearly missed the words. “Let the library take control.” She was quoting the poem Ad
Iridian Chapter 47
Helena clasped a hand over her mouth, her eyes horrified with what she had done. A pair of milky eyes turned on us, right where we were standing. The woman stocking the shelves had paused. A thin hand with gnarled fingers hovered inches away from the shelves, a tattered book in her claws.I wrapped my hand around Helena’s, ensuring she wouldn’t be able to make any sound. This wasn’t about trusting my friend, it was about surviving. I hadn’t come this far to die in an underground library, and I certainly wasn’t leaving Helena behind.I knew the wheezing had stopped, which meant that librarian heard Helena’s gasp. Fear clawed at me, grating against my skin until I felt horribly itchy. I wanted to look around, to scan my surroundings for the decaying creature.As much as my instincts roared at me, I kept my gaze on the woman. She had to have been one of the contestants from the previous years—one of the few who never made i
Iridian Chapter 48
Before I had time to process what I had just seen, everything shifted. I could feel the phantom touch of pages turning against my fingertips, making silent arcs in the stagnant air of the library.I was underground, but somewhere different. Don’t ask me how I can discern one darkness from another, but it was the truth. This place—the darkness seemed alive, like a sentient being that lingered within every nook and cranny of this cavern.We were in the dark, Sasha and I. The faint light of a crappy flash light was our only sight, the one thing keeping us afoot in this rocky place. Our hair glowed under this harsh, artificial light, like flickering flames smothered beneath the earth. She huffed out a breath, and I noticed something off about her. Something had changed. She was covered in dirt and mud, and she wore some kind of hiking outfit, but that wasn’t the thing that felt off. Her eyes were wide, pupils blown as she peered into the darkness. T
Iridian Chapter 49
I had gone completely still, so still that the slightest influx of air felt like shards of glass in my throat. My muscles were firm and taut, my eyes wide as I sighted the approaching librarians.Carrying the musty smell of dust and old leather, they emerged from the darkness, their milky sockets pinpointed on where I stood.I remained where I was, flush against the shelf I had been viewing. The book on my life was gripped in my hand. The last thing I wanted was to take it with me, but I couldn’t risk putting it back. Or worse, dropping it. The magic that came from my book…it made me want to read more, and that was just a tad frightening. As enticing as it sounded, nothing good would come from learning my future.The librarians crept closer, and I couldn’t help but notice the sickly details between the four of them. They all had dead strands of silver hair on their misshapen heads, but it was human appearance that made them most…creepy.
Iridian Chapter 50
His fingers were velvety soft, and after a moment longer, I realized it was because he had gloves on. Though I couldn’t see them, they were smooth to the touch.“You’re wearing gloves?” I couldn’t help but ask, a bit exasperated. My heart was thundering, and I knew my face was already turning a horrible shade of scarlet. My dad had often toyed with my mom over how red she turned, making a game of it with whispered compliments and flirty smiles. I wasn’t feeling particularly flirty at the moment, but I was blushing down to my toes.“Would you rather I not wore them the next time I touch you? I knew you’d make an interesting player, but I never could have anticipated this.” He mused softly, in a way that made my brain flash danger. My thoughts wandered for a moment, and a part of me desperately wondered what he looked like. I wanted to see the expression on his face. Were his eyes hard and cold? Were they bright and m
Iridian Chapter 51
My head throbbed the moment I opened my eyes. A single stream of sunlight peered through the scarlet curtains, directly on my face. I cringed away from the light and rolled into a sitting position, noticing my shoulder was a bit stiff.I peeled away the shredded layers of cloth that hung over my shoulder and frowned. Other than a bit of redness, there was nothing wrong with it. The Game Master’s magic had worked fast, eating away the poison that was slowly killing me.Even though I was grateful to be alive, I couldn’t stop thinking about the offer he had made.It played in my head on a loop as I stood under the deliciously warm water that spewed from the multiple shower heads in my bathroom. My body ached from our time in the library, and the hot water was already beginning to take the edge off.I took those much-needed minutes in the shower replaying my night, finishing with yet another visit with the Game Master.When our visits had g
Iridian Chapter 52
There's something comforting about walking into danger with a friend by your side. It's so much more daunting when you're alone. The threat of death weighs heavier with only one set of shoulders to fall on.To simplify things, I was beginning to miss Helena. Our time in Castle Mist and the Library made me realize what a reliable partner she was. As I hopped out of the cab that took me out of the main town, I wondered if she was currently feeling the same thing.Cabs were free to contestants, more a courtesy than anything else. We couldn't run all over searching for clues if we had no means of transportation. I was dropped off at a small park out of the main town.It was unusual, but everything here was. There were no playgrounds, sandboxes, or screaming children. In fact, there were hardly any children here at all. However, there were a multitude of animal shaped shrubs. Bears on their hind legs, eagles with their winds spread, wolves howling, and dolphin's emer
Iridian Chapter 53
"I'm not sure why I'm surprised to see the two of you here." I scoffed, approaching the edge between Day and Night.Both men stood on their respective sides, within the circle of lanterns that sat in the clearing.I swore I could hear the creature gathering in the darkness on Night's side, eager for a new arrival."Why would you be surprised? It makes perfect sense." Day smirked; his golden hair ruffled by a warm gust.His suit quite literally mirrored the sky above, down to the last drifting cloud. Night's suit held an explosion of stars, within a network of galaxies. The shifting colors was a bit disorienting, but both were beautiful and full of that otherworldly quality Iridian was known for."Where is your destination?" Night asked, brushing an onyx lock back from his face. He stood strong and tall, and was just a tad bulkier than his companions. "While this is only my domain for a few more hours, I like to keep track of who crosses over."
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