CHAPTER EIGHT

Winter

I awake to the sound of rustling outside my door. My heart races as I sit up, rubbing sleep from my eyes. Was it Alec? Had he found me?

But as I strain to listen, I realize it's just Lavinia moving about in the main room of the cabin. I groan, feeling disappointed and a little foolish for getting my hopes up.

I get out of bed and stretch, feeling much better after a good night's sleep. I glance at the washbasin, thinking a splash of water on my face might do me good.

As I head out of the bedroom, I hear Lavinia muttering to herself. "Strange, strange...I've never seen this before..."

Curiosity piqued, I move towards the sound of her voice. As I enter the main room, I see her hunched over a dusty old book, muttering to herself. She looks up when she hears me enter, surprise registering on her face.

"Winter!" she exclaims, snapping the book shut. "Good morning, dear," she says softly. "I hope you slept well."

I rub the sleep from my eyes and glance out the window. It's still dark outside.

"What time is it?" I ask, confused.

Lavinia chuckles. "Time doesn't really exist here, child. It's always dark, always misty. But you slept for a few hours, I think."

So, in that sense, this place is like the pocket dimension that was guarding the Golden Coin. It's always dark here.

"Did you sleep well?" Lavinia asks.

I nod, my eyes glued to the book. "What were you looking at?" I ask, gesturing at the closed cover.

Lavinia hesitates, her eyes flickering to the book and then back to me. "It's nothing, dear. Just an old book I found in the forest. It's not important."

But I can tell she's lying. There's a strange energy coming from the book, something that makes my skin crawl. I take a step closer, my eyes lingering on the ancient letters adorning the cover.

"It doesn't look like nothing," I say softly. "What is it?"

Lavinia sighs, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "It's a book of spells, Winter. Dark magic. I found it in the forest a few... well, I don't know when. It's been years, though. I've been trying to understand it, figure out what it does. I thought I might find something in here that could help you locate your friend."

My eyes widen. "Really?"

She hesitates, biting her lip nervously. "I don't know for sure. It's all in a language I don't understand, but...I think I found a spell that has to do with locating. I translated half of it, and I picked up 'remote viewing.'"

"Remote viewing?" I repeat, not quite understanding.

"It's a form of divination," Lavinia explains. "A way to see things that are happening in a different place or time. If this spell works, you might be able to see where your friend is, or what he's doing."

My heart races with excitement. "Can you translate the rest of it?"

Lavinia nods, flipping open the book to the marked page. "I can try. But Winter, I must warn you. This is dark magic. It's not something to be taken lightly. It could have dangerous consequences."

"I understand," I say firmly. "But I have to find Alec. I'll do whatever it takes."

Lavinia hesitates, her brow furrowed with concern. "It's dangerous, Winter. I don't know what kind of effects it might have on you. And I don't even know if it'll work."

"But it's worth a try, isn't it?" I plead. "I have to find Alec, Lavinia. I can't just sit here and do nothing."

She sighs, her eyes softening with understanding. "Alright, dear. But promise me you'll be careful. We don't know what kind of forces we're dealing with here. The realms might see fit to exact a toll for performing this spell."

"I don't care," I say, my heart racing with excitement and fear.

Lavinia opens the book to the page she's been studying, her finger tracing the strange symbols etched into the paper. She takes a deep breath and begins to recite the words of the spell, her voice low and musical as she speaks in a language I don't recognize.

I watch in awe as the words seem to glow, the symbols pulsing with a strange energy. Lavinia's voice grows louder, more fervent, and I feel a shiver run down my spine.

Suddenly, a gust of wind rushes through the cabin, extinguishing the candles and sending papers fluttering across the room.

As she speaks, the room begins to spin, and a dizzying feeling overtakes me. My vision blurs, and I stumble, nearly falling to the floor. Lavinia reaches out to steady me, her grip strong and reassuring.

"Steady, child," she says softly. "Don't fight it. Let it take you where you need to go."

I close my eyes, focusing on Lavinia's voice as the world around me melts away. When I open my eyes again, I'm no longer in the cabin. Instead, I'm transported to a different place entirely. I'm standing on the banks of a dark, swirling river, the air thick with mist and the distant sound of wailing. I can feel the weight of the coin in my pocket, a constant reminder of why I'm here.

With a deep breath, I begin to move forward, following the river's path. The landscape is bleak and desolate, with twisted trees and jagged rocks jutting out from the murky water. I can't see very far ahead of me, but I know I'm getting closer to finding Alec.

My heart races with anticipation as I continue to walk, my eyes scanning the landscape for any sign of my friend. Suddenly, I catch a glimpse of movement out of the corner of my eye, and I turn to see a figure emerging from the mist.

It's Alec.

Relief floods through me as I rush towards him, but as I get closer, I can see that something is wrong. His face is twisted in pain, his body shaking with convulsions.

"Alec!" I shout, but he doesn't seem to hear me. He's lost in his own world of suffering, and I don't know how to help him.

I'm about to reach out to him when suddenly the world around me begins to shake. The ground trembles beneath my feet, and the river rages with renewed intensity. I turn to see several wisps emerging from the mist, their glowing orange eyes fixed on me with a hungry gaze.

Panic grips me as I realize I'm in danger. But before I can even react I'm yanked backwards, as if by a powerful but invisible force.

The next moment, I'm on my knees in Lavinia's cabin, gasping for air.

Lavinia is kneeling beside me, concern etched on her face.

"Winter, are you alright?" she asks, her voice filled with worry.

I nod, trying to catch my breath. "What happened?" I ask, looking around the room in confusion.

"You were gone for hours," Lavinia says softly. "I had to bring you back. I couldn't let you stay there any longer."

I glance down at my hands and realize they're shaking. The memory of what I saw out there is still fresh in my mind, and I can't shake the feeling of dread that's settled in my stomach.

"What did you see?" Lavinia asks, her eyes fixed on mine.

I take a deep breath, trying to find the words to describe what I saw. "Alec," I begin, my voice trembling. "I found him, but he was...he was in pain. Something was wrong with him. And then these things...these wisps...they attacked me. I don't know what they were. Alec was next to water, though. Could he already be at the River Styx?"

"It's possible." She presses her fingers to her lips. "I cannot say, for I have no idea how close or far the river is from here. I only know that it's East of my cabin."

I get to my feet. "I need to go find him."

"I understand, but be careful." She touches my shoulder. "The kind of magic we just did comes at a price. There's limited energy in existence."

I'll have to pay a toll for performing the spell. Yes, I get that. It was worth it, though, getting to see Alec for a moment. Even though he's in turmoil, at least I know he's still semi-alive.

"I'll pack you a bag for your journey."

Lavinia moves to a nearby closet and begins to gather supplies. She hands me a satchel filled with dried fruits and biscuits, a couple of water bottles, and a blanket.

"Take this," she hands me a small jar filled with a dark liquid. "It's a potion for protection. And this," she hands me a piece of paper with strange symbols drawn on it. "It's a charm to ward off evil spirits."

I take them gratefully, tucking them into my bag.

"Stay on the path," she advises me. "There are many dangers out there, and you don't want to veer off course. Go right when you leave my cabin and walk down the hill. The path starts there."

I nod, my heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and fear. "Thank you, Lavinia," I say, embracing her. "I'll be back as soon as I can. Thank you for everything you've done for me."

She smiles, her eyes filled with warmth and kindness. "Of course, child. Just remember, the price for this kind of magic is steep. Make sure you're willing to pay it."

I take a deep breath, knowing that I don't have much choice. Alec is my friend, and I'll do whatever it takes to save him. "I'll pay the toll," I say, my voice determined.

With that, I turn and head out of the cabin, my heart pounding with excitement and fear. The misty landscape of the riverbank still fresh in my mind, I set out towards the East, determined to find Alec and bring him back to safety.

At the bottom of the hill, I find the path, though it's thin and hard to pick out. The ground is uneven, and the rocks are sharp. I stumble several times but manage to stay on my feet. As I get further away from Lavinia's safe cabin, the mist grows thicker, and the air grows colder. I can hear strange whispers in the wind, and my skin prickles with unease.

How many of those wisps are around? Are any of them watching me?

"Please," I whisper. "Don't let them have gotten Alec. Please keep him safe."

I don't even know if anyone is listening. If anyone cares. It's worth a shot, though. Alec and I have made it through so much, but maybe there's a little bit of luck left in our pockets after all.

There's a sharp crack, and I freeze, my breath catching in my throat. Someone just stepped on a branch. Right behind me.