Zira woke up with sweat all over and her body was tense from what just happened. The dream she had felt so real. She could still feel his skin, his muscles wrapped around her, and his scent as if he was standing right next to her. She touched the side of her neck and felt a spark move through her body. She looked to the side and noticed Arias and Zed were gone but Malachi had taken up residence on her legs. His eyes were open and staring at her with confusion as she untangled her fingers from his hair.
She could feel a blush on her cheeks, knowing he could probably smell her arousal from the dream she just had. Zira cleared her throat as he slowly sat up. They sat in awkward silence for a moment before Malachi stood up.
“I do not want to know,” he said as he made his way over to Clary and Ezekiel, who was getting up as well.
Zira ran to the small creek and completely submerged herself in the cold water. When she came up she saw Zed and Arias walking from around the corner. She let out a breath of relief as she made her way toward them.
“He had to go potty,” Zed explained and Zira nodded.
“We should get going,” Clary said, glaring at Zira. “We don’t know how far away we are and I, for one, don’t want to stay here longer than I have to.”
Ezekiel led the way with Zira and her gang right behind, Rissa and Clary, who were giving Malachi the cold shoulder, and Derrick and Drake bringing up the rear. The deeper they walked into the forest the creepier the scenery became. The trees dropped even lower like they were melting into the ground. Every little shadow seemed like a threat to them and the noise of the creatures in the shadows seemed to get louder as they went. Zira held Arias close to her as it became darker. Every once in a while, someone will jump from hearing or seeing something no one else could catch. Soon enough, they found the mist floating along the floor.
“Finally we’re getting somewhere,” Clary said, a bit hopeful. “Follow the mist and stay close.”
Zira kept her wits about her. She didn’t have to come this way last time thanks to George the warlock, but she heard stories. The Dark Forest has a way of playing with your mind until you are lost in the forest forever. The group heard a loud noise coming from behind them but no one saw anything.
“Let’s just keep moving,” Clary said. “I smell brimstone. So I think we’re close. Rissa, I want you…Rissa? Where the hell is Rissa?”
They all jumped when they heard Rissa’s voice laughing in the darkness. Then it turned into a blood-curdling scream for a few seconds. Then silence. Zira held Arias close in her arms. She could feel how scared he was.
Panic dawned on Drake’s face as he looked around. “Rissa! How the hell did she get out there? She was right here a second ago. Rissa!” Drake ran off into the forest before anyone could stop him. The sound of his voice disappeared in the mist as everyone looked around. Derrick moved to go after him when Clary grabbed his arm.
“No one else runs off. That’s what this forest wants,” she said. “It’s trying to separate us.”
Derrick looked back in the direction Drake disappeared and he turned to Clary with a horrified expression. “Don’t you hear them,” Derrick yelled at her while yanking his arm out of her grasp. “They’re screaming for help. They’re my friends, Clary. I have to at least try to help them.”
“Derrick, no,” Clary yelled after him, but Derrick was already running in the same direction as Drake.
Clary waited a moment to see if any one of them was coming back before turning towards the rest.
“We have to keep moving forward.” Ezekiel looked shocked by her statement and Clary held up a finger to keep him from speaking. “If we go back and try to find them, we'll only get lost as well. The best course of action is to get out ourselves.”
That's when Zira heard it. A scream full of fear and pain, and sounded so much like Isaiah. He did say they were close, Zira remembered her dream. For a second, Zira forgot her surroundings.
“Isaiah!” She ran towards the voice until she was also lost. “Isaiah!” She turned around in circles until she came upon a pair of familiar green eyes. “James?”
“How could you,” James asked. “How could you betray me with him?”
“No, no, no. This isn’t real. Think, Zira. This isn’t James,” she said, covering her ears. Still, his words penetrated her mind.
“I thought you loved me. You were supposed to be my second chance, Zira. My second chance at love. My second chance at having a family,” James' voice spewed out. “But you lied and took everything away.”
“No, that’s not true. I didn’t, I didn’t. I loved you. I loved you, James,” she cried out.
James moved close enough to grab her by the neck as she stared at him. He didn’t look like the James she remembered. His once beautiful green eyes were dark as coal. His face was twisted up as if he was in pain.
“You disgust me,” he said, tightening his hand around her throat. “Did I mean nothing to you? Aren’t I the reason you are still unmated? Admit it! You can’t let me go!”
Zira could feel herself losing consciousness as her eyes closed. She remembered the last good days she spent with James. His love, his happy nature. She remembered what she promised him. ‘You must be brave, Zira. Not just for yourself, but for Arias, and everyone who’s counting on you.’. ‘I promise’, she remembered telling him and she would not be breaking that any time soon.
“No,” Nina yelled inside her head. “We will not let this darkness control us.”
Zira felt a warm sensation in her chest and she saw the crystal glowing. She felt the power of the crystal flow through her and the crystal shined brighter. The dark James let her go and shielded himself from the light.
“I have let you go, James. I will always love you, but you no longer have a claim over my heart. Please be at rest,” she screamed and with her hand, a flash of light surrounded her like a force field. The dark James screamed and disappeared. Zira didn’t waste time, trying to find Zed and Arias. Instead, she tumbled over Ezekiel who was clawing at his throat on the ground. His claws leave bloody marks down his neck.
“Get it off! The chains, they burn. Please!”
For a split second, she debated leaving him but she knew her moral compass wouldn’t let her. She ran over and the moment her barrier touched him he stopped moving. She hovered over him until his eyes found hers.
“Ezekiel, it isn’t real. It’s the darkness playing games with you. Everything is going to be okay now.” Zira soothed him until he could get up on his own.
“My brother and Clary,” he asked as they looked around.
“Let’s go and stay inside the circle, Zira warned him. They found Malachi next, fighting imaginary enemies but causing harm to himself. The moment Zira’s barrier touched him he looked around with wild eyes. Ezekiel was able to talk to him and bring him back. They continued, following the screams of the others.
Zira was worried since she could not hear Zed or Arias until she saw a light similar to her own. She followed the light and saw them crouched in the corner. Arias had his own barrier, protecting them both. Zed noticed them and ran over to her as she pulled them into a hug.
“We have to find Clary and the others,” Malachi said, looking around.
They moved through the darkness and Zira felt herself getting weak as she fell to the floor. Zed was by her side as she took deep breaths. He offered to carry her but she refused, telling him to focus on Arias. This power, this light, has its limits, she guessed. A hand reached out and she looked up at Ezekiel.
“Come, I will carry you,” he said, picking her up without waiting for her to respond. They found Drake clawing at a tree before Malachi pulled him away. Rissa and Derrick were too far gone and ran away the moment Zira’s light touched them. They were moving to follow them when they heard Clary screaming.
“Edgar! Edgar!”
They found her clawing the ground, trying to dig up something. When Zira’s light touched her, Clary screamed and tried to run away. Malachi was the first to grab her but she fought against him. Zira had Ezekiel put her down while he helped his brother to calm Clary. It took the combined strength of both to get her to stop fighting. When she finally came to, she asked about the others and Malachi informed her.
“We have to leave now. My light is the only thing keeping them back and I’m not sure how long I can hang on.”
“Then let’s go,” Clary said. “I can smell the brimstone this way.”
The group quickly followed behind Clary. The vines and branches tried blocking them, swiping at their arms and faces. The further they got the more vines they had to fight, not to mention the creeping darkness following and attacking the force field. Zira was barely keeping up. She felt the power draining her. Her last bit of adrenaline was dying out; only the thought of her son kept her going.
“Just stay strong please.” She heard, whispering in the winds. Isaiah, she thought and felt a newfound energy coursing through her. Suddenly, the path for them became clear and she took up the leading position. It wasn’t until a light broke through the darkness and in front of her was a bright, open field. The sun was coming up in the west and they were finally out of the Dark Forest.
Everyone took deep breaths, trying to maintain their sanity as they took one last look at the Dark Forest. Zira sank to the ground as Zed placed Arias on the ground and he ran to her. She took him in her hands, telling him she was OK.
In the far distance, they could see the castle of Dragon Reign, sitting high and mighty on the hill. The glass exterior reflected the sun, making the castle look as if it was burning red. It was a sight to see as Zira thought about what awaited her there. The last time she was here wasn’t as pleasant as she would have liked. She just hoped he had enough time to forget and forgive.
The moment they walked off the cliff, they were surrounded by the royal guards. Zira figured this would happen as she watched Blaze walk through the soldiers with a smile on his face.
“Zira, dii Foheirahen( my fire),” he greeted her with his dragon tongue. “Took you long enough.”