“Do we have far to walk?” Jordan asked, wrapping an arm around Alex’s waist so she could lean on him for support. She hadn’t realised how much she’d been struggling to remain upright until his added assistance made it so much easier for her to keep going.
“Not far,” Samson promised. “My house is warded against unauthorised Bubbledoor arrivals. I won the vials we used in a game of Stix and didn’t have time to program my access code into them before I was imprisoned. That’s why we’re stuck walking.” The juggler eyed Alex. “Can you last a little longer, love? You sure are a mess.”
She frowned and looked down at herself. True enough, she was covered in shallow cuts, and her dress was slashed and bloodied in numerous places where Aven had managed to make contact with his blade. Really, she was lucky she had any material left covering her body, considering the damage. But somehow she was still mostly decent, a fact for which she was grateful.
“I’m fine,” she told Samson.
The man raised his eyebrow in disbelief but he didn’t call her on the truth of her statement.
They continued walking in silence for another few minutes, and with each step, Alex leaned more and more heavily on Jordan.
“Here we are,” Samson said at last, leading them off the street and up to a cottage that was separated from the other houses nearby by a thick row of trees.
As they stepped inside and were greeted by the rest of their classmates, Alex exhaled with relief. But it was short-lived.
“We’ve found an arrow with our next task,” Tom said.
“Another task?” Declan said. “You can’t be serious!”
He took the words right out of Alex’s mouth. Did Hunter seriously expect more from them? She didn’t have anything left to give.
Tom raised his hands. “Don’t shoot the messenger.”
“Sorry,” Declan said, running his fingers agitatedly through his cropped hair. “What does it say?”
“Just that the arrow will transport us to our next destination. We’ve also been given a bottle of Liquid Light, which doesn’t make me feel great about wherever we’re going to land.”
“Fabulous,” Declan muttered.
Alex swayed on her feet, prompting Jordan to tighten his grip around her waist.
“Do you have something we can eat?” Kaiden asked Samson, his eyes taking in Alex’s failing energy. “Something to drink, too?”
“I’m fine,” Alex repeated, knowing he was only asking for her sake. But she also knew that if she sat down to eat or drink, she probably wouldn’t be able to get back up.
“I’m thirsty,” Skyla stated. “And hungry.”
“We can eat back at the academy,” Alex said firmly, and she turned to Samson. “It was nice meeting you. I hope I get to see you perform one day.”
“The pleasure was all mine, love,” he told her. “Thanks for helping me escape. I owe you one.”
Before anyone could argue or ask again for food, Alex sent him a parting smile and stepped out of Jordan’s grasp, stumbling over to Tom. She took the vial of Liquid Light from him and reached up to touch the arrow embedded in Samson’s wall. Immediately she was whisked away, and when she landed, she couldn’t see anything in the pitch-black darkness. She quickly unstoppered the vial in her hands, releasing a brilliant light that illuminated the entire area around her.
All Alex could tell was that she was surrounded by trees, but her attention was diverted when Jordan stepped through, followed by the others.
“Where are we this time?” Pipsqueak asked tiredly.
“It looks like we’re back in another forest,” Blink said. No one could say his observation skills were lacking.
“I’m cold,” Skyla complained. “And hungry. And tired. And—”
“Skyla, you’re not going to feel any better whining about it,” Tom said.
“But it’s true,” she said petulantly. “I didn’t get to eat anything at the party because Alex and I were too busy rescuing the rest of you from the dungeon. You’re welcome, by the way.”
“We already thanked you,” Pipsqueak muttered. “About a million times.”
“It doesn’t hurt to show a little appreciation for the risks we took,” Skyla huffed.
“We haven’t had a chance to thank Alex yet, and she’s the one who took most of the risks,” Pipsqueak pointed out.
Alex groaned at Pip’s words, knowing Skyla wouldn’t be impressed.
She was right.
“What’s that supposed to mean, Philippa?” Skyla demanded.
“Nothing, Skyla,” Alex jumped in. “Pip didn’t mean anything. She knows how amazing you were tonight. We couldn’t have made it out of there without you. But we’re all tired, so maybe instead of talking, we should search for our next set of instructions?”
“Fine,” Skyla relented. “Whatever.”
Everyone else looked at Alex with gratitude, but she was too drained to so much as offer a smile in return.
“Let’s see what we can find,” Jordan said. “Alex, stay there and point the light for us, will you?”
“Subtle, Jordan,” she said with a snort. But she didn’t argue, since she was too relieved he’d given her an excuse not to move. She gratefully slumped down onto a fallen tree and pointed the light around as directed.
“Over here!” Declan called.
They all hustled over to where he stood beside another arrow.
“What is it?” Tom asked.
“It’s another map, I think,” Declan said. “Alex, turn the light a little.”
She did as he asked and Declan held the paper up so they could all see it.
They stared at the map for a few moments before Alex whispered, “Please tell me that means what I think it means?”
“I think it means exactly what you think it means,” Jordan said with a grin. “I think we’re finished!”
“There’s only one way to find out,” Tom said with renewed excitement. He pointed at the arrow. “Who wants to try first?”
“Me! Pick me!” Skyla squealed.
No one argued, and she reached out for the arrow, disappearing in a swirl of colour.
“High maintenance, that one,” Blink muttered, looking at the place where Skyla had just been standing. “Off the charts.”
Again, no one argued, and one by one, the rest of the group travelled through the Bubbledoor until only Declan and Alex remained.
“After you,” she offered. “Then I’ll come through with the light.”
“No way,” he said, and he gently took the vial from her hands. “You first.”
Alex didn’t see the point in arguing, so she stepped up to the arrow. Before she could touch it, Declan called out to her.
“I’m not sure what happened earlier tonight,” he told her seriously, “but Kaiden’s my best mate, and you saved his life. You saved us all, in fact. I gave him my word that I’d keep my mouth shut about everything that happened, and now I’m giving it to you, too. Your secrets, whatever they are, they’re safe with me.”
Alex was so tired that she couldn’t suppress her overwhelming gratitude, so she reached out and wrapped her arms around Declan’s firm torso, grateful to have a friend like him on her side.
“Thanks for coming back for Jordan and me,” she said into his chest.
He gave her an affectionate squeeze and replied, “You know me—I love a good fight.”