Fate's Pawn: Five Jewels

Island of Darkness

We stepped onto the island's rocky shore and I put a hand up to my eyes as I inspected the ship a final time. This was supposed to be a quick trip to explore, but something heavy in the air gave me pause.

"Are you really insisting on dragging us in there?" Quix groaned. "You'll never end up being the source of constant trouble for him."

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Your actions don't tell me you're sorry."

He left it at that and stalked off into the dark forest. The moment I stepped from the threshold from the beach and across a small wooden bridge into the forest it felt like the trees above us absorbed all light, swallowing the sunlight that had warmed our skin just moments ago.

Quix stepped closer to me, his eyes darting around our surroundings. "Stay close," he ordered. His muscles were tight with tension.

The peaceful but dark forest was far too quiet. There were no birds, no animal sound at all, not even the buzzing of insects greeted us. It was just dead silence.

"Careful," Quix held a hand out barring my way and nodded to a set of bones that lay scattered in the grass. A dark mist clung to them and the closer we got, the greater the urge to reach out and touch it.

I didn't understand. This was an island known by others, so why was it so dangerous? I'd expected something far different. "What happened here?" the question was more for myself than Quix, but he was the one to answer.

"This island isn't as safe as we've been led to believe." He turned around and back towards the small bridge we'd crossed to get to this side. The bridge was still there, but what lay beyond it was lost in a black mist.

His fingers tightened into a fist. "This is your fault," he hissed at me. "We have no choice but to push forward. Stay close by," he ordered before striding off and leaving me behind.

The farther he got from me the more the trees closed in, their branches reaching out like grasping twisted fingers, ready to drag me into their sinister embrace.

Quix whirled and his eyes narrowed. "Coral!" he called as he rushed over and grabbed me, dragging me away from the spot where my feet had been rooted in place. Once we were safe, his usual scowl returned. "I told you to be careful, but you were stepping in one of those dark energy pits."

Had I been? I'd only remembered the grass underfoot, but I dared not defend myself from the rage flashing in his eyes. "What was that?" I questioned instead.

Quix's eyes narrowed. "This place is very dangerous. There's no way that master can come here." His eyes flicked to where we'd entered and he glared into the darkness. "Come on, we have to figure out how to get back before that i***t tries to barge in here and get himself killed."

I couldn't disagree. For some reason when it came to me, Maxwell was completely reckless. So I did my best to stick close to Quix's back as we ventured deeper into the inky black forest.

With every step we took the darkness crowded around and stole more and more of our vision away until we stumbled forward not even sure what we were dealing with. Quix's worry was almost palpable and he rushed forward, struggling to keep up with the remaining dim light.

"Wait!" I called, reaching out this back.

"No time!" he answered back as he ran straight into the pitch black.

Silence surrounded me before I heard it, as loud as the c***k of any whip. The splintering of wood and Quix's startled intake of breath before he screamed.

There was no time. I lunged forward straight into the darkness and where I'd last seen my silver-haired mate. He was clinging to the rotted remnants of a wooden post attached to a massive bridge that spanned a dark gap filled with the same sort of energy the skeleton had given off previously.

"Get out of here!" Quix crowled at me as his fingers turned white from his exertion. His arms shook.

Without thinking, I grabbed the fabric of his shirt and lunged backward. His weight was too much and dragged me forward and towards the abyss. For a moment we were caught in a deadly tug of war and his eyes met mine.

"Oliver, hold on!" I pleaded. I grit my teeth and strained, pulling back with every ounce of strength I possessed.

My muscles screamed in protest not used to being used like this. This body had been built differently, more at home in the water than at land. Still, no matter what it took I wouldn't let Quix fall to his death. He was my mate and one day I'd make him remember!

The posts he clung to groaned beneath us. The wood splintered and the post shook, threatening to give way. I dug my heels in and leaned back as far as I could as I pleaded for those that came before me to give me strength.

Finally, after what felt like a literal eternity, Quix pulled himself onto stable ground and away from the hole in the bridge. I fell backwards on the ground and lay still, struggling to just breathe.

Quix joined me in an instant, his eyes searched my face and the hostility that usually shone there was gone. His arms shook, but he inspected me, turning my chin this way and that and inspecting me for any injuries.

The fool, he'd been the one that had almost died this time. There was no need for him to be so worried about me.

"You look okay," he whispered. His hand that had been on the top of my head stroked down until he palmed my cheek. "Why would you do that for me?" he questioned as his brows drew together. "You could have died, you know that, right?"

The answer burst out of me before I could stop it. "I'd rather die than lose you." Thank goodness I had held my tongue from calling him by name, but my answer only served to confuse him more.

Slowly he shook his head and he gently pat my cheek. "Maybe he's not so wrong about you after all…" He got to his feet and helped me, catching me against his chest as my weak limbs almost sent me tumbling. "Lean on me all you need, I promise that we'll make it through this safe and sound, and I won't turn my back on you again, Coral. I'm going to be at your side every step of the way."