Chapter 35 - 34: The Curse of Three
ARIA POV
"Keep running!" I shouted as rocks crashed behind us. The tunnel shook with every boom and crash coming from the cave where Lyra faced Alpha Darius and his wolves.
My heart pounded so hard I could barely breathe. Mira stumbled beside me, and I grabbed her arm to settle her. The triplets ran ahead, Lucien’s crystal lighting our way through the darkness.
"It’s collapsing!" Jaxon yelled as dirt started raining from the ceiling.
We raced forward just as the tunnel behind us caved in with a deafening roar. The dust choked me, and I pulled my shirt over my mouth.
"Lyra..." I whispered. Was she hidden under all that rock? Or worse?
"She knew what she was doing," Kael said, his voice tight. "We need to keep moving."
But I couldn’t stop thinking about the woman who knew my parents, who called my mother her best friend. Another link to my past, gone just as quickly as I’d found it.
The tunnel finally opened into a small clearing surrounded by old oak trees. In the middle stood a circle of stones with strange marks carved into them. The air felt different here—charged, alive.
"The Sacred Grove," Lucien said softly. "I’ve only heard stories."
"What do we do now?" Mira asked, looking around uncomfortably. "Lyra was supposed to help us with the ritual."