Black Holes - The Mors Mortis Trilogy Book 3

Chapter Fifty Seven

Zarah didn't know what to do when a creature suddenly came through the portal from the world of the dead.

She'd been focused on pulling the portals together, on stitching up all the tears between the worlds; her urgency heightened by the battle going on in the world of the dead. Her breathing had become laboured, her muscles screaming louder and louder like she was lifting an impossibly large weight.

So when one of those monsters appeared beside Leah's arm, bumping straight into Zarah and knocking her off balance, she wasn't prepared. She didn't even see it coming. She tottered to the side, the only thing keeping her feet beneath her Jared's iron grip.

But that was all the interruption it took.

Her focus wavered. The portals snapped out of her grasp. And the in between pushed the worlds apart again, regaining a few, precious centimetres.

Zarah's mind spasmed as she tried to wrestle back control, to grab onto the portals before they could recede further.

But the creature loomed over her, as aware of her presence as she was of it. And it wasn't going to just leave. It wouldn't let her stay here. Not alive, at least.

Both her hands were occupied, gripped fast by Leah and Jared, and she couldn't pull either one free. If she did, it would ruin everything. A scream rose in her throat as she saw the creature lift an arm in the hazy light, about to swipe for her.

She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the blow and hoping it was one she'd survive, that she'd still be conscious enough to do what she needed to do.

But then air rushed by her, followed by a wet thunk of something sinking deep into flesh.

Her eyes flew open. Jared had lunged through the portal from the live world, cutting the creature's arm free. The creature reared back, the movement awkward and off balance. And it was only then that Zarah realised it wasn't alone.

It was dragging a person into the in between with it.

Zarah recognised the unconscious form instantly. She'd been keeping an eye on him for days, alert for any threat, any sign of violence or betrayal.

Brenton.

The creature darted into the darkness, away from Jared's blade, and it pulled Brenton with it. His body made a horrible dragging sound, a dead weight, and then he was gone from sight, swallowed up.

Zarah grabbed back onto the portals, holding them still, but then she froze. She wanted to race after Brenton, to get him back. She knew what it meant if he was in here when the portals closed, and so did Jared. And that was his father. For all the faults Brenton had, he was still that.

Her eyes darted to Jared. His hand was still in hers, and in the shadowy light of the portal behind him, she could see his face.

His eyes were fixed where Brenton had been, his jaw clenching and unclenching as he warred some deep, horrible battle.

Because Jared knew the same thing Zarah did.

They couldn't run after Brenton now. Not unless they wanted to risk everything.

Jared turned to her, and Zarah could see a terrible pain rising in his eyes, and then he nodded at her.

"Keep going," he murmured, his voice strained, cracking at the end, and then he stepped back through to the live world.

Zarah stared after him a moment, uneasy sympathy roaring through her, but then his grip on her hand tightened, the pain insistent, impatient, and Zarah did as he said.

She forced everything else from her consciousness.

She just needed to get these portals shut. They just needed this to be over.

She started pulling the portals together more forcefully. Sweat broke out on her skin, her lungs screamed for more oxygen, and she felt Leah's grip weaken.

The stream of energy flowing from Leah's palm to hers was stuttering, burning out. But Leah didn't let go. Zarah felt her arm being dragged down, felt it as Leah dropped to her knees, and then the floor.

But she didn't slow, didn't give Leah a reprieve.

She couldn't.

She tightened her grip on Leah's hands, hoping this would just be over and done with and somehow, someday, she'd manage to live with the guilt; with the terrible fate she'd condemned Brenton to, with the grief she brought down on Jared, with the pain she was causing Leah.

The portals crept closer, and she managed to retreat a step into the world of the dead.

Her lower body was on solid ground now, free from the oppressing pressure of the in between.

And then they drew closer still, their surfaces brushing each other.

Now just her arm remained in the in between.

She could hear fighting behind her, the battle raging as Danny keep the creatures from her.

There was moaning too though, as if someone was slowly being tortured, and a deadly stillness beside her, Leah collapsed and unresponsive, but gripping her hand like iron.

And then there was only seconds left, she could feel it.

The in between was railing at her, battering up against her defences and screaming as it tried to find a way back in. She opened her eyes, looking through the portal to Jared. He was staring at her, and she could see the finality in that look.

He glanced over his shoulder, calling to someone, and Seth appeared beside him.

The portal shrunk further, until all she could see was Jared and Seth's faces and Jared's arm.

She saw Seth raise the knife, the obsidian blade glinting in the light, saw it swing towards what remained of the portals.

And then it pierced her skin. Her blood erupting in a shower of red and drenched the portal's surface. The portal stuttered, flickered, gave one last desperate attempt to remain.

And then it disappeared.

Zarah's hand sprung free, Jared's grip gone, and the air in front of her steady and still, as if there had never been anything there at all.

...

I can't believe I'm saying this, but there is only one chapter left of Black Holes! 😱

Thank you to everyone who has stuck with the trilogy this far! ❤️ Your support means the absolute world to me. 

The next, and final, chapter will be out in a fortnight.

- Skylar xx