up to where James and I were standing. “But we need to be prepared for what’s coming next.” He held up a sword he had taken off a fallen warrior.
“Stay focused,” Mason cautioned me. “It might seem cold and heartless, but it’s the way we’ll survive this.”
I acknowledged what they said, and I knew they were right. But it still felt wrong to walk through the sea of dead men all around us, knowing we were responsible. Blood squished under my boots as I walked, and I tried to stay strong. I glanced back at the battlefield when we reached the edge, only to see that the bodies were slowly dissolving back into mist and seeping down into the ground.
“Brennus made it sound like others had been here before us,” I said quietly. “And he called me a priestess.”
Mason nodded. “The men we fought carried weapons used between 1000 BC and 1300 AD, but not all of them originated from this area. What if some of them were people who died trying to pass and were kept here after their deaths?”
I gave him an incredulous look.
“What?” Mason said with a shrug. “I know my weapons. The history of war was the only class in college that I actually liked. Why else would so many warriors from different time periods and cultures be here?”
Jason chuckled. “It’s true. He’s a closet nerd when it comes to that shit.”
“One of them told me it was their sacred duty to kill those who tried to pass,” I said slowly. “Like he’d made an oath to protect the gods.”
“Is anyone else worried that they acted like this was the last time?” Mason asked as he jumped over a rock in his way.
“They’ve been here thousands of years, and they acted like they were expecting us? Yeah, that’s worrisome,” I said as my stomach churned with nausea. “We might be in over our heads.”
The four of us kept walking in silence, our feet making squelching noises in the mud as we trudged forward. Without stopping, Jason swung his backpack around so he could reach in for protein bars. He tossed one to his brother, so I held out my hand with a grin.
“Feed me.”
Jason chuckled before throwing one at my head. I managed to catch it before it smacked into me, but I still made a face at him.
“Boss?” Jason asked as he held one out to James.
James nodded and took the offered bar.
I kept trying to reach for my magic as we walked. The crystal had inhibited it somehow, but that couldn’t last forever. I kept expecting the effects to fade at any moment, but that time never came.
I came to a stop when the thick mists faded to reveal a lake in front of us. Visibility across the water was clear, and I could see an island in the distance.
“This must be what we’re looking for,” I told the others.
“What’s the plan to get across?” Mason asked with a frown. “It’s a long swim, but doable if we have to.”
“That won’t be necessary,” a female voice interrupted.
I gasped when a young woman suddenly materialized in front of us. She was slender and petite with long blonde hair that reached the waist of her white dress. Her clothing looked like it belonged in the medieval times, but she spoke in the language of our time, just as the warriors had.
“You’ve already passed your first test,” the woman told us with a smile. “You worked as a team to defeat your enemy and showed true solidarity.”
I swallowed nervously. I didn’t like how she said it was the first test. That meant that there was more to come.
“I am Nimue,” she said with a bow of the head. “And you are the one that carries the key?” she asked me curiously.
“Yes,” I answered with a cautious smile. “My name is Anna, and these are my companions: James, Mason, and Jason.”
Nimue hummed to herself as she looked us all over. “The four of you are bonded, but not all of your bond mates are present for the trial?”
“That’s correct,” I confirmed. “Some of my packmates stayed behind to guard our land and keep the rest of the pack safe. We’re currently at war.”
Nimue gave a graceful shrug. “It matters not. The next test is for you alone.” She held out her hand to me. “Come, step into the water.”
“Wait,” James called to me.
Nimue shook her head. “Either you come now, or you lose your chance.”