Chapter Twenty-four

**OLIVER'S POV**

I sat in the back seat of the SUV as it cruised along the highway, watching the tall buildings and city lights fly past. Brenda Fassie blasted from the radio—a direct contrast to the moment. My stomach churned. The shaman sitting next to me cast a sidelong glance of contempt, his wrinkled face twisted into a scowl. Meanwhile, Shawn sat in the passenger seat, oblivious to the tension, his head bobbing to the song's rhythm. He giggled like an excited teenager, as though he were en route to a celebration, not the dark ritual he had planned.
“What does this ritual entail?” I asked, my voice tighter than I intended.
The shaman barely spared me a glance, the disdain in his expression clear. Even though I towered over him, even seated, his gaze bore down on me as if I were nothing more than dirt beneath his feet.
“You don’t have to worry yourself about that,” Shawn said, turning around in his seat. “You’ll find out soon enough.” His voice was too casual, too light for what lay ahead, and his laughter, deep and guttural, twisted the unease in my gut tighter.
I sighed and closed my eyes, only to be met with the image of the goddess. Her form stood stark against the raging waters, her stormy gaze piercing through me as if she could see right into the very core of my soul. I gasped and opened my eyes, but the shaman was watching me closely, his eyes narrowing to slits. I squeezed my eyes shut again, hoping to rid myself of the vision, but she was, closer this time.
Dressed in flowing blue, a long sword in hand, her expression was as fierce as the stormy skies overhead.
“What have you done?” she demanded, her voice booming with fury.
“I...I have to save Gabriel,” I stammered. “I don’t—”
She advanced toward me, her presence suffocating, as though the air itself grew denser with every step she took.
“Let me in, Oliver. We’re out of time,” she commanded, her voice leaving no room for argument.
My throat closed up, the words I desperately wanted to speak refusing to form. The truth was, I didn’t know much about the River Goddess, or this ritual they were planning. I was walking blindly into danger, and now, it seemed, I wasn’t the only one at risk.
“I don’t know…” I whispered, more to myself than to her.
“I cannot protect you if you won’t accept me,” she said, her voice tinged with urgency. “Let me in!!”
Her eyes flared, glowing an angry red as her grip on the sword tightened. A storm brewed in her gaze, promising destruction if I didn’t comply.
“I…protect me from what?” I finally choked out.
Her head tilted slightly, her tone hardening with disbelief. “They didn’t tell you what the ritual entails, did they?”
“No,” I whispered, feeling the weight of ignorance presses down on me. “They didn’t mention it.”
“The ritual requires the donor’s death,” she said plainly, her eyes softening with pity. “You will die, Oliver. That is the only way they can complete it.”
My heart raced as the pieces fell into place, my breath hitching in my throat. Shawn had never mentioned death, only a vial of blood. My hands began to tremble as the full weight of what was about to happen sunk in. The black smoke that had been slowly encircling me choked my lungs, and my vision blurred. I coughed violently, trying to expel the black substance, but it only seemed to grow thicker.
“What’s happening?” I croaked, my voice barely audible.
Shawn turned in his seat, laughing again, clearly entertained by my torment. “You can talk to her, huh? She must like you.”
The shaman scowled, his gaze fixed on me. “He’s communicating with her,” he growled. “That’s dangerous.”
We finally came to a halt, the SUV pulling up to a remote clearing near the water’s edge. They dragged me out of the car, my legs heavy with dread as they led me to the shoreline. The moon was full, casting an eerie glow on the churning waters. The air itself felt thick, and oppressive, like it was waiting for something. The shaman moved swiftly, drawing a large circle in the sand with salt. He carved four points along its perimeter, placing a goat’s head on one, a dead snake on another, a bloodied skull on the third, and a sword on the last.
Shawn stepped into the circle, a glint of triumph in his eyes. “It’s time,” he said, motioning for me to kneel in the shallow water.
I hesitated, but the shaman muttered an incantation, and my body went rigid, locked into place as though I had no control over my limbs. I knelt before them, helpless.
“Are you going to kill me?” I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.
Shawn looked down at me, his expression eerily calm. “Yes. It’s the only way.”
“And Gabriel?” I asked, grasping for some hope.
Shawn’s smile was cold. “He was released this morning. Already on a flight back to his pack.”
The shaman approached knife in hand, his eyes glinting with malice. I tried to resist, but my skin was suddenly too tough for him to pierce. I felt her again—the goddess. Her presence surged through me, stronger this time, but before I could answer her plea, the shaman poured a strange liquid over my head, severing our connection. The cold blade sank into my chest, and I gasped, pain exploding through me.
I could feel the blood pouring from the wound, soaking into the water as my strength began to wane. My vision dimmed, but I could hear her voice, faint but insistent, echoing in the back of my mind.
"Let me in, Oliver..." she said, her voice pleading.
I had no other choice. “I accept you,” I whispered through the agony.
Power surged through me. My limbs unlocked, and I was able to move. Shawn looked down at me, but his smug expression shifted to horror as the blood began to choke him. His eyes bulged, his hands clawing at his throat as he struggled to breathe. A loud howl pierced the air, sending a shiver down my spine. Gabriel, in his wolf form, charged from the woods, fury radiating from him as he pounced on the shaman. My vision blurred, and the last thing I saw was Gabriel’s strong arms lifting me from the water before the darkness claimed me.