“You’re all coming?” I glance at Alaric. His amber eyes are glazed over, his heart, I’m sure, just as shattered as mine. But when I look at Ruse, there's nothing but anger and spite lined in those emerald eyes. She bares her canines and I don’t question her again.
A caw breaks the momentary silence between us and my gaze darts upward. Sure enough, as Agnes Saw in her vision, a crow flies overhead as if leading the way.
“Straight to the Onyx Guild.” I point to Sam but she’s busy snuggling Hati, giving her a scratch behind the ears and ruffling her head. Hati whines but as I heel Amis in the sides, she follows Ruse and the others.
I run Amis almost all night, pushing her as far as she can go, following the distinct caw of the crow. I don’t stop for water, relying on the small canteen attached to my saddle. Don’t stop to eat, and only when the puppies have exhausted themselves, do we rest. This continues for three nights. For three nights we weave our way through the rain-sodden pine trees. Throughthe bogs and swamps. The wolves keep their pace, occasionally howling and barking at the pups to press on. The caws overhead, the only indication we’re still going the correct way.
On the fourth day, the sun is barely rising when the crow stops and perches on a low branch.
Amis whinnies, her hooves stomping in the dirt. I run my hand down her mane. “Easy girl.”
The crow tilts its head to the side, its silver eyes boring into me, making me advert my gaze. Around us are naked birch trees much like those of the Wicked Wood. The ones filled with black sap and tangled branches. The ones that have haunted my nightmares for many years. But my eyes catch on a particularly disfigured grove, their branches bent and trunks impossibly crooked.
“Didn’t think it could get much worse than the Wicked Wood,” I mumble as Amis prances unsteadily.
My ears ring as the crow caws again before taking flight directly to the grove. “Of course, that’s where the crones would be.” I guide an unsure Amis toward the trees, the wolves at her sides. “Why couldn’t they live somewhere like a meadow?”
My breaths get trapped in my throat, and as we approach the grove of birches, I realize that the center is actually a pool of inky, dark water.
I tie Amis off, giving her a much-deserved rest. All six of the wolves join my side. Alaric nudges my hand, so I run it slowly along his coat. Reassuring him as best I can. Ruse’s stony demeanor hasn’t changed for a moment. The wolf pups whine behind us, and when I turn around, I realize they’re sitting in a line, watching.
“Not coming?”
Ruse breaks her gaze from the trees only to snarl at my question.
“Fair enough.” They are her children, after all.
I tuck my hands in my pockets before taking a long, tiresome breath. Something cold and foreign brushes against my fingertips. I pull my hand from my pocket and suck in a sharp breath.
Roman’s necklace.
I don’t know when he gave it to me, but it stings as I slide it around my neck, the weight of it like an anchor. Steadying myself, I take my first step into the grove.
Forty-Two
Roman
“You’re hurting my arm.”I attempt to pull free from Galen’s grip, but it only causes him to tighten his fingers further.
“I don’t care,” he grumbles.
We trudge up another hill, and by the time we make it to the top, I collapse with exhaustion.
Galen halts, standing above me. “Get up.”
“No.” I roll onto my side, cradling my arm where Sorin shot me with a Mother-damned arrow. “I’m not going with you.”
Instinctually, I reach for my necklace only to remember it isn’t there. A smile creeps over my lips. I knelt beside Sorin as he took his last few breaths. Had mourned momentarily for this brother I didn’t know but somehow felt connected to. I slipped the amulet into his pocket as quickly as I could, hoping that by some miracle, he would be able to use the Healing magick stored inside to help himself or someone would find him in time to help him.
“Then where will you go?” Galen sits, his back pressed against a nearby tree. “If not Valebridge, where Roman?” He scoffs, wiping dirt from his boot. “Heal yourself and we’llcontinue until nightfall. Once we’re back in Wickersham I’ll secure some horses before heading back to Valebridge.”
I sit up, the pain in my arm excruciating, burning, but luckily no longer bleeding. “Why did you say those things?”
Galen watches me as I cradle my arm. His gaze slides to my neck and when he finds it empty of the necklace his cheeks turn red.
“You told Sorin I was lying.”
He clicks his tongue and shakes his head. “You cannot be that dull.” He rolls his eyes. “I was trying to get him away from you, Roman.”
