At least this time I can dry my tears before they cascade over.
Stone by stone, I build up my wall again.
I couldn’t savethem,but I can save myself from ever hurting like that again. I won’t let my heart be unshielded again. It’s had enough fires to burn down any makeshift houses I’d built up time and time again.
Chapter 16
Alora
Chilling, dank mist engulfs our surroundings as I narrow my eyes towards Leeson and Caym’s horses. They’re not too far ahead of us, my captive and me, but they’re moving much quicker than with what Dahla can keep up.
I keep allowing the reins to slacken up, if only to give the loyal mare a chance to move more freely. But part of me begins to worry if that’s been a mistake.
The mossy scent of the forest fills my nostrils, and though I usually enjoy the fresh earthy smell, this somehow causes the hair on my arms to stand up.
It’s more aged, heavier than it should be.
Dreamlike almost like the times your brain tricks you into believing you’re somewhere else.
“Alora!” The Devourer’s voice booms over my shoulder and I jerk back on Dahla’s reins as I startle from my thoughts.
Dahla pulls up, threatening to overturn us as she raises onto her hind legs.
“Damnit, you’re okay girl.” I reassure Dahla as I squeeze my thighs together in an attempt to stay upright as she sways her hind end and begins to circle the trail, stepping on twigs in the process.
I still don’t know why he yelled my name as I blink through the tangible haze. The trail has been swallowed by the thick foggy tendrils and I can’t make out which way Leeson and Caym are heading.
“Alora!” This time my name is shouted from behind us and I spin Dahla in that direction. Caym’s voice echoes through the trees along with the shuffling sound of leaves and twigs.
“Little Warrior, they’re mimicking.” Urgency and power thread within The Devourer’s words as he squeezes my side and some of the confusion clears.
His heavy breath continues in my ear, “The spirits are testing us,” a distant cry pelts my eardrums causing him to pause, “and at this moment, believe it or not, you’re falling for their tricks.”
“Where are the others?” My voice cracks slightly, because he’s right. I should have kept my wits the moment I noticed the eerie mist forming.
“Turn Dahla back around, the phantoms would lure you away like a siren.”
This could be a trick, he could be hoping to lead me astray so he could leave me and run back to King Euron. My shoulders tense as I calculate which way to face Dahla.
“Alora,” his strained voice is low, “I would rather not end up being tormented by these damned beings and stuck in this primordial mist, so please, for the love of gods, turn her around.”
The fog is so dense that all I can make out is the chestnut head of Dahla in front of me. Thick tendrils snake around my hands, and the wispy blanket covers from my thighs downwards to the trail, hiding any clue of where we are.
My pulse begins to hammer in my chest as I look from side to side, but all I see is more of the damned white fog.
Turning in my seat, I face The Devourer and stare into his eyes. I bounce from eye to eye, noticing the black flecks in one eye, and the more hazel hue to the other. Aside from the entrancing green, he looks concerned. Like he’s witnessing a lost child plea for their parents.
“I cannot hear them as you do,” he continues as he studies me.
“You pulled on Dahla after you slowed our pace. I merely thought you were falling asleep but now I see that I was wrong.”
My brows furrow as I listen to his words.
“Caym and Leeson were just there in front of us and I was watching them as the fog began to pour in.” I explain more to myself than him.
“Little warrior, they’ve been ahead of us for nearly ten minutes, out of sight.” He raises his brow, not in condescension, but in worry that is etched into his forehead.
I recount my memory from earlier, the moment I smelled the earthy scent. Had I really lost track of time since then?
