I huff a laugh, rolling my eyes.
“Maines is annoyed with him, naturally, but I’ve never seen her smile so much. She filled me in on everything only a moment ago.”
“Great.” I laugh, shaking my head. “Another reason for him to boss us around.”
I turn my gaze out of the ship’s small window, noting the vast sea before us and black clouds forming on the horizon.
His gaze joins mine as we watch the waves crash against the ship. “We will be there in a few weeks.”
I snap my attention back to Silas. “Wait, where are we sailing to?” I realize I never thought to care where we were going.
He grabs my hand.
“Well, you need an army, right? A following of supporters and people to help us win this battle. We need soldiers who aren’t afraid of death or destruction and are crazy enough not to fear Wiitches, Wielders, or Gods.”
My eyes widen as I process what he’s saying—where we’re heading—but before I can speak, Silas does once more:
“Andorwood.”
Chapter 2
2 weeks later…
Briar!
I jolt from sleep as my name fades from the darkness into reality, the familiar voice now one I hear most days. I catch myself saying silent prayers, thanking the Gods that we are safe—away from Daramveer and Carobon—but dread looms over me still. My nightmares are becoming more real, and knowing where we sail doesn’t help the growing pit in my stomach.
Andorwood.
The nightmares have ceased on most nights, which is reassuring. However, every time I close my eyes, the dread of their return haunts me more than the nightmares themselves. Neither Silas nor I have discussed much about what happened when he woke me. We can’t recall much, so attempting to talk about it has proven futile. We still need a plan for saving Rohhit, but every time we meet to brainstorm, it always ends badly—usually because my ideas are unrealistic, at least by Silas’s standards.
Being awake these days is more challenging than the nightmares of my past. The dark veins still cover most of my hands, and the tips of my fingers are still nearly black—serving as a constant reminder of who lurks deep within me.
My vision comes into focus as I wipe the sleep from my eyes. Silas leans against the doorframe of the small cabin with his arms folded and a smile painted across his handsome face. “You’re awake. I’ve only been calling your name for five minutes,” he says casually, stepping into the small room. “Try all you like, but I’m not letting you sleep through this.”
We’ve been on the ship for a few weeks, and the constant waves pounding against it makes my stomach churn daily. The only thing keeping me going is knowing that soon my feet will be on solid ground, even if that solid ground is Andorwood.
“Come on, get up.” Silas waves his hands. “Maines and Oak are waiting for you on the deck.”
“Fine,” I say, smiling.
“No, really. Hurry,” Silas says. “Oak is drunk.”
His gaze lingers on me for a moment. He knows my thoughts and fears are haunting me, yet he’s trying to maintain a sense of normalcy—as normal as it can be for now. We all understand that we are just days away from everything changing forever.
I roll out of the small cot, my feet hitting the cold, wooden planks that creak under my weight. I haven’t told my friends how badly I’m struggling, although I know they notice—especially Silas. The past few weeks took a toll on me physically and mentally as I’ve learned to keep her at bay. Kalix still lives within me, desperate to break free, but my tricks for keeping her buried within seem to be working for now. She’s at rest, but I know the promise I made will come back to haunt me.
“I’ll be there in just a second,” I say, forcing a fake smile in his direction.
Silas bounds across the room toward me faster than I have time to blink. “Happy birthday, my love.” He kisses my forehead, pulling back to flash me a wide smile, his eyes lighting up in my presence. Before he turns to exit our tiny room, he leans in and says, “You can do this, Briar. I’m here for you. Whatever you need.”
The smile I return is genuine this time, because his words strike true.
Today is my twenty-seventh birthday.
I dress quickly, applying a dark pink to my lips and cheeks before brushing my tangled raven hair. I don’t want to keep them waiting too long. I glance in the small cabin mirror and notice my autumn-colored eyes contrasting sharply with the purple circles beneath them.
My birthday.
