I turn in the saddle, leaning around Odgar to funnel a jet of flames toward the attackers. The trees catch fire as the attackers scream, but Odgar extinguishes them with the wave of his hand as we ride on.
I fear that this entire journey will be for naught. But soon we find ourselves in a dense forest shrouded in mist. A stag that seems to be surrounded with a strange light steps out in front of us, causing our horses to rear back, though we manage to keep them in check. We halt, the thunder of hooves behind us, the impending risk of our doom drawing closer, but there’s something about this creature.
It makes its way through our party, seemingly made of nothing but light and shadow. It stands behind us as the attackers draw closer, but their arrows don’t touch us. As one man makes to charge past the stag, his horse is thrown back. It tramples him in its escape. The other two pursuing us are similarly thrown from their horses, but as they try to swing at the deer with their weapons, they suddenly drop to their knees, screaming with their hands over their ears.
When their screams are no more and they lie listlessly on the ground, we stare in awe at the creature. It seems to give us a slow nod, a bow almost, before it vanishes from sight.
It takes a while for the shock of the moment to pass before Odgar spurs us forward again. There’s a cave not far ahead, and a strange sensation prickles my scalp as we step inside.
“I think we’re here,” Briony whispers, her voice echoing in the cave as her hand casts a light on our surroundings. Massive stones litter the area around the exit of the tunnel, a buzzing sensation growing stronger the closer we get to it. One of Odgar’s arms wraps around my waist, holding me to him, and Briony slides down from her horse and moves to stand in front of the opening.
She barely lifts her hand to the opening of the tunnel before pulling it back. “Wards. But I think I can dismantle them.”
I swallow hard, and Odgar’s hand slips from around my waist to rest against my thigh. We’ve not had much physical contact like this since that moment of weakness back on the ship. I ignore the subtle flutter in my stomach and steel myself.
Briony presses her hands against the invisible wards and bright blue light ripples like the surface of water. I squint until the light dissipates, then Briony steps through onto the other side and smiles back at us. We all follow, and for a few heartbeats, it’s silent. No one moves as we all wait to be smote for not being worthy of a place that’s magically warded. But nothing happens.
It’s utterly …
Anticlimactic.
And, gods, am I grateful for that. A strange mist shrouds this place, and voices reach our ears as we venture further into this land of flowers and waterfalls. In the dark we can’t make out much of anything, but there’s a fire somewhere in the distance. I grab an arrow, my magic setting the arrowhead aflame as we step closer. Everyone else arms themselves, but another strange sensation—this one not unpleasant—overtakes my body.
It’s like a memory. A kinship.
“Hold,” I whisper to the others, and they do, though Valdis buzzes with restless energy at my side.
I make out a mane of curly hair and my heart nearly gives out as the realization rushes at me all at once.
Chapter 71
Tension bleedsinto the atmosphere as everyone jumps to their feet, weapons at the ready. My hand moves to the dagger at my waist.
I replaced the wards as best as I could. It seemed secure enough, so who else has gotten in here? I sense a flickering flame and stubborn resolve. My powers buzz beneath my skin as if calling to the power of one of our visitors. I find myself stepping forward and Ava immediately follows, close by my side as we walk past the others. I’m surprised she doesn’t stop me.
I squint at the massive man a few paces ahead of us. The glow of our fire plays off the terrifying battle-axe raised in his hand. There are four others with him: another man just as tall, a slightly shorter woman with blond hair, and a brunette of average height and slender build.
But the person I’m most drawn to is the statuesque woman beside the axe wielder, her curtain of raven hair down to her hips. There’s a newfound rigidity to her narrow shoulders and a commanding stride as she approaches us with a flaming arrow aimed our way.
Her golden eyes are nearly as bright as the campfire, but very quickly, they soften, her flaming arrow snuffing out as her hands drop to her sides.
She says something I can’t make out, then she’s rushing toward me, her bow and arrow falling to the forest ground. She halts, her eyes brimming with tears, a pink scar slashed across her freckled face.
“Carys,” I say at last.
I hesitate at first, but then I step forward and pull her into a hug. Her thin arms remain limp at her side for a moment before they wrap around me. Then suddenly she’s crushing me to her. It’s a long moment before Carys finally steps back and her eyes dart around as if she’s searching for someone. When she looks at me again, there’s slight panic in her eyes and a question in the quirk of her brow.
The crushing grief returns to me, and I shake my head slowly. “I’ll explain later,” I force myself to say.
She nods and inhales deeply. “Looks like we have a lot of catching up to do.”
Chapter 72
My thigh fuckinghurts.
And my teeth. They’ve been chattering relentlessly, sounding like hundreds of crabs scurrying across the cave floor. I’ve been sitting here beside a pitiful excuse for a puddle for gods know how long. I cannot even scoop any of it into my hand to drink, even when my throat feels as though it’s been scorched on the inside.
My hands shake as I stare at the strange blade perched atop a rock nearby. There’s a sheen of purple within it that glows in the darkness of the cave.
