Chapter 19 Isi
ISI
Maddox’s hand snapped around my wrist, stopping my fall.
I dangled, looking up at him. My legs scrambled through air. Breathing hard, my pulse thundering in my ears.
His slick smile jerked up on one side. “When you die, Isi, you won’t see it coming.”
With a jerk, he hauled me up, his arm strong and steady around my waist, anchoring me as my legs wobbled and my feet scrambled to find purchase on a sturdy board.
My heart pounded, while a mess of relief and fury bolted through me.
Safe, but only barely.
I was a trembling wreck. I wanted to sob. And I’d do almost anything to get off this rope bridge.
“Thanks.” I met his gaze, finding only endless rage there.
With a lift of my chin, I turned and made myself step over the gap that had nearly cost me my life.
I clung to the rope railing, trying to ignore the dizzying sway of the bridge, the sweat slick on my body, and the dank smell of wet earth in the air.
“Take care, now,” he said in a low, deadly voice, remaining too close behind me. “Make sure you watch out for the board with white flecks. It has a long crack. It might give way.” His harsh laugh rang out.
“Are you alright?” Lexie cried.
“Great job,” Bryson called, steady as ever. “Quick thinking, Maddox.”
“Why did you do it?” I asked, my voice shakier than I liked.
“Told you already.” He shouldered around me, taking the lead crossing the bridge. “You’ll die from my hand; no other.”
“Fuck you.”
He ignored me, stomping his feet along the planks, quickly making his way to the other side.
I followed, drilling his spine with my glare. If he thought he could manipulate my mind, he’d soon learn he’d break before me.
I’d made a new enemy. The fates could add his name to the list.
We waited on the other side on scrubby grass strewn with rocks while the others made their way across to join us.
After what happened to me, this part of our journey felt anticlimactic, though I imagined Kerralyn, whose face paled and who couldn’t stop trembling even when she stood on solid ground, would disagree.
“This way.” Maddox strode up the gradual grassy incline. He stopped at the top, waiting for us to join him.
The cracked earth ahead of us looked like bone left too long in the sun. Twisted brush sprouted from fissures, its branches gnarled and reaching. Even the wind had abandoned this place.
Desert stretched ahead and on either side of us, stark open areas peppered with dunes of dark brown sand shifting in patterns, moving like this wasteland was breathing.
But beyond that wasteland, buildings glinted in the distance. They called to me with the promise of safety, of rest, of an end to this nightmare.
“I bet we have to go there,” Lexie said, doubt thriving in her voice.
I studied the structures, unease crawling up my spine. Something about their perfection felt wrong. Like they were a trap disguised with salvation. “Maybe.”
With no other option but turning back, we started across the rocky ground, our boots crunching on stones that crumbled at the slightest pressure. The twisted brush snagged at our clothing.
Then we reached the sand.
My first step sank deep. The grains shifted around my boot, sliding away like water. Or like they were trying to drag me down with them. Heat radiated up through my leather soles, making my feet burn, making sweat break out all over my body and renew its slow, torturous trickle down my spine.
“Careful,” I called back, but Derren had already stumbled. I caught his arm as he pitched forward, his weight dragging us both toward a depression that looked like a sinkhole. The sand around the edges appeared darker, wet-looking.
“Thanks,” he breathed, sweat jutting down his temples. He swiped it away. “I feel like the ground wants to swallow us.”
“That’s because it does.” Bryson studied the terrain with a soldier’s eye. “See how the sand ripples? That’s not wind. Something’s moving underneath.”
Lexie slipped next, her feet vanishing up to her ankles before Bryson hauled her back to firmer ground. She yelped as her boots came free, the leather smoking.
“It burned through my socks,” she gasped.
Kerralyn pulled out her journal, frantically sketching the safe path we’d taken. “There’s a pattern,” she said, her mind working even as we picked our way forward. “The solid patches form a line. See? Like stepping stones.”
But even following her map, the crossing remained treacherous. Derren broke through what looked like solid ground and vanished up to his waist before we pulled him out. I had to leap across a gap where the sand bubbled, landing hard on my knees on the other side.
Behind us, Maddox followed at a distance. He stepped exactly where I had, his dark eyes fixed on me with calculated interest.
“Checking my work?” I called out to him in a cheery voice.
The corner of his mouth lifted like a blade being drawn. “Just relying on our leader to guide us across.”
When my own foot broke through what looked like solid sand, sending me stumbling toward a pit, Maddox stopped walking entirely. He watched me struggle for balance, his expression expectant. Waiting to see if he’d have to choose between helping me or letting me disappear into the hungry sand.
I managed to grab onto a tree limb and tug myself out, Lexie and Derren shoving Maddox to the side and hauling on my arms. Maddox scowled. Even though he wanted to kill me himself, my survival must disappoint him.
The heat grew worse as we continued. My leather outfit stuck to my body and rubbed.
Warm, wet trickles told me I was bleeding where my skin had blistered and shucked the soft skin.
Light reflected off the sand, making my eyes water, and mirages shimmered in the distance, pools of cool water, shade trees that weren’t there when we reached that area.
“How much further?” Kerralyn asked, her voice strained.
“There.” I pointed ahead, relief flooding through me. “I see solid ground.”
By the time we crested the final rise and walked onto stone, my legs shook, and my nerves had been frayed raw. My boots squished like they were half-melted from the sand’s heat, and we all looked ready to collapse.
We stumbled across rock-strewn, grassy ground but came to a stop, our jaws universally dropping.
A wide courtyard lay ahead of us, paved in white stone gleaming like polished shells. An open-air hall dominated the center, its columns carved with intricate patterns that shifted when I blinked. And everywhere—everywhere—I found abundance.
Tables groaned under the weight of food more beautiful than anything I’d seen even in Caldrith’s royal kitchens. Fruits glistened with juice, their skins so perfect they looked painted. Grapes clustered like green jewels. Bread steamed as if it had just been pulled from the oven, the crusts golden.
Wine sparkled in clear goblets, deep red and calling to me. I could almost taste it on my tongue, rich and soothing. I’d sink into a bath myself, and I’d take some with me. An entire bottle. I’d drink it until I felt silly.
My mouth watered, but my mind ticked over each detail. We’d been tested every step, and nothing here felt real. I scanned the tables, the pools, the glowing air, looking for inconsistencies, traps, any sign that this comfort might be a lie. My pulse still raced, but caution kept my feet rooted.
“It’s the end,” Lexie breathed. “Our reward for making it through the Rite of Bonds.”
Derren groaned and dropped to his knees. “I can taste the food. Feel the soft clothing I see lying on a table. And pools. They’re steaming. I’m going to sink into one and soak for three days.”
Other tables held the neat stacks of clothing Derren had pointed out.
Not the rough, practical garments most of my group wore, but fine fabrics in colors that would complement each of our complexions perfectly.
I could see a dress the exact shade of blue that would match my eyes, made of soft-appearing material that would feel like water flowing across my skin.
Shoes that I’d bet would fit my feet like they’d been made for me.
After the agony of walking and running for days in boots, delicate shoes would feel almost overwhelming.
Even practical Bryson looked longingly at a set of well-fitted leather armor.
And the pools. Carved directly into the stone, they’d been filled with steaming water. Floral scents drifted up from the surface, reminding me of the gardens at home.
Soft towels lay folded beside each pool, thick and plush and inviting. Soap that looked like it would lather into rich foam sat nearby. Slippers that would cushion feet worn raw by days of walking rested on the ground at the base of each set of steps.
All we could possibly want was laid out and waiting.
The air shimmered with warm, golden light that made everything look touched by magic.
Strange creatures flickered overhead, winged things no bigger than my hand, their bodies translucent and glowing.
Glimmersprites. I’d only read about them in books.
They hummed as they flew, a soft melody that made my eyelids feel heavy.
My stomach cramped with hunger so sharp it doubled me over. My skin itched under layers of grime and dried sweat. Every muscle ached from the trials we’d endured. Every cell in my body screamed for relief, for comfort, for one moment of peace.
Yet we all remained frozen at the edge of the courtyard.
It felt too perfect. Rot could wear perfume, and this one reeked of rotten leaves.
Lexie took a half-step forward before catching herself. Her hand reached toward the nearest table before she yanked it back.
“Those look like what my grandmother used to make,” she whispered. “Honey cakes. They smell just like…” Her voice broke. “I swear I can hear her saying, ‘Eat, sweet girl. You’re safe now’.”
Derren rushed over to the nearest pool, his body trembling with eagerness. His lips were cracked, his face gaunt. His hand hovered over the steaming water, his fingers spreading wide.