Chapter Fourteen
ABBY
THIS IS ARGUABLY the worst idea I’ve ever had. Even worse than my bright idea to trick Lill into opening a portal so I could sneak into a mysterious realm I know nothing about.
It’s my only option, though. There’s no realistic way I can cross the open field and sneak into the forest, not with all those guards patrolling it. They’ll spot me in a heartbeat, and they’ll want to know what I’m doing. Then they’ll try to force me back into the city, most likely for my own benefit.
My pulse races, and I glance at the locked bathroom door before washing my face in the sink. I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to clean myself next, and I take my time scrubbing my body with my small washcloth and the provided soap. It dries out my skin and hair, but it’s better than nothing.
My cheeks have a mildly gaunt look thanks to the lack of proper food these past few days, but I otherwise look okay. Nobody will have any reason to pay attention to me, at least not any more than usual.
“You can do this,” I whisper to my reflection, trying to pump myself up.
It doesn’t work.
My stomach aches, but I ignore the pangs of hunger as I redress, fill my water bottle, and begin my journey to the break in the wall. It’s a long walk, and I hope to get most of the way there before the sun goes down.
Lill’s eyesight is impeccable, but she can’t see in the dark. I didn’t spend too much time admiring the break in the wall, not wanting to draw attention, but I didn’t see any streetlights or lamps in the immediate area. It will be dark, and that darkness will be my best advantage.
The city streets are still busy, and I maneuver through them until I reach the wall. It’s just as intimidating as it was this morning, and I allow myself a moment to stare at it before beginning the long walk to the break in the wall.
The path is empty, only the occasional guard walking along it.
They all stare at me, clearly wondering what a human is doing out so late at night, but nobody stops to ask me questions. It’s a huge fucking relief, and by the time I reach the gap, I’m sweating bullets.
I kept a brisk pace and managed to shave what I estimate to be thirty minutes off my time. It’s convenient, especially considering the sun has just fully set. My eyes adjust to the dark the best they can, but I can only see a few feet ahead.
It’s silent, dead silent, but the guards are here. They’re illuminated by red-tinted lights they carry on their person. Those lights also stretch several feet ahead of them, which isn’t ideal.
It’s better than having the entire area illuminated, though. The wall is lit with the same red lights, but none are over the gap. There are several pockets of black I can weave through.
And I do.
I’m scared the guards can hear my heart beating as I slink across the open grounds, so low to the ground, I might as well be crawling. Eventually, I am. I drop to my hands and knees about halfway through the field, literally crawling toward the forest entrance.
I thought this would be the grand adventure of a lifetime, and as I crawl along the ground like a fucking field rat, it sinks in just how real this is. I’m not in some video game where I respawn in my bed when I die, and there’s a decent chance I’m about to die in this forest.
I hope I’m not doing this for nothing. I have no idea what condition Lill is in right now, and for all I know, she could’ve been dead for days. I sure as fuck hope not, but I have to be realistic that’s a genuine possibility.
If she’s not dead, I fully intend to force-feed her a copious amount of delysum before beating the shit out of her for not telling me anything useful about the faerie realm.
My movements slow as I approach the break in the wall. I can barely see the start of the trees, but there are no details. This is it . I suck in a slow breath and peer over my shoulder, ensuring no red lights are aimed in my direction, before crawling into the forest.
Embarrassing, terrified tears leak down my cheeks, but I ignore them as I weave through the trees. I do this for several minutes—until I’m sure I’m deep enough in the forest that I’m not at risk of being noticed by the guards on the other side of the wall.
This was easier than I thought it would be. Easier than it should’ve been.
The trees grow taller and denser the farther I travel, and I shove my hair out of my face as I finally rise to my feet. My knees and palms hurt from crawling over the rough terrain of the forest, but it’s nothing too serious.
I could pull out my flashlight, but that seems unnecessarily risky. The light will draw attention.
I can’t see anything, though. I need to wait out the morning. I need a place to hide.
I extend my arms, feeling around until my fingertips graze against the rough bark of a tree. It’s large, so wide that I can’t wrap my arms around it. I search for branches but come up empty-handed. There’s no climbing this.
I wander around, feeling several more trees before deciding that climbing is out of the question. The trees are too tall and too wide—too risky.
If I break a branch or fall, I’d surely be heard. Or hurt. Neither is a favorable outcome.
I get low, careful not to trip on stones or roots. The moonlight isn’t bright enough to guide me, so I have to rely on my limited senses to navigate through the forest. After a few minutes of mindless bustling, I run into a fallen tree.
There are probably so many bugs eating away at this thing. Probably so many spiders.
I shiver, terrified, as I curl up against the tree's base. It’s not ideal, but at least my back is protected. I pull off my backpack and hug it to my chest, then pull my knife out of my leggings.
The forest is silent—unnervingly silent. There’s a near-constant low hum of nocturnal bugs, and occasionally, a breeze will rustle the leaves on the trees surrounding me, but that’s the extent of it. I’m not a fan.
I’m not sure how long I sit against the fallen tree, waiting for morning. My limbs grow stiff, but I resist the urge to stretch them out. The second I can see, I’m gone. Hours pass at a snail’s pace. It’s agonizing, and I don’t get a wink of sleep. I don’t try to. Not until I have a better idea of what I’ve gotten myself into.
Eventually, after what feels like an eternity, the sun crests over the horizon. My eyes are dry, and I nervously rub at them as I stretch out my achy legs and back. I’m in so much pain. Every muscle hurts, and I’m beyond exhausted.
I press my palms against the ground and push myself up. There’s a moment of fuzziness as my blood rushes from my head, and I drop my chin to my chest as I wait for it to pass. I haven’t been eating enough, and it’s catching up to me.
I’m hoping to be in and out of here, though.
My leggings are worn thin around the knees, probably due to all my late-night crawling. It wasn’t fun, but I hope this makes a good story to tell my children someday. I need to remain positive. I’ll lose my courage otherwise.
The sun has risen just enough that I can see my surroundings, and I take a moment to soak in the sight of the tall, dense trees surrounding me. They’d rival even the tallest ones in the human realm, and I suck my cheeks into my mouth as I place my hands against the nearest tree.
Its trunk is massive, with a thick, sturdy base that stretches so high, I can’t see its peak. The bark is rough and deeply grooved, and I slide my gloved fingers down it before turning to admire the wall peeking just above the foliage.
It’s dangerously close, reminding me of my urgency to get moving. I don’t know whether or not the faerie guards cross it, if they even patrol this area, and I’m not keen to find out.
Exhaustion weighs me down, but I ignore the pull to rest as I get to walking, heading away from the wall. I figure I’ll walk for an hour or two, just until the wall is out of sight and I’m not at risk of being spotted, before beginning my hunt for delysum.
Samuel mentioned that it grows wild out here, so I’m really hoping to stumble onto a patch of it. I’m not sure exactly what it looks like when it’s not dried out, but I know it’s purple and flowery.
If worse comes to worst, I’ll see if I can find a shifter who can help me. The faeries don’t like them, but Samuel said they might be friendly to humans. I’m willing to take that chance. I have to.
The thick magic flecks gradually vanish, the concentration growing thinner until I don’t detect them even when I’m searching. I was growing familiar with the near-constant specks, but it’s significantly easier to think without them blocking my vision.
I walk for a little over an hour before taking a seat on a waist-high stone and pulling some jerky out of my backpack. I’m starving, and I don’t waste time shoving several large pieces into my mouth. It’s not nearly enough, and I groan as I wash it down with a few swigs of water.
I poured in two of my hydration packs, and it ruined the taste. If it keeps me moving, though, I don’t care.
My package of nuts taunts me, but I’ll save it for another time—another meal. I need to be careful with my food, especially out here. If I run out, there’s nobody around to beg for more.
I inspect my knees while chewing, annoyed with how thin the material of my leggings has grown. These were expensive, but they’re already several years old. I should’ve bought a new pair for the trip.
I’m just zipping up my bag when I hear a noise, and I immediately drop to the ground. Something’s out here . There’s a loud crunch, maybe a footstep. It’s coming from behind me, and I slink behind the rock I was sitting on just seconds ago.
There’s another crunch, followed immediately by another. I’m not going to draw attention to myself by looking for the source. It’s a person. It has to be.
I hold my breath, my heart pounding as they grow louder. Closer .
Is it a guard? Did somebody see me sneak in here last night and is now coming to drag me back out? Have I broken the law? Are they going to find Lill? This was a stupid idea.
I swallow past the lump in my throat.
There’s only one set of footsteps. I think . The crunching of leaves grows louder, and sweat pours down my temples as I realize the person is close to the stone I’m hiding behind.
Do they know I’m here? I assume not.
The crunching gets closer, finally peaking what sounds like just a few steps on the other side of the stone I’m hiding behind. My hands shake, and they continue to do so even as the person walks past.
They keep moving.
I remain painfully still, not moving a single muscle. Even blinking feels dangerous, and only once I can no longer hear footfalls do I work up the courage to look, carefully peeking out from behind the stone.