Chapter 24 #2
“Yet it would be wise to take heed,” I replied.
“I’ve heard the same.” I didn’t elaborate that I’d read details about this Wood many summers ago when I’d still been at the university.
Even though such rumors had never been proven, there’d been enough dangerous acts and enough fae had experienced such oddities that it did make me wonder.
“Are we really going in there?” Felix’s playful tone turned cautious, his usual flirtatious nature curbed.
I arched a questioning eyebrow at the three of them.
I was definitely going into the Wood, whether I liked it or not, but all day we’d been carefully avoiding the topic of how long we would stay together.
It was as though the four of us knew that while we might be friends now, soon, we would be rivals.
Jessip offered a wavering smile as both of our carpets sailed down the hill.
“Well?” Felix pressed. “Are we?”
“My dream showed us here, so I guess, yes?” Jessip shrugged.
“Dreams can be wrong,” Felix countered. “Come to think of it, I cannot believe we came all the way up here because of a damn dream.”
Nym huffed. “Well, we didn’t just bloody traverse the entire continent to turn back now. I say we go in.”
“Even if we get killed?” Felix slugged him in the shoulder. “Think about what you’re saying, Nym.”
I eyed the three of them. “Felix is right. It would be wisest to go home now and not venture in there.”
Jessip scoffed, then elbowed me lightly, her gesture easy since the distance between our carpets wasn’t far. “Sounds like you’re hoping to keep the Stone all for yourself, Prim.”
She said the words jokingly, but a gleam had entered her eyes.
It was the same with Nym. I knew that despite the two of them being concerned about venturing into the deadly Wood ahead, they would do it.
They were going to see this through until the end.
And while Felix seemed the most apprehensive, I would have been shocked if he were able to talk them out of it, because Nym was right.
They’d come a long way to turn back now.
I watched the energy change around my Faewood friends. Slowly, the joking and laughter subsided, and I knew the time had come.
My lips downturned, because my concern that we would become rivals was occurring right before my eyes, and the last thing I wanted was to end up in a race to the Stone or worse, have them follow me as I led them right to it, and then have us directly fighting for it.
I gave them all a sad smile. “As much as I’ve enjoyed your company, I think this is where I say goodbye.”
“What?” Felix’s mouth dropped. “You can’t be serious, Prim.”
“It’s for the best.”
“But you’re planning to go into that Wood too, right? You can’t go in there alone. You’ll never make it out.” His lips thinned, and for once, his tone was entirely serious.
I lifted my shoulders nonchalantly. I was so used to fae underestimating me that I didn’t bother to correct him. “Regardless, it’s best if we part ways. I would rather our memories of one another end on fond terms versus a bloody battle to the Stone.”
“Bloody?” Nym laughed lightly. “Just what kind of fae do you take us for?”
I smiled, but it was forced. “I’d rather not take the chance.
In everyday life, I know that would never occur, but in there”—I pointed to Silventine Wood—“it’s said fae can change, that the magic can take hold of them.
You three have a bond that I’ll never share.
I’d rather not test how solid that bond is if we’re all competing for the same thing. ”
Felix’s eyes dimmed. “I would never hurt you.”
“Just as I would never intentionally hurt you, but still, it’s best to part ways.”
Nym nodded, and eventually Jessip agreed too.
Their response came readily enough that it solidified that while they might have been fun companions to booze with at the salopas and joke around with today as we all traveled north, they weren’t actually my friends. Not truly.
We were more strangers than anything, and if it came down to me or them, I knew they would pick them—as all fae would.
“Best of luck to all of you.” I waved in farewell and commanded my carpet to part from theirs.
Felix opened his mouth, and I could practically hear the protest forming on his tongue, but I zoomed eastward, veering off the road to travel over the shrubs before he could say anything else.
The road ended soon anyway, right at the perimeter of the Wood’s entrance, so it didn’t matter if I was no longer following it.
Nobody had dared construct anything into Silventine Wood, and since most of the Wood extended all of the way to the sea, there was no need to extend the road farther anyway.
Once one reached the water, there was nowhere else to go.
I took a deep breath and guessed at how long it would take me to reach the forest’s perimeter. I had a feeling I would be there before nightfall, and I just hoped Kole had returned by then.
Otherwise, as Felix had feared, I could be entering the Wood alone.
I careened toward the Wood’s perimeter, heading in a northeast direction as my anxiety grew. It felt as though serpents slithered around my insides, biting and coiling.
Thoughts kept pummeling me too. Horrible thoughts of what could happen.
Magical plants that tried to devour me.
Larpanoons the size of large domals attacking me.
Herds of that terrible creature that Kole had killed in Inisville chasing me through the trees.
Every thought I had brought more fearsome images to life. I was near sick by the time I pulled the seekerill out again.
“Stop, Prim. Just stop.” I eyed the device. It still bore north, but also slightly east. I breathed a sigh of relief. I could continue traveling outside of the forest. I didn’t need to go in yet. But eventually, I would have to.
“Use your magic when you’re in there,” I whispered to myself. “Keep a cool head. Don’t let the forest trick you or sway you from why you’re there. Uncle Timith is depending on you.”
I safely stored the seekerill back in my pocket, and my pep talk helped slightly. Some of the anxious tumbling in my belly calmed, and I took a deep breath.
I debated contacting Ree. Even though I’d meant to earlier, I’d never done so.
But now . . . I grimaced. Now, I had no idea what could come out of that Wood.
For all I knew, one of those things would, because if others had escaped, more could too.
It was best to stay focused. I would have to contact her later.
I followed the direction of my seekerill and knew that the longer I stayed out of the Wood and on its perimeter, the better, and thankfully, the northeast direction held.
It was my only saving grace since there was a small patch of open land between Silventine Wood and the Adriastic Sea.
The low-lying ground cover continued, making it easy to see if any large predators were near. So far, my good luck held.
I rubbed the lock of Goddess Nuleef’s hair over and over. I’d stowed it right by Kole’s tracking charm, deep within my pocket.
So far on my journey, I’d managed to avoid true harm, and I couldn’t help but wonder if her hair was the reason for that.
Even though my carpet had been stolen, I hadn’t been injured by other fae, and despite the slight hiccup my stolen carpet had caused, it’d also brought me time with Kole, which had resulted in increased safety.
My heart pounded at the thought of him. He still hadn’t returned, and surely, if he couldn’t return, he would have sent a dillemsill.
I tried not to worry over it, but evening had arrived, and while I didn’t relish the thought of venturing into the Wood at night, I also didn’t want to spend the night sleeping alone out here either.
So far, I hadn’t found any suitable shelters.
Just endless brush and ground cover between the forest and the Adriastic Sea.
I couldn’t even use the carpet for safety.
Commanding the carpet to rise high in the sky, so I could sleep upon it well away from the ground was dangerous.
Carpets didn’t stay activated indefinitely.
It was possible while I was sleeping, it would deactivate, resulting in me falling off and plummeting to my death.
I groaned. None of my options seemed ideal.
I studied the landscape more, and my usual cheer waned. It was either sleep out in the open and hope that I avoided being killed at night or stay awake until sunrise and hope that Kole had returned by morning.
Nibbling my lip, I slowly realized that it was best to keep moving forward. Uncle Timith was dying, and I didn’t have time to wait.
But all of my fears were coming to a head.
I was by myself.
The Stone was in Silventine Wood.
And from the looks of it, I would be venturing into that magical forest on my own. Tonight.
Two fae would have been better than one when venturing into the Wood, but Kole was also on duty. For all I knew, his commanders had sent him to an entirely new portion of the continent, and they hadn’t allowed him the time to alert me to his delay.
My stomach bottomed out. I had no idea when I would see him again, or even if I would see him again.
“You have to assume you’re on your own, Prim.” My brow furrowed, and I eyed the Wood, then pulled out my seekerill.
The needle spun, moving and quivering at lightning speed, then it abruptly stopped and pointed directly to the Wood. It vibrated so aggressively, eagerly, and that only meant one thing.
“Stars. I’m almost there.”
I weighed my options. If I followed it now and kept my wits about me, it was possible I’d find the Stone before sunrise. Given how the seekerill was acting, the Stone was close.
I glanced at the sky. It wasn’t that late yet. The sun was nearing the western horizon, but at least an hour of daylight remained, and I wasn’t tired. I was still mentally sharp.
I glanced behind me to the Wildland Mountains. Their dark peaks, while still tall, had grown distant. And nothing surrounded me but empty brush.
It was now or never.
With a whispered command to my carpet, I veered directly toward the Wood and didn’t look back.
Fierce determination bloomed through me. The time had come.
I was finding the Stone tonight.