Page 18 of The Bones of the Cursed

I release a breath. “Yeah, all good,” I mutter and join Siveral at the table with four other soldiers leaning over a map. “How did no one hear him?”

“Gavin,” Siveral says, avoiding my eyes as he looks to his second-in-command, “please send word to Danil’s family of his death and have Burrows retrieve his body and get it back to the city.” Only then does he turn to me, and his exhale makes his shoulders sag. With the torches now lit once again, it’s easy to make out the tension in the lines of his face, the furrow of his brow.

I clasp him on the shoulder. “I’m sorry about your soldier.”

Siveral’s smile is thin and hardly lasts a moment before he turns back to the map, fists resting on the table. “I have no idea how these things are getting into our campsites without detection. It doesn’t make sense.”

Alanis appears next to Siveral to peer at the worn map on the table. “This map looks different from the one in the library.”

Siveral nods without looking up at her. “This one is moredetailed. It shows everything from temples to shipping ports, population to climate.”

Alanis rounds the table to look at it from my angle, our arms brushing. It sparks a sharp tingle to thrum to life between us. She must not notice it, because her face doesn’t change.

“Right here,” she says, leaning forward to point to a spot a few miles north of where we currently are. It breaks the contact between us, a chill lingering in its absence. It’s only then I remember to breathe, which is as disconcerting as it is confusing. “This isn’t on the other map. Maryanna showed it to me while I was documenting her travels. It’s an old trail that shaves a day off the journey through the Sinwood Mountains. It’s flatter, with fewer loose rocks and rough terrain. They used it as trade route centuries ago, before the docks were built. It leads directly to the Celestial Caves.”

I stare at this tiny woman in wonder. I have lived here all my life and never knew that. By the looks of those around me, neither did they. Leave it to the eccentric Maryanna to know of hidden trails.

“Also,” Alanis continues in our silence, “I was thinking about how the ghouls keep disappearing without a trace. Is there a possibility that they somehow found a way to open a magical portal? I know it isn’t magic that is used often, but Maryanna mentioned she used one once after finding the directions in a book. The author wrote about how sacred locations hold magic directly from the Gods. With such powerful magic, they could open a portal to travel to and from somewhere almost entirely unseen.”

I glance at Siveral, who purses his lips as he considers the theory. He’s always been more interested in books and hypotheticals than me. I’m more a swing first, ask questions later type. “I suppose it is possible,” Siveral says. “Certain Fae have been blessed by the Gods with stronger powers than others,normally those at higher stations. That way, they use their powers for the good of the realm. Did this book mention how one opens a portal?”

Alanis grimaces. “Blood. The person who wishes to create a portal must offer a blood sacrifice of some sort. If you only wish to go shorter distances, it can be smaller, but longer distances require more.”

Siveral and I exchange a glance. “And you believe they are opening a portal in the Celestial Caves?” I ask.

She shrugs. “It’s just an idea. From what I know, the Caves are the closest location to this area that has enough magic to open a portal—not to mention the trail that can get them to and from this area easily.”

I nod, rocking back on my heels as I mull this over. “Another place could be the Hallowed Temple. Many people have gone there to pray to the Gods, only to be blessed with stronger magic after. Whatever magic resides in the earth seems to strengthen powers that one already has.”

“The Hallowed Temple isn’t the only sacred place in the realm.”

We all turn to look at Hendrix, who stands near the back of the group. “There is one other area in the Primal Realm. They say it’s the home to some of the darkest magic this realm has ever seen.”

“I only saw the one temple on the map,” Alanis says. “You’re saying there’s another location?”

Hendrix nods before moving through the group to point to the map. The minute his finger touches the Isle of Rimoldi, Siveral pales. My heart plummets.

“Going to that island is out of the question,” I say. “There’s a reason no one returns once they go there. If the Hallowed Temple was made by the Gods, that place was made by the creatures of Hell.”

8

- ALANIS -

THE AFTERMATH

Looking at the soldiers, I take note of the stark fear on their faces. There are four Fae soldiers, including Siveral and Kailu. The rest of the group consists of human men, all close to the age of twenty-five, if I took a guess. The King’s Guard began recruiting humans as foot soldiers when our numbers began to increase as more refugees arrived. They are trained to be just as strong as the Fae who fight under the royal crest; I’ve watched my brother a few times, and I know it to be true.

If these trained soldiers are scared, perhaps we all should be.

I close myself off from the worry that threatens to overtake me by controlling my breathing and quickly identifying something from each of my five senses as a way to center myself in the present moment.

I canseethe campfire, the once vibrant flame now down to embers. I canfeelthe warm wind blow across my skin, cooling the sweat that has gathered at the nape of my neck. I canheara horse close by snort. Taking a deep breath, I am able tosmellthe earthy fragrance of the charred firewood. My mouth stilltastessomewhat bitter from sleep.

I can’t allow my fears and anxiety to control me. “Can you tell us more about the Isle? I’d rather we not go into this blind.”

Kailu jerks his chin towards me, and I can see the anger brewing. He really is a touchy son of a bitch. “This is why you were supposed to be back in your cottage, letting us deal with this. But no, you had to sneak out and follow us.”

I march over to him and poke him hard in the chest, probably doing more damage to my finger than to this mountain of a Fae. “Listen here, you pompous ass, I told you once and I will tell you again: I am not leaving my brother.”

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