Page 46 of The Bones of the Cursed

I swallow. If it’s true, and that she’s mad at my birth mother, I can’t imagine why she’d help us. “This is just so much, and frankly I’m not sure how much more I can take. I’m overwhelmed, you know?”

“Let’s get some sleep. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

He walks me to the tent I share with Hannah, but I pause before entering, not sure how to say goodnight. I like his company; something about him settles my soul. It’s so similar to how I felt with Kailu that it startles me. How is it possible two males I’ve only known a short while can offer me such peace?

Damning the consequences, I rise to my toes and kiss his cheek, catching him so off guard that his mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water. It’s comical, almost cute, if you can describe someone so rugged that way.

“Thank you for listening to me vent earlier.” With one last smile, I duck into my tent without waiting for him to respond. I’m fairly sure he stands there, motionless, for quite some time.

19

- MALAKAI -

BONE VALLEY

Ihardly sleep, overwhelmed with all things Alanis. Thoughts plague me about her past and the possibility of her family ties. More than that, I am haunted by the absolute pain that lives inside her.

She is so young and has suffered so much loss already. Over the years, the cruel ways of the world have chipped away at her, and I’m scared that this Kailu incident is going to push her over. How much can one person take before they lose the good things about themselves? She radiates light, love, and joy. To lose that would be a devastation.

My eyes are heavy as I pack up Atlas, my gray horse. Alanis has been riding with me for the past couple of days. Having her pressed up against me is not an easy task. The longer I’m with her, the more I want to make her mine. I enjoy my freedom, to come and go as I please and not have to worry about coming home to anyone. But with Alanis, there is this feeling of wanting more. There has always been a part of me that felt like something was missing from my life, but around her that emptiness disappears.

We travel for about a half hour before I stop and dismount,helping her down. She looks at me in confusion, eyes a bit heavy, as if she was half-dozing behind me.

I point ahead of us. “Welcome to Bone Valley.”

She shivers as we all walk forward, leading our horses on foot for safety as we take in the scenery before us. Dead birch trees line the narrow dirt path, becoming thicker on each side the further you travel through the woods. The white bark of the trees and their lifeless, dull brown branches creates a gruesome border to the valley before us. Bone Valley isn’t so much a valley as much as it is a trail. One littered with bones that crunch under every step. The dirt path is hardly visible through the array of animal bones, unknown bones of random creatures, and human bones.

“What is this place?” Alanis whispers.

“Dumping grounds for murderers, feeding grounds for creatures. It started as a burial site, a holy one. Centuries ago, it was believed your soul could only find the Eternal Vale if your body was laid upon the ground. That belief has changed over the decades, so now our bodies must be buried beneath the ground, allowing the land to reclaim our flesh and magic. Some still believe in the old ways but have now found they can’t in good conscious lay their loved ones to rest here. Vicious monsters lurk around these parts, drawn by the fresh bodies that are left behind by those who try to hide their wrongdoings.”

Her face blanches. “Why has no one put a stop to it?”

I scan the valley the entire time, looking for any signs that someone has been here. Ghouls, Fae, anything that could give me a sign that the missing soldiers came this way. I catch a few pairs of glowing yellow eyes in the darkness of the wood, but they never come closer. Most likely a nosy tree imp or two. “Dark magic lingers here. The kind created by witches who care for nothing but themselves, but utilized by many. No one dares to mess with it, as it’s sure to be from the Hell Gods’ domain.A once-holy place quickly turned into one of death and despair because of changing beliefs. Once the dark magic infiltrated this area, it became nearly impossible to control, the dangers too great. Most of our soldiers believe as I do that this valley could lead directly to Hell.”

Everyone moves cautiously, for fear of waking the Gods of Hell as we split up, looking for any evidence the missing soldiers were here, a scrap of uniform, a lingering trail or broken branch to show they put up a fight, anything. Alanis branches off toward the edge of the wood. I stay close, but give her space.

A mandible bone catches my attention, given it’s pristine and in one piece, unlike the other broken shards that make up this valley. I kneel, searching for the rest of the missing skull. A bloodcurdling scream rips me from my investigation, making me whip around towards Alanis, moving to her as fast as my Fae speed allows. My body vibrates with an intensity to reach her.

She is doubled over, retching into the bushes that sit just inside the line of trees. I pull her hair back and peer into the shadows of the nearest dead birch tree. Nothing in the Godsforsaken valley is alive.

A human corpse has been completely sliced opened and disemboweled, though the organs have clearly been picked off by scavengers. Their face is shredded by what could only be sharp claws, to the point they’re unrecognizable.

The body is at least a week old. By the looks of the scraps of ripped blue shirt and red sash, we’ve found one of our missing soldiers. Alanis stands, her eyes hollow and vacant. Each day that passes with no sign of her brother is another day closer to that light flickering out in her eyes. I will do anything in my power to stop that from happening. But the more we find, the less certain I am that we will find her brother alive.

“It’s not him,” she says at last.

I’m not sure if there’s something particular about the bodythat tells her so definitively, or if she’s merely reassuring herself. But I don’t refute her claim. Instead, I lead her back to Atlas and give her my skin of water.

“Stay here.”

She doesn’t argue. I have some of the men help me collect the soldier’s body in an old blanket, then order two of them to carry our fallen soldier home and help identify him for his family. I send Orion with them, knowing he and Alanis don’t get along well. Besides, I am sick and tired of hearing him moan and complain about everything. The rest of our group spreads out looking for any other bodies we may have missed.

When I return to Alanis, she’s sitting with the Elves and Hannah. Hendrix is to her right, a comforting hand placed on her back. Possessiveness surges through my veins and it takes all my strength to not rip his arm from his body. I remind myself she needs friends, that she has people who want to be her friend here after being so lonely in her childhood. Anything to get ahold of myself right the fuck now.

“Are you all right?”

She looks up at me with bloodshot eyes, and a sharpness shoots through my chest. I lead her to my horse, the signal for everyone to get the hell out of this damned place.

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