Page 112 of Empire of Flame and Thorns

“I’m not surprised. Most people just?—”

A sudden idea hits me like a lightning bolt, drowning out the rest of his sentence as my head instead clangs with both excitement and apprehension.

Next to me, Draven keeps talking. But I can barely even focus on his words enough to nod at the appropriate times anymore.

Because I have just figured out how to steal the ring from him.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Nervous apprehension buzzes inside my chest. It feels as if I have a swarm of agitated bees trapped inside my ribcage. I draw in what I hope are normal-sounding breaths as I try to make my heart stop beating so hard.

My genius plan involves three things that need to happen in a very specific order. But the longer we walk, the more worried I get that the first thing is never going to happen. Or that it’s going to happen too late and there will be no chance to even execute the second step. Or that Draven is going to figure out what I’m doing and handcuff me again. Or that he will hear the very incriminating thumping of my heart.

With that anxiousness vibrating inside my soul, I keep throwing out my magic in search of a group of people who should be feeling either excited or impatient. But just like the past three hours, I don’t find anything.

I’m very well aware of the limits of my magic, and how close I need to be to feel someone else’s emotions. So once I can feel a group of people who are either impatiently or excitedly awaiting the return of the victors in this trial, I will know that we are close to reaching the end of the river. And as soon as I know that, I can set the second stage of my plan in motion.

But if that doesn’t happen soon, it will all be too late.

My heart slams against my ribs as Draven and I walk along the river. We must be far into the afternoon at this point, which means that we should be reaching the city soon.

Come on, come on, I plead desperately in my mind.

Worry clangs inside my skull.

My magic connects.

It takes all of my willpower not to gasp when I finally latch on to several cerise sparks of impatience. And they’re all located in the direction of the city.

Excitement explodes through me.

Finally.

It’s close enough that I should be able to make it there without Draven catching me.IfI time it correctly.

My pulse thrums in my ears as I flick my gaze around the area, searching for the one thing that I need to enact the second part of my plan.

Dread strangles my throat when I don’t find any. Only trees with green and orange and pink leaves, and a softly flowing river, stare back at me.

I fight to keep my breathing even. Shit. I need to do this now. Before Draven also figures out that we’re almost out of the underground woods.

We continue walking.

Every nerve inside my body feels like it’s charged with lightning.

I force even breaths into my lungs.

Please, I beg silently.

My heart lurches.

There.

The tree I was desperately searching for finally appears up ahead. My heart is beating so fast that I can barely keep my hand steady as I discreetly slide my knife out of its holster. Draven’seyes remain on the path ahead. I draw in short breaths. The tree gets closer.

If I screw this up, it’s over.

I need to time it perfectly.

---