Page 3 of A Rose Among Snakes

“Think about it—Ambrelle isn’t going anywhere and your mother just gained a new son. It will give her more time to process, too.”

“Or more time to try and talk me out of it.”

Taz huffed a laugh, but stayed quiet for a moment, kicking a stone into the brush.

“One more question and I’ll stop harassing you.”

I bit back a smile. “You’re my best friend, Taz. It’s not harassment to ask me questions.”

She chewed on her lip before asking, “Are you going to Port Deering to find out what happened to your father?”

Whatever I had thought she might ask, it wasn't that. Warring feelings of defensiveness and admiration of her keen perception sent a flood of heat through my body.

I contemplated her question and said, “No,” shaking my head. Then, “Maybe?”

Behind me, Taz had stopped walking.

“Alright, fine. Yes, that is part of why I’m going, but-”

“Shhh,” Taz interrupted.

I turned around to find her frozen, a finger held against her lips and her head cocked to the side. My blood chilled as the sound of hysterical laughter echoed through the trees.

While Roben was a safe village nestled in a valley at the feet of the Kroppenish Mountains, the road through the woods saw travelers from all over the continent of Ilesand. It was the perfect place for teenagers to meet up and drink their parents’ liquor, or even worse, use Ziffem.

The vivid blue crystals of Ziffem were beautiful in appearance but extremely dangerous. Ground between two stones and then placed on the gums, users experienced a euphoric state so intense it often crossed into hysteria. Depending on the dosage, the high could last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours; but coming back down was excruciating. It felt like your body was shredding itself apart, and the only quick fix was another dose of Ziffem. It was highly addictive and became unpredictable when mixed with alcohol.

I had seen people spend every coin they had to feed their addiction, only to have their bodies waste away until death put them out of their misery. Even though it was an illegal substance, it was easy to obtain if you knew the right people. While no longer common in the village, it was easy to spot blue dust clinging to cast-aside stones in the woods.

Taz bit her lip and we exchanged a grim expression as the laughter ended in a coughing fit. I took a gulp of wine before marching toward the sound. Ziffem users were normally harmless,but they could turn violent if they were in the throes of sobering up. I kept that fact in mind as we slowly approached.

I didn’t know the names of the five teenagers who sat in a circle on the side of the road, but I vaguely recognized them from around the village. They passed a green glass bottle between them, their cheeks flushed and eyelids drooping. One girl sat back on her hands with her head tilted up toward the sky, her mouth wide open to release a howl of laughter. The sound faded as the veins in her neck bulged, her abdomen contracting as she forced every ounce of air out of her lungs. She stayed silent and my heart began to pound when I noticed her skin changing color from red to blue as the Ziffem’s grip made her forget how to breathe. A rattling gasp flew from her open mouth as her lungs inflated, causing me to take a sharp inhale of my own.

Another boy was spinning in circles with his eyes closed, arms outstretched, and oblivious to the couple sitting nose-to-nose at his feet. He stumbled over them and fell on his face, where he stayed, letting the dirt and leaves muffle his giggling.

Taz clucked her tongue and crossed her arms, resting her goblet in the crook.

“It’s utterly absurd to me that people would be willing to gamble with their lives like this.” She didn’t bother keeping her voice low. In this state, the teenagers were immune to insults.

My heart ached watching them. They were so young, and I wondered if their families knew. My eyes moved to a boy slumped against a tree, his golden hair covering his face. My heart stoppedaltogether as recognition sluiced through me, the goblet slipping from my hands and shattering onto the ground.

Jem.

Chapter Two

Astrangled cry escaped my throat as I launched myself forward. I ran as fast as I could, my boots sliding over pebbles, and without a second thought, I threw myself onto my knees next to him. His chin rested on his chest, legs outstretched and arms limp at his side.

“Jem,” I said, taking his face in my hands. He didn’t stir so I patted his cheek. Still nothing. When I noticed an empty bottle of wine lying next to his leg, anger bubbled up inside me. How could he be so stupid? And today of all days.

“Jem,” I said louder, throwing some weight behind my slap. I grabbed his shoulder and shook him, repeating his name over and over. When he still didn’t stir, my fury boiled over.

I gripped his jaw and tipped his head back in order to examine his face. His cheeks were reddening from where I’d hit him, which was to be expected. But when I looked at his mouth, ice shot through my veins, terror quickly replacing my ire.

Light blue powder dusted the center of his lip.

I pulled his lip up to his nose to see his gums, and sure enough, the vile blue powder had stained them purple, minuscule grains still clinging to his teeth.

My heart thundered in my ears, but not loud enough to drown out the cacophony of howling from the other teenagers. The girl’s shrill laughter grated on my frayed nerves, and I whipped my head over to them.

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