Page 91 of Trial of Thorns
Rev
After another revitalizingpotion and some food in my stomach, I feel significantly stronger and we make it to the valley below in less time than we’d planned.
We begin a run through the forest, travelling directly southwest as instructed. We’d discussed the possibility of travelling full west first, then south, for the extra distance we’d put between us and the others, but we decided against it out of concern we could miss a portal.
Finally, we pass the river we’d crossed on the way to the mountain yesterday, and I stop in the middle of the path. Caelynn and Ty stop up ahead, turning to watch me.
The bridge stands there just like it did before, nothing out of place. The water of the river rushes gently. It would have been impossible for us to get this far inland without crossing the river. There are likely a handful of bridges much like this one.
“What?” Ty asks, watching me stare at the bridge like a madman.
Caelynn eyes the bridge along with me. “We crossed it on the way here.”
“Yes, and?” Ty says.
“Let’s try it,” she tells me.
I nod, jog toward the bridge, and cross it in only a moment. On the far bank, I stop and look around. The birds still chirp, the trees are the same species, the sky looks no different. But as I turn back, Tyadin and Caelynn are nowhere to be seen. I tilt my head, watching the other side of the river where I knew them to be. Quiet. Still.
I walk back over the rushing water slowly. Watching each step.
Nothing noticeable. Then, all at once, Tyadin and Caelynn appear into the path before me.
“Whoa,” Tyadin says, his eyes wide where I assume I’d just appeared in the same manner.
“They worked hard on that one,” I say.
“What?”
“It’s seamless. I couldn’t tell you where one portion starts or ends, the forest looks exactly the same. How did they find two bridges with the same angle and build, where the trees are so similar?”
“Could you see us on the other side?” Caelynn asks.
“No, that was the only clue. One moment you weren’t there, then you were. Is it an illusion, do you think? Every tree is exactly the same as what I see now, but it’s obviously not the same place.”
“An illusion makes sense.” She nods.
“Well, the only question now is will they continue to corral us through the portals like this one, or will we be expected to find them?”
She bites her lip as she considers, her intelligent eyes darting around like her surroundings will have the answers she seeks.
Truth. I’d asked for truth from the wishing well.
