Page 62 of Curse of Thorns
Caelynn
Equipped with a newleather ensemble, several weapons and potions, and a backpack full of supplies, I ride my new shiny, bright-white stead through the forest toward the Schorchedlands.
Luckily, the horse Kari let me borrow isn’t afraid of portals—the way Rev’s stag had been—because I’ve traveled through several to get here. After our stop in the Crystal Court, I rode my new stead through the back through the portal to the High Court, then through the Luminescent Court portal—the faces of those Luminescent guards we’re priceless—and then, finally, through the iridescent forest and to the portal that dropped me a mile north of the Wicked Gates. It sounds like a far way to travel, but it only took minutes. My horse hardly broke a sweat.
The pathway is dark, but I have no problem navigating ahead, and the filly is confident in my abilities. I quite like this horse actually. White isn’t my preferred color, but its confident gate and smooth stride is enough to make up for that shortfall. Besides, anyone, creature or person, who trusts me is welcome in my book.
The Wicked Gate towers over us, and I slow my horse to a trot until we’re directly below it. I hop off of her and pat her neck. “Thank you for an easy and pleasant ride.” I turn and look at the thorn wall before me. “Part of me wishes I could take you with me.”
The horse whinnies and stomps.
“Oh, hush. I’m not really going to. I know better than that.”
She snorts, and I laugh.
“I like you because you trusted me,” I tell her, rubbing her nose. I have no idea how much she understands. Many fae-realm creatures are significantly more intelligent than their human-world counterparts. In fact, rumor has it that animals here were once fae who transformed themselves into animals and became trapped. Still, I don’t have much experience with fae-realm animals to know how much of that is true. All I know is she seems to understand, and so, I’ll treat her as if she can. “I wouldn’t reward that trust by dooming you to the fate I’m dooming myself.” My face falls at that thought. I sniff and stand up straighter. “Kari will send someone for you in the morning. Don’t go far,” I tell her.
And then, I approach the magical gate before me.
The usually bright green wall of vines and thorns is dark and shadowed. I swear the vines shift and slither like snakes in places—but the moment I look, they freeze in their place. Or maybe it’s just my imagination.
I step into the small nook, shrinking beneath the imposing thorns pointing directly down at my head. Pointer finger out, I reach up toward one of the points—is it as sharp as it looks?
The vine over my head hisses.
I flinch. “What?” I ask as if the wall was sentient. I suppose it could be based on the way it treated Rev.
A faint chuckle rumbles through the whole wall around me. The thorns wiggle over me, and I squirm.
They’re poisonous,a smooth, echoing voice says.
My eyes grow wide. “Why would you put poisonous thorns pointing right at the entrance?” I say, stupidly talking to the bodiless voice.
Did you expect puffy clouds and rainbows?
I roll my eyes.
It’s a warning, foolish girl. Passing through me is equal to courting with death.
Been there. Done that.
