Page 26 of Soul of Thorns
The wolf-wraith is still out there. I could have killed him. Should have, I realize, but I was more preoccupied with making sure Cae was okay than anything else. And by the time I got her to her feet, the wraith was gone. Vanished from the place he’d fallen.
I didn’t want to freak Caelynn out any more than she already was, so I didn’t mention that fact and just quickly moved us to as safe a place as we could get. We are only a few miles from the cabin, which is now being watched by wraiths. Maybe it’s even been destroyed by now, for all we know.
To waste time and occupy my mind—anything to stop thinking about that rejection—I pull out the map of the Schorchedlands and stare at it absently.
“Think of something new?” Caelynn asks.
“No. Just bored.” I drop the thin paper to my lap. Caelynn needs to recharge, and it seems best for us to wait out whatever the other that creature was. Tomorrow, I fully intend to scope out the flame wall, see if we can find some evidence that the wolf-wraith was telling the truth. And if so, we’ll then make a plan on how we can cross with at least an attempt at gaining the element of surprise.
Until then, we wait. In the tiny, cramped cave.
“Well, let’s talk through what we know we have to do,” she says. “First, we cross the fire wall. Risk of death or not, we pass through the damn thing.”
My eyebrows rise.
“After that, there is a swamp, possibly a forest, and one single mountain right in the center of it all. It’s only a three-mile journey from flames to spell book.”
“Simple,” I say and smirk. “Should be easy.”
“What do you think the swamp will be? Flesh-eating bacteria? Dismembered limbs? Blood sacrifice?”
“A swamp filled with thick warm blood,” I say because that sounds exactly like something this place would hold.
Caelynn shivers, and I chuckle. “That’s disgusting. You’re probably right.”
“The farther we travel, the worse it’s supposed to get. And I don’t suspect they mean by gross factor.”
Caelynn nods. “It’s hard to imagine it getting worse than what we’ve already faced.”
I agree but don’t bother to say the words. This place has lived up to my every expectation. Including the fact that my mate is trapped here with me and only one of us can leave.
Can’t get much more tortuous than that.
Aside from the whole man-eating trees and corpses brought to life, I shudder to think what else might be waiting for us beyond that wall of flame. Other the obvious—Caelynn’s personal nightmare monster.
I wring my hands, wondering if there is some way to convince her to stay. She shouldn’t have to face this. This time, it’s my turn.
“Caelynn,” I say, low and slow.
Her eyes linger on my lips for a moment then move up to mine. “No.”
My heart sinks.
“I’m not staying behind.”
I shake my head. “It doesn’t make sense for you to keep going, Cae. For so many reasons. You don’t need to do this. It’s not your fight, not this time.”
Her head falls back against the damp stone as she stares up at the narrow rock above. “It’s both of our fights.”
“You’ve done enough. You’ve faced them already. I want to save you from this.”
“I’m sorry, Rev. But you can’t. Neither of us ever had a choice, but this was thrust on us. I can handle it, okay? I can and will face the Night Terror when the time comes. I’m scared, but I’m not afraid.”
My lips curl into a sad smile. “What’s the difference?”
She shrugs. “My mind knows I’m scared of them. Panic still hits sometimes. But my heart is willing because it’s worth it.”
Her determination to save me is strong enough to overcome her fear. Or maybe she’s just too damn stubborn. Why does she care so deeply for my wellbeing but continues to push me away physically?
