Page 95 of Soul of Thorns
Rev
Roots break free ofthe ground, shattering the world and sending chunks of ashen dirt pouring down on me. I cover my head and then scramble to move out of the way.
I rush forward, through the darkness, unsure where I’m even going.
“This way, princeling.”
I follow the wraith’s rushed voice and claw my way up a mud-caked slope.
“She won’t kill you yet. She wants to hear the bargain first, but you shouldn’t linger all the same.”
I follow a subtle stream of dull light to the surface. The mountain comes into view quickly, black smoke rising into the sky. Behind me, that massive tree half the size of the mountain trembles, it’s claw-like bare branches vibrating and then... growing.
What the hell?
I flee from the crumbling stone and the dirt ground cracking and caving in. The tree—the tree is rising.
Roots the size of the manticore’s chest fly from the dirt and slam into the ground. The trunk twists and groans and then rises on the exposed roots like spider legs.
I fall to the ground, mouth open wide as the most hideous of beasts is revealed. Two red eyes blink, and a mouth with three rows of sharp slimy teeth sit just below it.
I can’t take my eyes off of the horrible sight.
The tree—the Night Terror, I now realize—shivers, shaking off the rest of the lingering soot from its spider-like legs. “Now...”
My breath trembles at the sound of her quaking voice.
“Tell me this bargain before I end your pesky existence once and for all.”
The wraith chuckles, crossing his rippling smoke arms. “The princeling for the spell book.”
“That sounds like a fair bargain.” The tree rumbles, it’s teeth dripping with saliva.
“This prince, of course.” He places a hand on my shoulder, and it sends a blast of cold through me.
The Night Terror laughs. Her red eyes grow and then narrow. “And here I thought you meant the wraith prince.”
“You and I both know only living-beings can be a prince.”
“I wasn’t quite sure.” The tree shifts, three of its roots—legs—scuttling forward, shifting her closer, lower. “In that case, I do not see the point in such a bargain. What would I do with the book? It’s been within my reach for five hundred years. I do not need the book. I need the being able tousethe book. I had wondered if perhaps she was willing to trade her soul for her lovers? Hmm? Now, that is a bargain I could agree to.”
“No!” both the wraith and I yell at the same time.
“We will not give you her soul,” the wraith continues more smoothly.
“Then, I would be better off crushing the princeling’s body to wound her soul even deeper. She is on the verge of failing, you know. So close.”
“I am surprised you’d botched that pathetically, to be honest. To allow the prince to send a piece of his soul to heal her? My, my.” He tsks and shakes his head.
A piece of my soul? What does that mean?
“They have not been mated. I did not think...” The ground trembles as she growls. “It does not matter. The oversight will not happen again.”
The wraith pauses, his eyes narrowing. What is he thinking? Did he learn something new just now? I watch his expression as he seems to come to some unpleasant conclusion.
