Page 13 of The Crowned Fae Queen
Not today. That’s not how I go.
With a growl, I pull myself up until I find another edge to cling to. Then I do it again and again. Hey, I’m not so bad at this, considering it’s my first time.
Cold throbs through my fingers, aching all the way down to the bone, as I dig my fingers into a snow-covered ledge. Despite the cold, sweat beads on my forehead as my muscles warm.
Ilift my boot, the toe of my shoe seeking for purchase amongst the ice. Hitting the small rock that pokes out, I put my weight into it, shifting to push up to another handhold. Pebbles scatter, raking against the wall and bouncing down to the ground below. Like the fine dust of winter, the stone crumbles under my weight.
Wet vines tangle in my hands, my reflexes searching for anything to grab. Carefully, I lean into my other leg after letting my boot frantically search for the rock that is no longer there.
My throat feels tight. The reckless thrumming of my heart an untamed beat within my ears. Icy air hits my lungs in deep panting breaths. I glance up at Miranda, who waits no more than a foot away.
“You’re overthinking it,” he says as if he doesn’t believe the words himself. “Take your mind off of the task and just let your instincts take over. This isn’t hard. Not yet.”
Not yet.
Without my conscious permission, my gaze travels to the forest floor that lies so far below us. Fearfully, I squeeze my eyes shut.
We are so high. If you fall from here, you die, Syren. Don’t you fall. Don’t you dare fall.
“Syren, remember there is magic here that will make your fears feel so much worse than they are. Don’t look at the ground, look at me.”
His green eyes are glassy, matching the slick of sweat that gleams off his forehead and upper lip. When he speaks, it’s with more confidence than I can muster at the moment, even though I can see the way his hands tremble against their holds.
“You know,” he continues, reaching up to find the next rock. “Bear and I came here when we were just boys.”
“Is that when you discovered the witch?” I purse my lips, following closely behind Miranda. This one slip, one fall, will not define this entire trip.
“No, no. King Doverrett had used this witch before she revealed herself to work with us when Bear came of age.” Snow falls from under his boot, scattering droplets of water across my face.
“Hey.” I mumble, flicking my fingers out so that the water dissolves into the air.
Miranda huffs a laugh under his breath. “Sorry.”
Is he, though?
“No, before we knew the witch lived here, this was just another spooky forest that kids whispered about. We got dared by some little royal brat that had heard about it while his father was here on business to last an entire night camping out here.”
“And did that happen?” Monsters I’m sure don’t exist live here; they feel real here, even if it’s only in my mind. I can’t imagine being a child and willingly staying under the pine canopy for long.
“Bear lasted longer than me, I’ll admit. Though I’m pretty sure the both of us shit our pants within the first five minutes here.”
“How embarrassing.” I can’t help the nervous smile on my face. “Did the boy get a good laugh out of it?”
“Eh, that’s not really how the story goes. We came home with our tails tucked between our legs and filled with stories about all the terrible things we saw in the shadows of the woods. The boy was certain he could last longer—that we were both just buffoons lacking the courage of a proper man.”
“And then he tried it and fainted?” I interrupt. Hope surges through my chest as I see the top of the wall nearing. Miranda nearly hangs from the lip already.
“That would have been a better ending. No, he disappeared. He went into the forest, and he didn’t return.”
“Holy shit. You’re joking.” Plumes of air cloud before my face as I reach the top, gratefully taking Miranda’s hand as he pulls me to him.
“Iwish I was joking, my Queen.”
Clouds pool around our waists as if we sit within the sky. Each breath of air isn’t enough to fill my lungs. The stone beneath me seems to sway, the tree tops dancing in the wind that isn’t blowing.
“What do you think happened to him? Did a monster eat him?”
Miranda squeezes my hand. “I don’t know. In my personal opinion, I think the witch did.” A small teasing grin lights up his face. “Are you ready for the descent?”
