The giant rolls his thumb across his square jaw. “Lay out your belongings.”
I wave my hand, commanding the men to reveal the contents of their packs.
Thirty-four guns, eighteen knives, seven swords, powders, crystals, dried meat, bars, clothing, blankets, tents, three small shovels, two axes, and seven bags of type-O blood.
Elgrim opens his jaw, booming laughter shaking the leaves from their trees. “Leave. Go back to where you’ve come from. You’re not ready to enter the forest. That’s final.”
Tricia storms ahead until she’s a foot from Elgrim’s swinging ax. “No. You don’t make decisions for me. I’m your queen. I’m theirs. We’ve come prepared. Let us pass. Please.”
“My queen is dead. I was the king of my people. I lost my wife and child inside that forest. I’m to blame for their disappearance. I can only imagine how they suffered as they entered the cursed forest that splits the land of the pixies and faeries. I won’t be responsible for your illusions and speculation of your death. Therefore, I cannot let you pass.”
Tricia retrieves the stone and extends her offer. “Your family is trapped inside. It’s yours if you let us pass. So, how about now?”
Chapter 10
Tricia
Ready to defend the locked gate leading to the Cornwall Forest, Elgrim grumbles and takes a solid, threatening step toward us.
I hold my ground. The ax flutters my hair as it pendulums by. We both know our team may be mighty, but we are no match against his strength, which could reduce us to puddles of flesh. “This jewel is important to you. I can see the sadness in your eyes.” I hold it out, letting him stare at the stone.
“You think a rock can buy your way in? You’re not ready for what waits on the other side of these walls, where the definition of chaos and surprise hunts unsuspecting victims like you. Out of my sight before I’m forced to wield my ax, and this time I won’t miss my mark.”
I check each man—Easton, Magus, Peter, Radella, Jared, Terr, Andalf, Drew, Gavin, Paul, Micah, Nathan—before finally gazing up at Riley. It appears that our guards are unsure of what to do next, so I wiggle into Riley’s mind. “What are our options? I don’t want to use our team to attempt to overpower the gatekeeper when, in reality, he could gravely harm us. There must be another way in. We’ll just have to find it.”
“Agreed.” Riley nods.
We shrink back along with the others. I haven’t come this far to let the ogre win, but even I notice the weighted fatigue blistering my thighs from the journey. Maybe I’m stupid for thinking I could do anything to best a curse when I’m eight months pregnant.
As we trod along, carving our way left of the gate, I consider trailing blazing right through the forest. Here where it’s flat, it’s easier, but I don’t expect much reprieve. “We still have daylight hours. The men can hunt along the way. If Elgrim won’t open the gates for us, we’ll cut our own swath through the forest.”
Riley stares into the trees. “Yeah, I don’t think that’s possible.”
I follow his gaze with mine. The landscape here is thick with tall vines and low-growing ferns. Past the thicket, a stone wall matching the height of the gate rises upward, disappearing into the dense canopies.
“Oh, I didn’t see the stone wall. But whatever.” I remain hopeful.
He takes an eager step toward the barricade, before halting. “I’m ready to climb over the wall of stones to save my family. But I’m worried about you.”
Riley’s words shake me. He’s always playing the hero, but here, in my world, I’m the one who’s led us here. I’m the one with knowledge, albeit from my grandmother and the little I remember from my mother, but still, I cling to the knowledge of the known dangers here in Faery. As fae, we weren’t gifted balls of energy to defend ourselves from thin air. What lays hidden feeds nightmares: monsters, floods, and massive landslides. “Please. I’m just breezing right along. Let me worry about me, okay?”
He tugs me to stand still and brushes a thumb under my eye. “Your tension reminds me of the seriousness of our situation. You’re drained. You have to rest.”
I know he’s watching out for me, I know he loves me, but the forest beckons me to enter. I don’t dare tell Riley and spike his fears even more. I can handle it. “A little further, okay?”
Riley concedes. He’s known me long enough to tell I’m not ready to give up. We press forward, curving along the rocky outcropping on our left and the dense forest on our right. Similar to the rugged terrain, relationships are just as rocky. It’s my new normal, and I need to remind myself to cut Riley some slack as he’s just as consumed by our situation as I am.
I dig into the trail, my boots leaving a solid mark in the soil. At least this time, the flat slope only hinders me due to occasional roots that slither along the path.
If only Mom’s Club could see me now, leathers head-to-toe, packing heat, belly busting out, strapped with a sheath, mini backpack, and water bottle—empty.
I blow out a breath. Knowing we’re all pushing our limits, I suddenly feel a growing kinship with those moms. “We should be arriving at the river soon.”
Positivity leads to determination and success, right?
Vampire Paul leads the group. The others fan out slightly. For the most part, we hug tight to the exterior cobbled wall of Cornwall when it presents itself. At places, it’s over twenty feet tall, and others a few boulders have broken free from the top ledge, taking with them parts of the path. I wonder how strong the mortar is. Is it penetrable?
The hum of the forest rides my skin, little sparks reminding me of our static-charged fleece blanket back home, reminding me of adjusting the blanket in the dead of the night and watching the specks of light dance across Riley’s lean back and broad shoulders.
I shudder, keeping my desire hidden close to my heart. Good thing I’m wearing long sleeves and a collared jacket. I don’t need to alert anyone else that my neck is ripe with a heated blush.
Thunder rumbles overhead, hinting at an incoming storm and the staticky atmosphere longing for release. The sudden drop in pressure and temperature reminds me that Faery is unpredictable.
Riley glances back over his shoulder, giving me a brief grin. “The last thing we need is a downpour when the irregular terrain gives us few places to make camp. We need to find cover soon.”
One of my fae guards, Radella, hikes up his backpack, tightening thick straps that lash his shoulders. “We should keep going.”
“I agree,” I encourage him. “If I recall, around the next bend, we descend a gorge and the river lays below. Near the shore, it’s flat and sandy. We can bed there—”
“Whoa, hold up.” At the pinnacle of our group, Paul raises a closed fist.
My heart drops a bit. It’s one step forward, two steps back, the joggling motion giving me a thumping headache. I make my way to the front of the line. If there’s an obstacle, I need to see it. “What’s going on?”
“The trail’s blocked. Looks like there’s been an avalanche.” Paul motions to the boulders and gravel stacked nearly ten feet high.