I gave them all a sad smile. “As much as I’ve enjoyed your company, I think this is where I say goodbye.”
“What?” Felix’s mouth dropped. “You can’t be serious, Prim.”
“It’s for the best.”
“But you’re planning to go into that Wood too, right? You can’t go in therealone. You’ll never make it out.” His lips thinned, and for once, his tone was entirely serious.
I lifted my shoulders nonchalantly. I was so used to fae underestimating me that I didn’t bother to correct him. “Regardless, it’s best if we part ways. I would rather our memories of one another end on fond terms versus a bloody battle to the Stone.”
“Bloody?” Nym laughed lightly. “Just what kind of fae do you take us for?”
I smiled, but it was forced. “I’d rather not take the chance. In everyday life, I know that would never occur, but inthere”—I pointed to Silventine Wood—“it’s said fae can change, that the magic can take hold of them. You three have a bond that I’ll never share. I’d rather not test how solid that bond is if we’re all competing for the same thing.”
Felix’s eyes dimmed. “I would never hurt you.”
“Just as I would never intentionally hurt you, but still, it’s best to part ways.”
Nym nodded, and eventually Jessip agreed too.
Their response came readily enough that it solidified that while they might have been fun companions to booze with at the salopas and joke around with today as we all traveled north, they weren’t actually my friends. Not truly.
We were more strangers than anything, and if it came down to me or them, I knew they would pick them—as all fae would.
“Best of luck to all of you.” I waved in farewell and commanded my carpet to part from theirs.
Felix opened his mouth, and I could practically hear the protest forming on his tongue, but I zoomed eastward, veering off the road to travel over the shrubs before he could say anything else.
The road ended soon anyway, right at the perimeter of the Wood’s entrance, so it didn’t matter if I was no longer following it. Nobody had dared construct anything into SilventineWood, and since most of the Wood extended all of the way to the sea, there was no need to extend the road farther anyway. Once one reached the water, there was nowhere else to go.
I took a deep breath and guessed at how long it would take me to reach the forest’s perimeter. I had a feeling I would be there before nightfall, and I just hoped Kole had returned by then.
Otherwise, as Felix had feared, I could be entering the Wood alone.
I careenedtoward the Wood’s perimeter, heading in a northeast direction as my anxiety grew. It felt as though serpents slithered around my insides, biting and coiling.
Thoughts kept pummeling me too. Horrible thoughts of what could happen.
Magical plants that tried to devour me.
Larpanoons the size of large domals attacking me.
Herds of that terrible creature that Kole had killed in Inisville chasing me through the trees.
Every thought I had brought more fearsome images to life. I was near sick by the time I pulled the seekerill out again.
“Stop, Prim. Juststop.” I eyed the device. It still bore north, but also slightly east. I breathed a sigh of relief. I couldcontinue traveling outside of the forest. I didn’t need to go in yet. But eventually, I would have to.
“Use your magic when you’re in there,” I whispered to myself. “Keep a cool head.Don’tlet the forest trick you or sway you from why you’re there. Uncle Timith is depending on you.”
I safely stored the seekerill back in my pocket, and my pep talk helped slightly. Some of the anxious tumbling in my belly calmed, and I took a deep breath.
I debated contacting Ree. Even though I’d meant to earlier, I’d never done so. But now... I grimaced. Now, I had no idea what could come out of that Wood. For all I knew, one of thosethingswould, because if others had escaped, more could too. It was best to stay focused. I would have to contact her later.
I followed the direction of my seekerill and knew that the longer I stayed out of the Wood and on its perimeter, the better, and thankfully, the northeast direction held. It was my only saving grace since there was a small patch of open land between Silventine Wood and the Adriastic Sea. The low-lying ground cover continued, making it easy to see if any large predators were near. So far, my good luck held.
I rubbed the lock of Goddess Nuleef’s hair over and over. I’d stowed it right by Kole’s tracking charm, deep within my pocket.
So far on my journey, I’d managed to avoid true harm, and I couldn’t help but wonder if her hair was the reason for that. Even though my carpet had been stolen, I hadn’t been injuredby other fae, and despite the slight hiccup my stolen carpet had caused, it’d also brought me time with Kole, which had resulted in increased safety.
