Page 35 of The Reaping Rose

Seren steps forward, a few more gathering around her. “These are them? They’ll let us walk through the realm?”

“They should.” Unfortunately, there’s only one way to confirm it, and in doing that, there will be no going back.

Letia must be thinking the same, because she hesitates for a moment before passing out the rings. But like me, she knows there’s no other choice.

Seren is the first to take the bag and claim a ring for herself. Villagers gather as they pass it around, slipping the rings on their fingers. None of them react like Letia, who rubs her finger like the ring is uncomfortable.

Elorie will never forgive me if something happens to her best friend, so all I can do is hope that’s not a sign of things to come.

“I’ll pass out the rest.” Thomas takes the bag to deliver rings to the few who aren’t here.

But just as he turns the corner, the ground shakes.

Letia catches herself on my arm, and where her ring brushes my skin, it chills. Greer stumbles against the door to Seren’s house. One quake is followed by another, and the island groans.

“It’s happening.” Panic surges as humans rush from their houses and gather in the street.

Below us, the ground shakes, and even as I stand in place, it’s like the island tilts and everything is suddenly off. A ball rolls down the cobblestone street.

“We need to get them out of here,” Greer says, eyeing the end of the gates where a tree crashes to the ground.

“It’s only been five days since Elorie went inside.” Letia is panicking, backing up a step.

“I’ll wait for her.”

Greer shakes her head. “You promised her⁠—”

“That I’d only wait seven days. Take them through. Guide them to the other side, and I’ll be right behind you. But I’m not leaving until that time is up.”

“Even if Alyssium crumbles?”

I hold the standoff with Greer. Her chin high, frustration building in her eyes. It’s clear there’s a lot on her mind, but she doesn’t continue to argue. She knows there’s nothing she can say to convince me. I’ll keep my promise to Elorie, but not before it’s time.

“You can do this. Take them, and I’ll meet you on the other side.”

Greer nods once, swallowing hard before turning to the villagers gathering in the street. “Everyone, get your things; we need to go now.”

People panic, running into their houses. Everyone gathers what they can carry while shingles fly through the air. Glancing up, the prison’s shadows stretch, covering the island. What’s stirring might be from the realm. But I sense it’s something deeper.

When everyone is ready, Greer and Letia lead the nineteen remaining humans through the gates. Emual’s words ring in my ear as I take the back of the line to protect them on their journey through the forest.

The first were not afraid until they left. Only then did the weight of what was to come press over their shoulders.

Wind gusts through the trees as the ground shivers. A pulse guides us through the forest, and each thrum is like a ticking beat. A countdown as we near the sword.

We can do this.

I can do this.

The group nears the pulse, and whispers turn to murmurs.

“What is it?”

“How?”

“Stop; we can’t.”

I push through the villagers to see what they’re talking about. To find out what’s stopped them in their path. And when my gaze lands on the spot where the sword was seated earlier, I freeze at what’s before me.