AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Quite true. The last time I entered the Ghost Woods was over three hundred years ago, and there was all manner of undead there. Some serve their long dead master, while others owe allegiance to no one but themselves.”
I swallow. The path Arluin traced was around the Ghost Woods. If even the necromancers have decided to avoid it, the danger must be real and not just one of Natharius’s taunts. But if we follow the same path as Arluin, there’s no hope of reaching Gerazad first. My only choice is to go through the Ghost Woods and hope this demon is powerful enough to defeat whatever monstrosities lurk inside.
“I don’t fear the dead,” I say, lifting my chin. “We will pass through the Ghost Woods.”
His lip curls. “If that is your decision, then I look forward to your demise.”
six
Sincethebarkeeprobbedme of several silvers for the room, I decide to make the most of it and stay the night. We’re on a tight schedule and can’t afford to waste any time, but my body needs the rest. I haven’t slept properly since the night Nolderan fell, and I’m running on low energy. The more strength I have, the faster we’ll be able to travel. And I suspect this will be my last night sleeping in a bed for some time.
Zephyr curls up against me, and it’s almost like we’re back inside my room. That illusion is shattered before it can truly take root. The bed is cold and hard, and the sheets are itchy and unfamiliar. I stare up at the ceiling. The moonlight illuminates the empty room. I’m grateful the Void Prince isn’t here to see me tossing and turning. I did offer for him to sleep on the floor—only to be polite—but he wrinkled his nose and said he doesn’t require sleep like us mortals. I don’t know where he went after that, but I ordered him not to stray too far. Just in case.
The thoughts of Arluin and what lies ahead gnaw on my mind. As do the images of what unfolded on that fatal night. I try to shake away the memories, but they only cling to me. I roll onto my side and hug the lumpy pillow, silent tears streaking my cheeks. Zephyr is too busy snoring to notice. Only the darkness is there to witness the nightmares haunting me.
Eventually, my body drags my mind to sleep. But it isn’t a restful one.
In my dreams, I’m standing in a meadow, the sky violet with aether. Threads of darkness taint the light, thin as spider silk. They’re so faint I almost missed them at first glance, but they’re undeniably there.
“Reyna,” says a familiar voice.
I whirl around and find myself face to face with Arluin and his raven hair and gray eyes.
I want to scream. I want to cry. But I can do nothing except stare at him, icy claws squeezing my chest until I can breathe no more.
He has stolen everything from me, and now he steals my dreams too.
When I don’t move, he reaches for my cheek, and as his fingers trail over my skin, it feels like spiders are writhing their way up my spine. In the shadows of his eyes, I watch him plunge his dagger through Father’s heart.
“I was so scared, Reyna,” he whispers. “When our connection was severed, I feared the worst. I searched for you everywhere, but I couldn’t find you.” He takes my wrist and presses his thumb against the mark branded into my skin. Now in my dreams, the rags have disappeared, leaving the dark eye exposed. The force of his thumb sends pain jolting through me, breaking me from my trance.
“Get off me!” My breaths are labored as air rushes back into my lungs. “Don’t touch me!”
“You might hate me now, but given enough time you’ll learn to love me again—”
“I’ll never love you,” I spit. “I’ll destroy you.”
“Then come and destroy me,” he says with a soft smile. “There’s no one I’d rather destroy me than you.”
I pinch myself hard, willing myself to wake up. If I’m forced to look at him for a moment longer, I fear I’ll finally break.
Arluin gazes at the violet sky. “Your soul feels different.” He tilts his head, examining the dark strands laced through the aether. “Darker. What have you done?”
“I summoned the means to destroy you,” I snarl. This time, when I pinch myself, it’s hard enough to wake me up.
The meadow and Arluin dissolve into darkness, and then I’m back in the cold, hard bed with Zephyr.
I bolt up and gasp for air, tearing my fingers through my hair. My left wrist throbs where Arluin grabbed it. I glance down, and maybe it’s my imagination but the rags seem to have loosened. I lift my wrist to my mouth and bite down on one end of the makeshift bandage and pull with my free hand to secure it. With how much the mark aches, I fear what I experienced wasn’t merely a dream. Maybe it really was Arluin, communicating with me through his spell. The realization makes me feel violated.
I roll back the blankets, slip out of bed, and pad over to the counter where I left my enchanted satchel. I browse through for my bundle of potions and hold the humming orb flat on my palm.
“Acoligos.” The orb expands into a small bundle. I rummage around until I find the potion I’m searching for—a glass vial filled with indigo liquid, which is as dark as the midnight sky. This sleeping potion is so powerful even my mind will be unable to resist it. Research from the Arcanium shows those under its influence don’t dream. The consequence of it is they don’t wake well rested, and its long-term use is discouraged as it can cause dependence on the potion, but this is the only way I can sleep without Arluin haunting my dreams.
I count three vials in the bag. Hopefully, I will have enough to last me until I can remove this tracking spell.
I pull out the cork and drink precisely a third. The entire vial would render me unconscious for up to twenty-four hours. I estimate this will last for approximately eight hours, and even that might be too long.
The potion tastes bitter, but it’s far from the worst I’ve drunk. I return it with the rest of my potions and ointments in my satchel and climb back into bed. Zephyr doesn’t stir.
