Page 70 of Of Wind and Terror

But I can’t help but think he doesn’t sound quite as confident as I do when he says that.

Then all thoughts of Draven and Sylvan disappear from my mind as sleep claims me. This time around, I don’t dream of death and despair.

I dream of a beautiful woman with flowing blonde hair and light-blue eyes. With two gloved hands—one that heals and one that destroys. With a smile capable of thawing the ice encasing my heart.

And for the first time in forever, I feel peace.

26

KASSANDRA

The morning sun glares down on our little procession, angry and fierce. Even with my hair braided away from my face, sweat sticks a few wayward strands to my cheeks.

I pick at my plain gray dress—pulling it away from my sweat-slick body and then watching it snap back into place—and pray for the sun to disappear behind some clouds.

The four of us stand directly in front of the Forest. Tension hangs so thick and heavy in the air that it could be mistaken for the humidity. Fear is an almost palpable entity, hovering over us, threatening to sink its claws into us all.

Blaze whirls around to face me and scowls. “You’ll do exactly as I say, understand?” He sweeps his gaze over Aleksander and Treyton. “And that extends to all of you. You’ll walk where I tell you to walk. Talk when I instruct you to. Sit when I say fucking sit. We can’t afford any mistakes. I have a compass with me, so hopefully, we won’t get lost. If you get separated from the group for some reason, just continue to move east. You should run into the Fall Court sooner or later. And don’t use your magic unless you have no other option. We have no idea how the Forest will react. That includes you, elf.”

Treyton nods gravely, his expression uncharacteristically grim, while Aleksander offers a two-fingered salute and an irreverent, “Aye aye, captain.”

Blaze’s glare darkens. “This is serious…or do you not care about Kassandra’s safety?”

I can practically see the change take over Aleksander. His cocksure grin fades, and his eyes turn hard and steely.

“I care more about that female here than anyone else in this goddess-forsaken world. Don’t ever suggest otherwise.”

My pulse skitters at Aleksander’s heartfelt declaration. A strange tendril of warmth curdles through my stomach.

And all I can think is…why? Why me? Why now? All of the males have been throwing grand declarations my way, and I don’t understand the reasoning behind them. Is it just because of my powers? Are they trying to manipulate me? Is it possible they have developed…feelings for me?

Is it possible that I have developed feelings for them?

No, that’s insane. Crazy. Unheard of.

Right?

Blaze seems appeased by Aleksander’s response. The Fall Prince nods stiffly and focuses back on the Forest. He shrugs his pack farther up his shoulder and then repositions his bow.

Blaze and Aleksander carry so many weapons, it’s a miracle they can stand upright. Alongside his customary sword, Blaze has a bow, two daggers, and an ax.

Aleksander has about twelve daggers on his person—and those are only the ones I can see. Two of them are sheathed to his wrists, a few of them rest in the waistband of his pants, and there are more on his thigh. It seems almost impractical to carry so many weapons, but Aleksander assured me that “what others deem as impractical is practicality at its finest.”

I chose to let it go.

I only have my harbara, and Treyton has his sword. Treyton, who isn’t as skilled in weapons as the other two males, told me that he can do more damage with his sword than he could with a thousand daggers. And since I’ve seen firsthand how skilled he is with that particular weapon…

I believe him.

“Remember. Stay close together. Don’t try to be the hero.” Blaze takes a shuddering breath, his large chest expanding. “Let’s go.”

The four of us step into the Forest.

Almost immediately, the tree branches swallow the sunlight. It’s not completely dark—more of a dull, metallic gray—but it’s a startling contrast to the bright world we just left behind.

Leaves and twigs crackle beneath our feet as we venture forward, one slow step at a time.

On closer inspection, I notice that the majority of trees are naked, devoid of any leaves. The branches are perfectly still, almost as if the wind can’t reach them.

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