Page 63 of King of the Unsightly

I could be strong.

No, I was a strong, capable, badass woman.

I mentally cringed at my words.

“All right, thank you for telling me,” I said, jiggling the uncertainty out of my body from my fingertips to my toes. I might get some form of PTSD from all this, but trauma wasn’t foreign to me. I just couldn’t let it destroy me. Even if I felt wronged. No one would solve my problems. Not Lucien. Not Gren.Only me. I ruffled my hair out of my ponytail. It wasn’t doing me any favors but whipping me in the face. “I think it’s about time I get my shit together.” I laughed sardonically, brushing the loose strands of hair behind my ear.

“I know it may sound redundant, but you are not alone.”

“I know,” I said sternly as I picked up my pace to match the others.

It’s not that I didn’t want to rely on others.

I wanted to. So badly. I mean, who would want to carry any type of burden all by themselves?

But was it okay to put others in harm’s way for my sake? When it could mean their life hung in the balance? And could I truly trust anyone?

Gren said multiple times he was only repaying a favor for my mother. This mess had nothing to do with him. Yet I bound him to me, and he had no choice but to follow.

“Addy. You know it’s okay to—”

“Shit,” Ryas yelled and threw her head back.

Both Gren’s and my attention shot up.

A massive obsidian rock crashed right in front of her. The clamor shook the pebbles beneath us as we all strained to stabilize ourselves.

I squinted and tried to read the white carvings on it.

Kaschel scanned the rock, and glared back at Ryas, seemingly annoyed she didn’t elaborate on her remark.

“What?” Kaschel growled, peeved he even had to ask.

“It roughly says”—Ryas cleared her throat—“A point of no return. Thrice a crowd and no delights to cast your sights. Only spilled blood will guide you. Jest in the warning and only ruin awaits you. Yours truly, R.G.”

“You could have said once we pass this point, we won’t have any of our magic.” Levisus yawned. “Why say all extra stuff? Completely unnecessary.” He yawned again and waved his hand dismissively at her.

Ryas looked like she wanted to jump over Kaschel and claw Levisus’s face.

Kaschel spoke and it snapped Ryas out of her rage. “I loathe that trickster.” He rubbed his temples.

I laughed so hard I snorted, and it echoed throughout the mountainside. And I immediately clasped my hand over my mouth.

My eyes went wide as they all looked at me like I grew a third arm. “Do you guys not see the irony? I mean, coming from afaery.” Kaschel’s expression darkened as the words left my lips. It made me ramble on like I could somehow save myself. “Well, aren’t you a trickster yourself? I mean have you ever read the lore of your kind?” Oh my god. Smite me where I stand before I finish digging my own grave.

“No. Please continue. I would love to hear your thoughts aboutfaeriesthrough fiction,” Kaschel said, his voice oozing with sarcasm.

Mortified, I ignored him entirely and waved my hand. “Regardless, we’re going forward, right?” I looked at Ryas for a reply, avoiding Kaschel’s murderous stare.

“Yes,” Levisus answered for both of them.

“All right then. Let’s stop stalling.” I stepped beside the ominous rock. “Okay, before we go farther I need—”

My mouth clenched shut when my foot slipped and I plunged, slamming stomach first onto the dirt.

Air escaped my lungs as I grunted, flipped onto my back and gasped.

Staggering to my feet, I peered at the cliffside. I was only centimeters away from dropping to my death again. I sucked in a breath and waited anxiously for the others, hoping they might fall from the sky too.

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