Page 51 of Bound By Roses

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

QUINN

The next day comes all too quickly, and then we’re preparing to leave on yet another journey. A journey that will require two nights spent within the forest—and that’s if this goes without issue.

I don’t know why Abby was so adamant about going through with this. Yes, any information about our enemies is invaluable, but we both have grown to fear the forest and I’m not convinced the reward outweighs the risk. I can’t tell her why that is, though, so this is happening.

“You okay?” Abby asks when she joins me at the end of the bridge where it meets the sand.

I nearly startle at her sudden appearance, which is pretty pathetic because I should have heard her coming or at least sensed her presence. The lack of sleep and our eminent trek is messing with my head.

I pull her in close to mask my discomfort. “Never better. Are you ready to head out?”

Please say no. It’s not too late for her to change her mind.

“As ready as I’m going to be.” She moves to step onto the beach but is halted when heavy footfalls sound from behind us.

“Didn’t think you were leaving without us, did you?” Seamus calls as Ellis follows close behind him. They each carry a satchel slung over a shoulder, and they definitely look more prepared for adventure than I am.

“Unless you two just wanted to embark on this suicide mission to get more alone time,” Ellis adds. “Then perhaps we should stay behind.”

“If you think it’s that dangerous, why are you here?” I don’t mean for it to come off that harsh, but I don’t want to risk anymore lives. Even if I’d feel a whole lot better knowing I had two more pairs of eyes watching the shadows.

“The dangeristhe reason. We’re not going to let you two face this alone. And besides, Tess would skin us alive and use our pelts as rugs if we let something happen to you.”

It takes great effort not to audibly groan. Of course Tess sent them.

“Are you sure?” Abby asks. “I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”

The two men push passed us. “Give us a little credit,” Ellis teases. “We can turn into wolves anytime we want now. How amazing is that?”

I let the question hang. They wouldn’t like my answer. Since my people arrived in Marein, it’s become apparent how many of them are actually enjoying the control they have over their beasts. Even the sirens have grown used to wolves running up and down the beaches, even if they still don’t trust them.

I might very well be the only one who doesn’t enjoy it. It’s an asset when I need the strength of teeth and claw, but my humanity is too high a cost.

The walk feels far longer than it should. Even with streams of light seeping in through the leaves, the forest is dark. Theshadows are harmless, but in each of them I feel a wraith waiting for me to wander too close. My eyes have played tricks on me more than once already, and I’m really starting to question my sanity.

We’ve been walking for hours, following the only direction Aurelia could give us. When asked where we could find the Spider’s cave, all she could tell us was that it was to the north-east and that we would smell it when we were close. What she meant by that, I can’t be sure.

Or, at least, Icouldn’tbe sure. All at once, it assaults my nostrils. “Do you smell that?” I ask, wrinkling my nose against the unmistakable scent of rotting flesh.

“Smell what?” Abby asks as she tilts her head back and sniffs at the wind. I envy her human nose.

“You don’t want to know,” Seamus answers. “I’m sure you’ll smell it soon enough.”

I stop and set my bag down on the soft earth. It must have rained last night because although the ground isn’t muddy, it’s certainly not dry and very much not ideal for sleeping. “We’ll make camp here. Any closer and we’ll have to put up with that all night. At least when we have the fire going, the smoke should cover it.”

Ifwe can get a fire going. The wood is likely as wet as the ground.

Before I can even suggest it, Abby crouches down and presses her hands flat against the earth. The marks on her skin glow—just as the one on my chest does—and the forest seems to come alive. I can feel the energy pulsating like a steady heartbeat through the rose on my chest, and once again, I’m in absolute awe of the woman who chose me.

The structures of root and vine she builds out of nothing seem to come easier this time. They’re larger and more defined.It doesn’t take her nearly as long to finish them as it did that first time that now feels like a lifetime ago.

Seamus whistles. “Show off. Where were you when we were roughing it to Marein? My back still hasn’t forgiven me, though sleeping as a wolf certainly made it easier.” It didn’t even occur to me that they might have traveled as wolves. All except for Kaylee, of course. She’s more human than all of us now.

Thinking about my people spending their days as wolves has a shiver running down my spine. I’m responsible for that curse. I’m the one who turned them into beasts. The idea that they’ve found joy in that reality should ease some of my guilt, but for whatever reason, it’s doing the opposite. Maybe they can let go, but I can’t.

“So,” Ellis says, already tracing the outline for a fire pit with his foot. “Who’s hungry?”

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