Page 23 of Dreams of Ash and Smoke

I’ve only ever read the stories about them. The ghostly blue orbs are said to be the work of elemental spirits, and were thought to lure travelers astray down dangerous paths, where many don’t come back from.

I can’t stop my brain from yelling at me, telling me not to follow them. But, there’s something familiar and I want to trust them. They’re going in the very direction I was already going. It can’t be that bad. I don’t have a better fate if I stay.

I have to continue.

I look at Hadeon and take a deep breath before making sure he’s breathing still, even if it is shallow, and place his body just as before, back on top of mine.

Another half hour and I should be over the border.

Please, Gods, help me through this.

The lights float through the air as I trail after them, trying to focus on the ground in front of me and not the duration of time I have left.

I should work on what I’m going to say to the king and get my mind off of the pain.

‘Hello, Your Grace, please allow me (an enemy to your country), and my guard who is half dead (also an enemy to your country) to reside in your dark and gloomy castle where bones rest as lamps and the bedding is made of thorns.’

Absolutely not.

I do not know for certain what their castle is like at all, but it’s from rumors I have heard.

‘Please help me get revenge on your enemy by allowing me the courtesy of using your army for war.’

I cannot insult him. The predicament I have, though, is the fact that I do not know him. I do not know if he is truly evil or maybe misunderstood. He could have started all the crazy rumors himself, truly, if he wanted to. But I don’t see what good it will do unless it’s to keep everyone away— which sounds dark and gloomy, right?

Hadeon had not told me much, and while he had made it seem as if he did not know much, I know him. And I know he’s keeping something from me. I’ll get it out of him whether he likes it or not. If we even live through this.

The wisps eventually fade out and stop leading the way, so it’s safe to assume I’m either about to die or get very lucky and find what I am looking.

I look down, seeing the blood ever-so-slowly seep from my wound when I note the dark tint.

Why must this happen to me? Have I not been a great person? Humble? Kind? Generous?

I spent over two decades becoming the perfect woman— the perfect wife. The perfect Queen. And it all ends with this? Poisoned by a bladefrom the meaty hands of a mediocre bounty hunter?

I keep trudging along the path, trying to keep from dropping Hadeon again but the big meaty brute is getting heavier with each minute that passes and I’m not sure how much longer I can hold on.

My feet start getting heavy next, my arms after that. I’m staring at the ground, keeping track of my movements.

I can’t do this much longer. My head rises to look up again so I don’t hit a tree.

I-

My words flee my mind.

In front of me are trees— multicolored trees in a straight line going further than what I can see in opposite directions from East to West.

The Border.

My body cries in relief. I know logically I have longer to go. But, there is a certain danger on this side of the continent. It’s a guessing game for the North side and I am taking my chances.

I stumble forward, walking the last few steps to the entry tree, the only orange one from what I can tell within my eyesight. No one else is around, thankfully.

Each tree is a different color, signifying the Gods and Goddesses, before starting over when it hits the last one.

Purple trees for the Goddess Althea of healing; blue for the Goddess Terra of earth, water, and sky; black trees for Nyxie, the goddess of night and death; white for the God Sorin of day and life; red for the Goddess Gyda of war, wisdom, and fire; the God Kallias has a pink color for love and beauty; Conan, the God of animals is green; and finally in the lineup is yellow for Lumi, the Goddess of storms— before starting with white once more. I see an orange tree where I am but in the books, they state there is only one orange every so often but not many. Maybe 5 in existence. Orange is not for a God or Goddess but for the keeper of the trees.

I thank them, every single god and goddess in existence.

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