Page 34 of The Cursed Kingdom

I can’t live without her.

I won’t.

I push back my shoulders, steeling my resolve. I may be delusional, and I may get myself killed, but I’m going to do this. I’ve already come this far, and I won’t turn back now. I just need to sneak into the forest, find and collect some delysum, and go home. Three steps. That’s all I need to complete.

I can do that.

Chapter Thirteen

ABBY

THERE’S A WALKING path in front of the wall.

I drag my gloved fingers through my hair, so relieved, I don’t even care that my fingers snag on several knots.

There’s a suspicious number of men in all-black clothing walking the path, their outfits and large frames identical to that of the man I followed earlier, so I assume they’re guards. There are also women and occasional children, though. They’re regular citizens.

I wrap my hands around my backpack straps, nervously tightening them before approaching the walking path. It stretches as far as I can see, just like the wall. If I follow this long enough, I will surely find this elusive break Samuel was talking about.

Nobody looks twice at me as I step onto the cobblestone path, and I force myself to keep my chin high and expression confident as I begin walking. Two women are in front of me, both with intricately tied-up gray hair. They’re in long, cotton dresses, and the one on the left walks with a cane.

I quicken my pace, placing myself just close enough to listen to their conversation. I’m eager to learn whatever I can about this realm, and my eavesdropping hasn’t failed me yet.

“—with Prince Kieran.” I catch the tail end of the sentence of the woman on the right. Do these people talk about anything else? It feels like every conversation I overhear involves the princes and their plans to meet with the god Zaha.

“I heard he’s bringing the shifter,” the woman with the cane says. I hadn’t heard that. Who’s the shifter?

The one on the right snorts. “I’m not surprised. Where Prince Kieran goes, Prince Mason follows.”

I furrow my brow, confused. Is Prince Mason a shifter? I was under the impression the faeries and shifters don’t get along, and that the shifters live in the forest. Is Prince Mason acting as Prince Kieran’s escort? Maybe they have a tentative alliance or something.

The woman with the cane sneers. “It’s disgraceful. Prince Kieran should be ashamed to bring a shifter to his meeting with Zaha.”

I perk up. Everybody talks about Prince Kieran like the sun shines out of his ass, and I can’t lie and say I don’t enjoy hearing a negative opinion. It’s much more interesting than the bland praise the prince always receives.

“I don’t know…” The other woman’s voice trails off. “There’s no magic in Redstall, and having a shifter on hand could be helpful.” She blows out a loud sigh before continuing. “Besides, the portal is on troll land. Those angry, little—”

I tune their conversation out.Trolls? There are fucking trolls, too? I thought Lill was kidding, and I didn’t sign up for this. Also, why is there no magic in the forest? That doesn’t bother me, but I see how it could upset the faeries. They need it to survive.

No wonder they allowed the shifters to move in. They have no use for the land, anyway.

The two women veer off the path, heading back into the city. I continue forward, mildly disappointed to lose them.

It takes two hours to find the break in the wall.

The city is well behind me, the tallest buildings now nothing more than a speck in the distance. There are still faeries on the path, but most are in various forms of exercise. They’re either running or cycling.

I’m surprised to learn that bicycles exist here, but I suppose even faeries enjoy exercise. They sure have enough energy to burn. I’ll never forget how active Lill was as a child.

Even Aaron couldn’t keep up with her, and he was two years older.

Despite the gravity of the situation before me, my lips curl at the memory of my older brother chasing after her. He was obsessed with everything and anything that had to do with Lill, and he practically had hearts in his eyes as he and Tommy Knocker stalked her around the neighborhood.

He’ll never admit it, but I’m pretty sure he still has a minor crush on her. It’s gross, but I wouldn’t blame him. Lill truly is spectacular. Anybody who can’t see that is an absolute fool.

The break in the wall is just up ahead. It’s a large gap, at least a half mile long, that leads right into the forest.

I wonder if it’s for military troops. If the faeries ever intend to attack the shifters, they’ll need to get several troops beyond the wall. That requires space. A lot of it, apparently.

---