Page 36 of The Cursed Kingdom

Chapter Fourteen

ABBY

THIS IS ARGUABLY the worst idea I’ve ever had. Even worse than my bright idea to trick Lill into opening a portal so I could sneak into a mysterious realm I know nothing about.

It’s my only option, though. There’s no realistic way I can cross the open field and sneak into the forest, not with all those guards patrolling it. They’ll spot me in a heartbeat, and they’ll want to know what I’m doing. Then they’ll try to force me back into the city, most likely for my own benefit.

My pulse races, and I glance at the locked bathroom door before washing my face in the sink. I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to clean myself next, and I take my time scrubbing my body with my small washcloth and the provided soap. It dries out my skin and hair, but it’s better than nothing.

My cheeks have a mildly gaunt look thanks to the lack of proper food these past few days, but I otherwise look okay. Nobody will have any reason to pay attention to me, at least not any more than usual.

“You can do this,” I whisper to my reflection, trying to pump myself up.

It doesn’t work.

My stomach aches, but I ignore the pangs of hunger as I redress, fill my water bottle, and begin my journey to the break in the wall. It’s a long walk, and I hope to get most of the way there before the sun goes down.

Lill’s eyesight is impeccable, but she can’t see in the dark. I didn’t spend too much time admiring the break in the wall, not wanting to draw attention, but I didn’t see any streetlights or lamps in the immediate area. It will be dark, and that darkness will be my best advantage.

The city streets are still busy, and I maneuver through them until I reach the wall. It’s just as intimidating as it was this morning, and I allow myself a moment to stare at it before beginning the long walk to the break in the wall.

The path is empty, only the occasional guard walking along it.

They all stare at me, clearly wondering what a human is doing out so late at night, but nobody stops to ask me questions. It’s a huge fucking relief, and by the time I reach the gap, I’m sweating bullets.

I kept a brisk pace and managed to shave what I estimate to be thirty minutes off my time. It’s convenient, especially considering the sun has just fully set. My eyes adjust to the dark the best they can, but I can only see a few feet ahead.

It’s silent, dead silent, but the guards are here. They’re illuminated by red-tinted lights they carry on their person. Those lights also stretch several feet ahead of them, which isn’t ideal.

It’s better than having theentirearea illuminated, though. The wall is lit with the same red lights, but none are over the gap. There are several pockets of black I can weave through.

And I do.

I’m scared the guards can hear my heart beating as I slink across the open grounds, so low to the ground, I might as well becrawling. Eventually, I am. I drop to my hands and knees about halfway through the field, literally crawling toward the forest entrance.

I thought this would be the grand adventure of a lifetime, and as I crawl along the ground like a fucking field rat, it sinks in just how real this is. I’m not in some video game where I respawn in my bed when I die, and there’s a decent chance I’m about to die in this forest.

I hope I’m not doing this for nothing. I have no idea what condition Lill is in right now, and for all I know, she could’ve been dead for days. I sure as fuck hope not, but I have to be realistic that’s a genuine possibility.

If she’s not dead, I fully intend to force-feed her a copious amount of delysum before beating the shit out of her for not telling me anything useful about the faerie realm.

My movements slow as I approach the break in the wall. I can barely see the start of the trees, but there are no details.This is it. I suck in a slow breath and peer over my shoulder, ensuring no red lights are aimed in my direction, before crawling into the forest.

Embarrassing, terrified tears leak down my cheeks, but I ignore them as I weave through the trees. I do this for several minutes—until I’m sure I’m deep enough in the forest that I’m not at risk of being noticed by the guards on the other side of the wall.

This was easier than I thought it would be. Easier than it should’ve been.

The trees grow taller and denser the farther I travel, and I shove my hair out of my face as I finally rise to my feet. My knees and palms hurt from crawling over the rough terrain of the forest, but it’s nothing too serious.

I could pull out my flashlight, but that seems unnecessarily risky. The light will draw attention.

I can’t see anything, though. I need to wait out the morning. I need a place to hide.

I extend my arms, feeling around until my fingertips graze against the rough bark of a tree. It’s large, so wide that I can’t wrap my arms around it. I search for branches but come up empty-handed. There’s no climbing this.

I wander around, feeling several more trees before deciding that climbing is out of the question. The trees are too tall and too wide—too risky.

If I break a branch or fall, I’d surely be heard. Or hurt. Neither is a favorable outcome.

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