Page 37 of The Cursed Kingdom

I get low, careful not to trip on stones or roots. The moonlight isn’t bright enough to guide me, so I have to rely on my limited senses to navigate through the forest. After a few minutes of mindless bustling, I run into a fallen tree.

There are probably so many bugs eating away at this thing. Probably so many spiders.

I shiver, terrified, as I curl up against the tree's base. It’s not ideal, but at least my back is protected. I pull off my backpack and hug it to my chest, then pull my knife out of my leggings.

The forest is silent—unnervingly silent. There’s a near-constant low hum of nocturnal bugs, and occasionally, a breeze will rustle the leaves on the trees surrounding me, but that’s the extent of it. I’m not a fan.

I’m not sure how long I sit against the fallen tree, waiting for morning. My limbs grow stiff, but I resist the urge to stretch them out. The second I can see, I’m gone. Hours pass at a snail’s pace. It’s agonizing, and I don’t get a wink of sleep. I don’t try to. Not until I have a better idea of what I’ve gotten myself into.

Eventually, after what feels like an eternity, the sun crests over the horizon. My eyes are dry, and I nervously rub at them as I stretch out my achy legs and back. I’m in so much pain. Every muscle hurts, and I’m beyond exhausted.

I press my palms against the ground and push myself up. There’s a moment of fuzziness as my blood rushes from my head, and I drop my chin to my chest as I wait for it to pass. I haven’t been eating enough, and it’s catching up to me.

I’m hoping to be in and out of here, though.

My leggings are worn thin around the knees, probably due to all my late-night crawling. It wasn’t fun, but I hope this makes a good story to tell my children someday. I need to remain positive. I’ll lose my courage otherwise.

The sun has risen just enough that I can see my surroundings, and I take a moment to soak in the sight of the tall, dense trees surrounding me. They’d rival even the tallest ones in the human realm, and I suck my cheeks into my mouth as I place my hands against the nearest tree.

Its trunk is massive, with a thick, sturdy base that stretches so high, I can’t see its peak. The bark is rough and deeply grooved, and I slide my gloved fingers down it before turning to admire the wall peeking just above the foliage.

It’s dangerously close, reminding me of my urgency to get moving. I don’t know whether or not the faerie guards cross it, if they even patrol this area, and I’m not keen to find out.

Exhaustion weighs me down, but I ignore the pull to rest as I get to walking, heading away from the wall. I figure I’ll walk for an hour or two, just until the wall is out of sight and I’m not at risk of being spotted, before beginning my hunt for delysum.

Samuel mentioned that it grows wild out here, so I’m really hoping to stumble onto a patch of it. I’m not sure exactly what it looks like when it’s not dried out, but I know it’s purple and flowery.

If worse comes to worst, I’ll see if I can find a shifter who can help me. The faeries don’t like them, but Samuel said theymightbe friendly to humans. I’m willing to take that chance. I have to.

The thick magic flecks gradually vanish, the concentration growing thinner until I don’t detect them even when I’m searching. I was growing familiar with the near-constant specks, but it’s significantly easier to think without them blocking my vision.

I walk for a little over an hour before taking a seat on a waist-high stone and pulling some jerky out of my backpack. I’m starving, and I don’t waste time shoving several large pieces into my mouth. It’s not nearly enough, and I groan as I wash it down with a few swigs of water.

I poured in two of my hydration packs, and it ruined the taste. If it keeps me moving, though, I don’t care.

My package of nuts taunts me, but I’ll save it for another time—another meal. I need to be careful with my food, especially out here. If I run out, there’s nobody around to beg for more.

I inspect my knees while chewing, annoyed with how thin the material of my leggings has grown. These were expensive, but they’re already several years old. I should’ve bought a new pair for the trip.

I’m just zipping up my bag when I hear a noise, and I immediately drop to the ground.Something’s out here. There’s a loud crunch, maybe a footstep. It’s coming from behind me, and I slink behind the rock I was sitting on just seconds ago.

There’s another crunch, followed immediately by another. I’m not going to draw attention to myself by looking for the source. It’s a person. It has to be.

I hold my breath, my heart pounding as they grow louder.Closer.

Is it a guard? Did somebody see me sneak in here last night and is now coming to drag me back out? Have I broken the law? Are they going to find Lill? This was a stupid idea.

I swallow past the lump in my throat.

There’s only one set of footsteps.I think. The crunching of leaves grows louder, and sweat pours down my temples as I realize the person is close to the stone I’m hiding behind.

Do they know I’m here? I assume not.

The crunching gets closer, finally peaking what sounds like just a few steps on the other side of the stone I’m hiding behind. My hands shake, and they continue to do so even as the person walks past.

They keep moving.

I remain painfully still, not moving a single muscle. Even blinking feels dangerous, and only once I can no longer hear footfalls do I work up the courage to look, carefully peeking out from behind the stone.

---