Page 116 of Of Blood & Stone

But his voice gave out. If he could curse, he would.

Sylzenya studied the compass for what had to be the hundredth time, her ash-colored hair a tangle of braids and flyaways. Her dark ocean eyes glared at the object, her jaw flexing as she shoved it back in her pocket.

“Are we close?” Elnok managed to choke out, the trees blurring as his vision swam in and out of focus.

“Yes.”

A lie. They both knew it, but it felt good to hear it anyways.

Elnok couldn’t help but think this tree had only been a trick of the eye, a trivial pursuit made for dreamers. But Sylzenya bet her life on it. If she believed that this tree existed and could save both Orym and the continent, then he would follow her. There was little choice to do otherwise, but even if there were, Elnok had a sense he would follow Sylzenya to the end of the world if she asked it of him.

“This way,” a familiar voice echoed amongst the trees, “I see drag marks. One of them is injured.”

Elnok’s stomach dropped.

“Kharis,” Sylzenya whispered as she lifted Elnok’s legs into her arms. Elnok felt her knees buckle as she did so, and he wished beyond anything he wasn’t so fucking useless.

She stumbled through branches and in between trees, twisting and turning, still heading east. Twigs and branches bit at Elnok’s face, but there was no pain, his entire face numb as he fought to keep his breaths even despite this newfound panic.

“There,” Elnok wheezed, pointing to a hollowed-out tree.

Sylzenya gave a quick nod and rushed for the crooked tree. Rot and mildew assaulted his senses as she squeezed them through the narrow opening. They quickly assessed the hiding place; small insects crawled up and down while black, tar-like mold layered the tree.

“Don’t touch any of this,” Sylzenya warned as she placed him back on his feet, “It could be just as poisonous as the arachni.”

Elnok grunted in affirmation.

Slowly, she guided his numb body to the ground He wished he could feel the warmth of her touch against his aching skin, but all he felt was the steady sharpening pain splicing through his veins. She cradled his head in her arms.

They were in total darkness together, their only sword now sheathed and losing its glow. The poison continued to push into his feet, his eyes, his mind.

“They’re somewhere nearby,” Kharis’ voice echoed from somewhere off in the distance, “Set up camp here and search. We need rest, and they couldn’t have gotten far.”

Fucking Kharis.

First he fell in love with his brother, and now he was hunting him. While he knew the man was under the influence of Distrathrus’ blood, it—his brother’s lover sent out to kill him—still felt all too real. He should never have trusted Kharis.

His thoughts were brought back as he felt Sylzenya’s body shake. Despite the feeling of daggers slicing into his skin, he managed to lace his fingers with hers. Her breath caught as she squeezed back.

By the gods themselves.

He needed her. He had needed her since the moment he met her outside the temple. Life had slowly grown colorless over the years, more so than he’d realized. Waking up, scrounging for food, thieving for other necessities, and then doing it all over again the next day. And while he loved his crew, loved Orym somuch he was willing to face an arachni and be poisoned to death, he’d never met someone who’d seen him so clearly as Sylzenya had.

There were parts of himself he’d always kept hidden, and yet she saw them; hewantedher to see them.

It comforted and terrified him.

“Syl,” he whispered, so low he wasn’t sure if she could hear him.

But he felt the lightest of touches on his jaw, running up his cheek, finding the lone tear that trailed down his face.

“It’s alright,” Sylzenya whispered back, “We’re going to get you to Aretta’s Willow. I need you to keep going. We’re so close.”

Elnok closed his eyes so tight another tear ran down his face.

“I already told you, you make a terrible liar.”

He felt her chest convulse as she replied, “I need you to stay strong.”

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