Page 34 of Of Blood & Stone

He took off his ring and placed it inside his chest pocket.

“Kharis,” Elnok whispered, raising his blade.

But the warrior didn’t budge. Elnok looked through the trees again, the golden glow shimmering through the branches. He strained his eyes as he stood, moving closer. Yellow light burned brighter as he brushed a branch to the side.

In the distance, through the brush, a golden light pulsed. Elnok strained his eyes. The light condensed, giving way to a shape. A tree. But this tree was different from the rest. It wasn’t thin and sharp, but lush and full, the light streaming up and down its bark and spilling into the leaves.

It couldn’t be.

Could it?

“Kharis,” Elnok said louder, “Kharis, do you see this? Is this the goddess’ tree we’re trying to fi?—?”

All at once, it disappeared.

Elnok blinked his eyes multiple times. He swore he’d seen a glowing tree, had no doubt in his mind; and yet, only darkness stood in its place. He stepped forward, but instead of dirt meeting the bottom of his boots, a loud crunch sounded instead.

Air rushed past him as the warrior suddenly stood by his side, body glowing and weapon raised. The light reflected something large, clear, and shiny.

“Serpentum skin,” Kharis whispered as he cut his sword through the translucent material. “Only a day old by the looks of it. Best we not wait around to find out.”

Elnok didn’t argue, any sleep that had held in his eyes gone as they no longer walked, but ran through the trees.

“Fuck,” Kharis said as he held out his arm, stopping Elnok.

“The serpentum?” Elnok questioned, his heart beating fast.

“No, thank Aretta herself,” Kharis replied. “But we’re not alone anymore.”

Elnok followed his gaze, gulping as something thin and glossy shimmered against the light of their blades.

Webs.

“We need to hurry,” Kharis whispered.

Elnok followed his swift movements as they changed direction.

“Arachnis are tricky,” Kharis explained as they jumped between black thickets, the mist swirling as their legs pounded through the darkness. “Their venom’s slow-working but fatal. And where there is one, there are many not far behind.”

Elnok’s breaths came up short. He’d fought some of the most gruesome of thieves and most tactful of guards, but when it came to monsters, he felt small—useless.

Like he was already buried in the ground.

“They can move in and out of sight,” Kharis continued as Elnok ran faster, hopping over dead branches and pushing through sharp thorns that pricked his face. “It’s not due to swiftness, as they’re rather slow creatures, but they’re able to render themselves invisible.”

Elnok stopped running. Kharis grunted as he caught himself against a tree trunk.

“Invisible?” Elnok repeated.

Kharis panted as he replied, “Only a single moment, but it’s just enough to throw off its attacker… or its prey.”

Elnok laughed hysterically, his body shaking. “Am I a joke to you?”

Before Kharis could respond, a high-pitched shriek from somewhere close behind pierced Elnok’s ears.

“Come on!” Kharis shouted as he grabbed Elnok’s arm, pulling him forward with a force that almost sent him into the ground.

Elnok sprinted. Arms pumping, legs pushing, heart crashing into his lungs as he stayed in step with Kharis as best he could. More shrieks filled the air, branches and twigs breaking all around them, trees shaking, the air’s rotten stench mixing with something sweet.

---