Page 65 of Of Blood & Stone

Sylzenya explained everything, including her lack of a cure and the High One’s choice to withhold it. She shared nothing about the gold ring turning to blood or the bird being killed by a claw of twigs. She still didn’t know what either events meant, and she feared them most of all.

“And if we’re going to find the compass,” Sylzenya continued, “we need to know which tree it’s in. I think if a Kreena can touch the trees and usher Aretta’s power, they might be able to tell if it’s located in that tree or not.”

Silence stretched taut between them.

“I’ll be candid with you,” Nyla stated. “You need to tell the High One about the vision.”

Sylzenya’s stomach dropped. “I tried, Nyla, but he told me Aretta’s Willow was only a myth.”

“And he’s probably right.”

“He’s seen it.” Sylzenya pointed to Elnok.

“More than likely a trick of the eye,” he replied.

Her eyes widened as she turned to him, anger welling inside her chest. “What? But you told me?—”

“See, even he understands the situation.” Nyla looked to Elnok. “My apologies, Prince Elnok. She had one of the worst things possible happen to her the other day, so I would take these words of hers with a grain of salt.”

“Nyla!”

“Sylzenya, you’re not acting like yourself right now and you know it,” she replied, “If the High One isn’t giving you a cure right now, then we should trust that choice. And this quest for Aretta’s Willow… the vision…” Her friend sighed, “You lost so much blood when you used the roots.”

Fingers digging into her robe’s fabric, Sylzenya said, “You think I hallucinated? Made it all up in my head?”

Nyla gave her a look that sent her blood boiling—a look of pity.

Elnok stepped to Sylzenya’s side. “I know I’ve given Sylzenya quite the task since my foolish entrance yesterday. She wished to seek your counsel, and it seems she’s received her answer.”

Her breath caught as his hand touched her lower back, tracing circles, causing her skin to pimple and face to flush, her anger growing as she turned to tell him to back away?—

She paused. He wasn’t tracing circles.

It was a message.

S-T-O-P.

He didn’t look at her, keeping his focus on Nyla, continuing to trace the letters over and over again.

“Right, Sylzenya?” he asked.

Realization draped over her like her heavy green cloak. Nyla, her best friend, the person she told everything to, had lived through some of her harshest of days and experienced the brightest of moments with… couldn’t be trusted.

“Tell the High One, Sylzenya. Promise me?” Nyla pleaded.

Ever since her Kreena Rite, nothing was the same. This damned poison in her veins changedeverything.She wasn’t sure how much more loss she could manage.

Turning to her friend, she offered a feigned smile, an act she knew so well, but never did she use it with Nyla.

“You’re right,” Sylzenya finally said.

Elnok stopped his tracing.

Sylzenya continued, “But please, let me be the one to tell him? It wouldn’t look well for me if you did it in my place. I’d much rather face it straight on, as I know I should.”

Nyla’s dipped brows relaxed, her thinned mouth curving into a warm grin. “Of course.”

“Thanks,” Sylzenya said, her spit thickening as she fought back the choke in her throat. “I always know I can speak to you about anything.”

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