Page 60 of Once the Skies Fade

“Exactly my point. It’s up to you though. You’re welcome to take on all the demon plants by yourself if you want.”

He jerked his head around one way and then the other, almost stumbling over his own feet as he went. “Nah. I’ll stick with you, I guess. But let’s hurry up and find our medallions.”

“And then try to stay alive long enough to get them back to the castle,” I added, barely hiding my laugh when his face fell.

We walked on, and I had to admit, having an extra pair of eyes did help, allowing us to move faster through the ferns and around the trees. He watched the ground while I scanned the trees, hunting for any sign of gold anywhere.

“What in the…” Oryn mumbled. I pivoted around. He was staring down at the base of an old tree with gnarled roots that jutted out of the ground in various places. He pointed a shaky hand at the tree. “Do you see this?”

I leaned closer, periodically looking about to ensure the forest wasn’t about to ambush us. “We can’t stand still for too?—”

My mouth went dry, hanging open, unable to say the final word of my warning. Tucked in among the tree’s roots, a skull stared up at us with gaping holes where eyes had once been, its jaw hung open at a grotesque angle, as if silently screaming. Not far away, a hand—well, what was left of it anyway—twisted up from between two other roots that had grown close together.

“It’s as if…” Oryn started.

“The tree ate them,” I finished his thought for him.

Slowly he turned to face me. “Don’t let me get eaten.”

“I’ll try,” I said, shrugging off the tingle that rose up my back, but the sensation didn’t go away. As if suddenly remembering where I was, I spun around and swung my arm straight into one of the thickest vines I’d seen, so large my strike didn’t budge it at all. It continued to track its way over my shoulder ,moving slowly, like it thought I wouldn’t notice.

Dumb plant.

Dropping into a crouch, I escaped the exploring vine only to find more slinking toward me along the forest floor.

“We need to get out of here,” I said, but as I tried to scramble away, my hand slipped off the root, right onto the dead guy’s bony face. Hastily I jerked back, but my sleeve had caught on one of the teeth, ripping the lower jaw away. Tearing it loose, I went to return it back to its resting place when I noticed something lodged in his mouth.

Grimacing, I slipped my hand inside, my fingers fumbling around until they wrapped around something cold and delicate. Lifting it up, I stared at the black vial now dangling from my fingers. I could have kissed that poor dead face, because while it might not be the medallion we needed to win, this would certainly help.

I scrambled over the roots and nearly tripped as I rounded the tree. Oryn, bent over, worked to catch his breath. Slipping the gold chain over my head, I was about to hold the vial outfor him to see when I stopped, rethought that plan, and tucked it into my collar. He might be an ally, but he was still my competition. I had no problem keeping him alive—and would do it again as often as I could—but I had no idea if he’d show me the same courtesy.

Guilt soured my gut, twisting my insides uncomfortably with my selfishness. I couldn’t share the vial with him, and I couldn’t afford to fail this trial. I’d just need to do my best to keep the male alive by any other means.

Grabbing his arm, I gently pulled him upright.

“We can’t stand still for too long, and we certainly can’t sit or lie down to rest at all. Unless we want to end up their breakfast.” I dragged him away from the tree and urged him forward.

As we marched on, deeper into the forest, I noticed that for the first time since I’d entered, the woods didn’t pay any attention to me. Vines still crept slowly toward Oryn as he passed them by, but on my side the forest appeared to be like any other boring wood.

Chapter 29

Calla

Easy there, Killer.”

“Thanks for the dance, Killer.”

Killer.

Killer.

Killer.

All night Matthias’s words haunted my sleep, echoing over and over as my mind replayed the same images: Brennan taking his last breath, the humans whispering that I’d killed him, and my shadows—no, me—ripping them apart, strangling the life from all who had defied my laws—laws intended to protect them.

And now I was sending a dozen males into a forest designed to kill them.

I had killed, yes, and I would kill again before death claimed me. The Olanders would pay for taking Brennan from me.

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