Page 23 of Draekora

“That’s right, Alex,” the female Meyarin said. “Now, onto food.”

She reached into her cloak and pulled out a handful of what looked to be uniquely shaped nuts and coloured fruits. Having not had any breakfast, Alex’s stomach grumbled at the sight of the Meyarin food and she reached forward, but Kyia snapped her fingers closed around them.

“They look appetising, don’t they?” When Alex nodded, Kyia continued, “They probably taste as good as they look, but if you eat them, they’ll also be the last thing you ever consume.”

Alex jerked back. “What?”

“The Silverwood is home to many dangers, Alex, not the least of which is a hungry stomach,” Zain told her. “There’s a reason why the endurance stage of thevarrungardtrial takes place out here.”

Wishing she had taken a doggy bag from dinner, Alex lamented, “So you’re saying I have to go hungry for the next two days?”

Kyia shook her head. “If we had more time, I’d be able to teach you the difference between safe and poisonous berries, if nothing else. But we don’t have long enough for you to learn anything with the confidence needed to take appropriate risks. However, allZeltorainitiates know the basics of woodland survival before they embark on thevarrungard, so I don’t believe it’s fair for you to go in blindly unprepared, especially considering you haven’t grown up in these forests.”

The Meyarin dropped her lethal handful to the ground and glanced around the snow-covered clearing where they’d landed, her eyes searching for something. When she found what she was after, Kyia motioned for Alex to follow her over to a large tree. Like the rest of the surrounding forest, the tree had shimmering charcoal leaves and a shining silver trunk, with roots spread across the snowy ground.

“You’ll find thatlaendragrows in abundance in these parts of the forest,” Kyia said, pointing to a batch of flowers nestled between the upraised roots of the tree. “As you experienced yesterday, it’s primarily used for healing purposes. But it can also be substituted for nourishment over short periods of time.” She plucked one flower up by the stem and handed it to Alex. “Eat. It will quench your hunger and strengthen you for the day.”

Alex looked at the flower in her hands. As silver as the drink version she’d downed the day before, the flower itself glowed from within, almost pulsating with life. It was so beautiful that she almost felt sad that Kyia had ripped it up, but she could see that the Meyarin spoke true about its abundance. Now that Alex knew what to look for, she spotted thelaendragrowing at the bases of trees all around them.

Not sure how to go about eating a flower that was almost the size of her hand, she looked to Kyia for guidance.

“Peel the petals from the bulb and eat them one by one, crunch into the body like a piece of fruit, then chew on the stem.” Kyia shrugged. “That’s how I eat it, anyway.”

Alex followed her instructions, overwhelmed once more by the caramel-vanilla taste that danced on her tongue. After just a few petals, she was warmed from the inside out, feeling revitalised and ready to take on whatever thevarrungardmight throw at her.

“If you happen to become wounded for any reason,” Zain said, “cut open the bulb and spread the juice directly onto your injury. The healing will occur faster that way.”

Alex bit into the bulb just as he made his statement, seeing for herself just how juicy the body of the flower was. Silver liquid trickled down her fingers and onto the snow, leaving a glowing trail at her feet.

“I seriously love your food,” Alex said, now chewing the stem. “Everything tastes so good.”

“Wehavehad thousands of years of agricultural experience,” Zain said dryly. “You’d hope that’s enough time to get a few things right.”

Before Alex could respond, Roka blurred into the clearing.

“Sorry I’m late,” he said by way of greeting. “I must have slept in.”

He sent Alex an amused grin, fully aware that she hadn’t been afforded such a luxury.

“You’re lucky I just ate a magical flower and feel like I could stay awake for the next three hundred years,” she told him. “Otherwise I think I’d kick you right now.”

He chuckled lightly and turned to Kyia and Zain. “Is she ready?”

“Probably not,” Zain muttered under his breath, and Alex couldn’t help but agree.

Kyia sent Zain a warning look. “She’ll be fine.”

“Of course she will be,” Roka returned confidently. He looked at Alex. “You understand what you have to do?”

“Find my way back to Meya,” Alex recited. When they looked at her as if expecting more, she raised her eyebrows. “That’s all, right? Or have I missed something?”

Roka shook his head. “No, you’re perfectly correct. You just make it sound so… simple. But I suppose the first partisthat simple. It’s only when you reach the end of the journey that you’ll face some of the more challenging complications, when your energy is at its weakest after lasting through the endurance phase. But until then, you’re right: simple.” His smile was too innocent for Alex’s liking, and she pursed her lips in response as he finished, “You don’t have any questions?”

Alex scoffed. “Of course I do. Like, ‘Do I really have to do this?’ And, ‘Can’t I just jump back on theValispathwith you?’ Or how about, ‘Can I at least have my ComTCD back so I can GPS the quickest route out of this forest?’”

Her final question earned her confused stares so she sighed heavily and turned to Zain. “If D.C. or Bear call, make sure you remind them that I’m okay and not to worry.”

“I will, little human,” he said, patting his pocket where he’d placed her ComTCD after taking it from her, claiming it would be considered ‘cheating’. “But I did warn them you wouldn’t be in contact until you see them tomorrow evening.”

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