Page 22 of Cursed Dreams
She had worked tirelessly to get here,earnedher place through relentless study and dedication. The thought that anyone might see her as receivingpreferential treatmentbecause of a single conversation, or worse, adance,made her stomach churn.
She opened her mouth, ready to argue, but before she could, Nyla scoffed.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said, crossing her arms. “Vaelith doesn’tfavouranyone. The exams wereproficient.Thaliaearnedher place just like the rest of us.”
Thalia shot Nyla a grateful glance, but Roina only smirked, lifting a hand in mock surrender. “Relax, it was just an observation.”
“More like areach,” Nyla muttered under her breath.
Cellen, ever the instigator, grinned as he swung himself into the carriage. “Honestly, I don’t see the problem. If Thalia wants to get her kicks where she can, who are we to judge? And Vaelith is dishy, I would”
Roina rolled her eyes, but Lina giggled.
Thalia groaned. “For the last time,nothing happened!”
Cellen threw her an exaggerated wink. “Ofcourseit didn’t.”
Thalia smacked his arm as she climbed into the carriage, but despite her irritation, she was grateful for his ability to defuse tension so easily.
As the carriage began to move, Thalia exhaled slowly, turning to stare out the window.
The landscape was changing.
Rolling hills stretched far into the horizon, the trees denser, the air taking on an almostchargedquality. They were getting closer to the border between the human realm and the Fae lands.
The towering oaks lining the road had roots so thick they seemed to pulse beneath the earth. The air smelled richer, fresher, like rain and pine, even though there hadn’t been a storm in days.
Something about it made Thalia’s pulse quicken.
She had always been fascinated by stories of the humans, but she had also been raised to understand that their lands weredangerous.A place where fae were not entirely welcome.
Still, it wasn’t fear that twisted inside her. It wassomething else.
She frowned, gripping the fabric of her skirt.
Vaelith’s kindness the night before had been unexpected, even... comforting.
Yet now there were whispers of favouritism?
Absolutely not.
She would not allow her name to be muddied before she evenarrivedat the temple in Vertrose. She had spent her whole life dreaming of this, working for this becoming a healer, of making something of herself beyond the small village she came from.
She wouldn’t let anyone take that from her.
With silent resolve, she decided then and there, she would avoid Vaelith.
No matter how strangely drawn to him she felt, no matter how many times he appeared just when she needed him, she couldn’t let herself be distracted.
He was not her friend.
He was not her saviour.
He was simply an obstacle she would navigate around.
And so, as the carriage rumbled forward, drawing ever closer to the unseen border of the Fae lands, Thalia forced herself to focus on the road ahead, ignoring entirely the way her fears and worries had settled at Vaelith’s kind words the night before.
The carriage lurched violently, sending Thalia and the others tumbling into one another as a loudcrackechoed through the air. The sudden jolt knocked the breath from her lungs, and she barely managed to grab onto the side of the carriage to steady herself.
