Page 70 of Wilds of Wonder
“I’ve only escaped once, and it was in my wolf form.” Aron scratched his jaw. “Like I said, I don’t remember how I got out. According to El, I left one month ago. She looked everywhere for me, couldn’t find me. I have very few memories of my time in Fyriad.”
“So you don’t remember the bolt?” I asked.
Aron’s brows drew together. “The bolt?” he echoed.
My heart sank, and Maverick met my gaze with a sympathetic smile. I didn’t want to reveal too much to these strangers. Didn’t want them to know Spirit Sky’s bolt was somewhere in the Wilds. They’d saved us, but that didn’t mean they could be trusted with such important information.
“Never mind,” I said quickly.
“So we’re stuck here.” Driscoll used a small bone to pick his teeth. “Perfect.”
“No.” I leaned back on my hands. “We will find a way out. We’ll go to the library like we planned, and we will read every book we find if that’s what it takes.”
El signed something, a questioning look in her eyes.
“She wants to know what library you’re referring to,” Aron said.
“The Library of Astrias,” I said. “The most famous library in Arathia. I know it’s likely been razed to the ground, but there must be something left that can help us.”
El’s face darkened as she made a series of quick hand gestures.
“It’s too dangerous.” Aron watched El, translating. “If you want to lose your life, go for it. But I will have no part of it. I haven’t stayed alive this long just to die on some foolish mission.”
“So you’d rather just stay here and do nothing?” I shot back, temper flaring as El and I glared at each other. “What is the point of being alive if you’re not even living? You’re just surviving.” I gestured around us. “This isn’t a life.”
Her jaw locked, and she stood abruptly, flipping her wild black hair over her shoulder and stomping away.
I slumped back. “I’m sorry,” I said to Aron. “I shouldn’t have lost my temper like that.”
“She has many wounds she hasn’t yet healed from. She’s lost her whole family, her whole life ripped from her in a single moment. It’s not an easy thing to move on from.”
“What about you?” Driscoll asked.
Aron shrugged one shoulder. “There’s not much more to add than what I’ve already told you.” He stood. “I’ll find El and talk to her. It might be best to travel with us back to our home. You can get the supplies you need before you leave for your journey to the library. Or wherever you need to go. But for now, you should rest. You all look tired.”
That was an understatement. I could sleep for three days straight and still not be well-rested.
“We’ll be safe here?” Maverick asked, an eyebrow raised.
“Ah.” Aron’s eyes lit with understanding. “This forest is dangerous but only during the day. The trees sleep at night, so as long as we leave before morning, we’ll be okay.” He pointed upward. “The stars tell us what time of day it is by their movement. We’re well-accustomed to using them as our guide.” He nodded and disappeared into the dark, leaving the rest of us once again lost in thought, not sure what to make of our new companions or their revelations.
Chapter Thirty-Four
EMORY
Isank down into the silver-hued water that was surrounded by small boulders. Steam curled into the air, and I moaned. I actually moaned out loud. It had been over a week since I’d had a proper bath, let alone a hot one.
Aron had eventually returned with El, who seemed in better spirits. Such good spirits that she’d told me about some hot springs in the forest that were a safe and private place to bathe.
She’d probably been able to smell me from across the fire. I’d planned to wait until everyone was asleep to slip away, but Aron and Driscoll had stayed up later than I anticipated, both of them huddled together, Driscoll entertaining Aron with gossip that Aron seemed genuinely interested in. He asked actual follow-up questions. He also got Driscoll to open up about himself. I’d learned that Driscoll had four siblings. Four. I thought he was an only child. Aron had this calm presence that balanced Driscoll’s chaotic one.
They’d still been chatting when I snuck away and followed El’s directions, half worried the queen of hearts was leading me astray.
Now those worries melted away as I lay back in the water, hairfloating around me, another moan escaping my mouth as the heat of it soothed my aches and pains, my creaky joints.
As tired as I was, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to sleep anyway. Not after learning so much about the Wilds, about all these creatures here. So they’d once been survivors who somehow transformed into something else. It was almost like they’d been given another chance at life, but in these monstrous forms, I wasn’t sure what kind of life that might be.
I also wondered if the other courts had any idea about what truly lay in these Wilds. The frost queen had proclaimed there was nothing left here but death and destruction. How had she missed all of this? Missed the survivors like El and Aron?
