Page 67 of The Last One
Through the darkness, a whispered prayer.
In this realm, they tread with care.
Across the woods and murky streams,
She navigates soft elusive dreams.
Visions ride the sighing breeze
As danger prowls through ancient trees.
Hear the hauntingthis night,
A haunting note, this dreadful plight.
Doors stay fastened, no working key,
No return, gods do decree.
The shadows dance—the shadows sway
This legend fights, caught in the fray.
A silken web, this danger tight,
Her fate entwines with coming night.
Through darkest caves and forests wide,
She battles fears from every side.
The realms, they know her valiant heart,
She is danger, a poisoned dart.
Hear the haunting notes this night,
A haunting note, this dreadful plight.
Foes chase shadows, vault over walls.
Down dark roads and down dark halls.
As music fades, a light remains,
A spark of hope shoots through her veins.
This wicked night, she finds her way—
But hope eludes her, truth stays gray.
—An Elegy by Veril Bairnell the Sapient
17
Leaving Maford behind is a gift, not a loss, and I allow hope to rise unchecked for the first time since I landed in this dismal place. Battling fire-breathing flies, razor-toothed creatures, three monstrous men, and a giant snake has kept me shallow-breathed. But I believe that one day soon—and maybe with the man riding beside me—I’ll be able to breathe deeply without having to scream, fight, or curse.
I shift in the saddle of one of the three horses given to us by Zinnia Gery. “So, Jadon, anything exciting happening in your life?”
