Page 74 of Storm of Shadows

“The two of us can take the right,” Caya says to Taria.

“All right,” I reply. “Natharius will stay with me and Zephyr. Let’s not wander too far from each other though, or Juron won’t be the only one lost.”

Caya and Taria start over to the trees to the right, scanning the foliage for any clues as to Juron’s whereabouts. Zephyr and I take the trees to the left, Natharius trailing behind us.

“My bet,” he says, once we’re out of earshot of Caya and Taria, “is that he’s already long dead.”

I whirl around to reprimand him, but there’s no amusement dancing in his crimson eyes—though it would be a stretch to say the Void Prince looks concerned. Mildly serious is more like it. “What makes you say that?”

“He doesn’t exactly look like the sharpest tool in the shed, does he?”

I shake my head at him and continue searching the area. I crouch and examine the grass and push aside brambles and branches, Zephyr helping me as best he can. Natharius follows us, standing behind as we search high and low for any sign of Juron. Though I’m not too happy about the fact that he isn’t assisting in our search, I’m grateful for his presence. Wandering through these woods with only Zephyr wouldn’t be much fun.

Just when I’m about to give up, Caya’s shout comes from the trees. I break into a run, my boots trampling over fallen twigs and Zephyr’s wings beating behind me. Natharius’s footsteps pound after us, though his pace doesn’t sound half as frantic as mine.

I find Caya and Taria staring down at a few footprints printed into a patch of mud. They glance over their shoulders as the three of us approach.

“Here,” Caya gasps, pointing at the trail. “He came this way!”

We waste no more words before following the trail of footprints, charging through the foliage like a hurricane. Caya draws her sword and slashes at the thickets in our way.

Juron’s tracks lead deep into the trees, and we must end up sprinting for at least half an hour, seeing how my chest burns. While Natharius and Caya show no sign of fatigue, Taria does, and I’m glad I’m not quite as unathletic as I fear.

The footprints soon end. The damp mud dries up and spreads into a patch of grass. Though a faint indentation of boots is pressed into the soft grass, determining which route Juron took through the trees is now difficult.

We stop and squint at the trees in the hope they’ll reveal some sign as to his whereabouts. But even after several minutes, none of us spots any clues.

We’ve strayed far from the main path through the forest now, and navigating ourselves through the Ghost Woods won’t be easy. If we spend hours, or even days, trying to find Juron, it’ll deal a costly blow to our quest to reach Gerazad before Arluin. But I can’t think like that. Juron is family to Caya and Taria. Even if he’s now an obstacle to my path to vengeance.

“What shall we do now?” I whisper when no one speaks. My words don’t inspire any words, though.

Caya grits her teeth, while Taria closes her eyes, seeming to briefly meditate upon our situation. Natharius, of course, says nothing and wears his usual bored expression.Even Zephyr seems to understand the graveness of our situation, since he doesn’t let out a squeak or pester me for aether crystals.

I heave out a sigh and start over to a nearby fallen tree trunk, deciding to give my body a moment to rest while we decide what to do next. But I only manage threes strides before stopping in my tracks.

A pale light flickers in the trees.

I frown and continue toward it, taking a large step as I walk over the fallen tree. The blue light dances in the shadows, shining brighter as I draw nearer. It lets out a tinkering which sounds like a thousand tiny wind chimes all singing at once.

Then it lets out a very different noise. One which sounds human.

“Reyna?” a woman calls.

I stop. The hairs along my spine shiver at the familiar voice.

“Reyna? Is that you?” the woman continues, her voice echoing through the trees. “Come over here so I can get a good look at how you’ve grown.”

The blue orb intensifies. Beneath its hazy glow, I can make out the shadowy silhouette of a woman. Her long hair sweeps through the breeze. I can’t distinguish any features beneath the brilliant light, but there’s no doubt as to whom the figure belongs.

“Mother,” I gasp, my throat constricting around the word. I stumble, almost tripping over fallen branches in my daze. She seems so close but with every step I take, she drifts away. “Please! Don’t go!”

Cool fingers close around my wrist, like ice on my skin.

I jolt and tear my gaze away from the blue light to see Natharius staring down at me. I can barely tell that his crimson eyes are narrowed. His silver hair and alabaster face are blurred.

Zephyr hovers behind him, peering at me. He must be very concerned for my wellbeing if he’s willing to venture so close to the Void Prince.

I blink several times, rubbing my eyes with my free hand. Maybe staring into the blue light for too long has affected my vision. “Let go.” The Void Prince has no choice but to obey the command. “My mother, she—”

---