From Crown to Blade (Crown & Blade Book 1) by JH Dark

Author:JH Dark [Dark, JH]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-07-20T16:00:00+00:00

32

Not long after leaving the farm, Nayeli and Kal crossed the border into Thenion Clefts. The shift in the landscape wasn’t hard to miss, but it was the different energy, the different current in the air, in the wind, that made Nayeli tense.

Here, the road ended and became a wide worn path. The subtle wind was dry and warm, the sun was almost scorching, and there wasn’t one drop of water in sight.

Nayeli was in foreign territory with a soldier she barely knew. With each step, she was farther and farther from home. From her family. From Naomi.

When the searing sun began to descend, Nayeli and Kal stirred off the road and set up camp between two walls of tall rocks, parts of the canyons and clefts that made up the landscape.

“There isn’t one forsaken piece of firewood in this land,” Nayeli complained, pacing between their spread blankets.

“Good thing we have blankets,” Kal chipped in. Nayeli walked another circuit, counting each step she took. He sighed. “Talk to me.”

That caught Nayeli’s attention. She halted and frowned at him. “What?”

“Talk to me,” he repeated. He was calm. Composed. “Something is bothering you and it might help if you tell me.”

“It’s okay. I can handle it.”

“But I can’t.” She stared at him again, confused. “Look, we have two more weeks of travel—together. Every day, and every second of everyday. You’re already getting on my nerves. If you don’t vent, you’ll only get grumpier and more restless, and I won’t be responsible for having to tackle you, or drag you to the nearest tavern, so I can fill you up on ale, until you faint and I can get a good night sleep.”

She rolled her eyes. So dramatic.

Finally, she plopped down on her blanket and stared at an empty spot between them, as if she was staring at the fire that was supposed to be there.

“I would like to know how things are back at the castle,” she finally said.

“Worried about your sister?”

She nodded. “The arrow that the masked man shot at her was drenched in poison. From Mist Isle. A rare and strong one that acts fast. It’s traveling through her system and it’ll eventually reach her heart. The healer promised to keep her alive for three weeks.” Which meant she had only two more weeks left. “He also said the main ingredient for an antidote is the blood of the shadowland’s protectors.”

He gaped at her. “What? That’s … impossible. How are you going to get that?”

She shrugged. “I’ll convince the shadowland’s queen to summon the protectors and give me some of their blood.”

“That’s …” He shut his mouth and a knot appeared between his brows. “Wait. You said the healer will keep Princess Naomi alive for three weeks. We can’t get to Mist Isle and back in three weeks. Besides, we’re taking a longer route.”

“We’re taking a short cut.” She hoped her father was right about that, otherwise she would fail.

“What do you mean?”

She pressed her lips together, wondering if she could trust him with that information.

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