Stairs of the Gods by Leah R Cutter

Author:Leah R Cutter
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781644703380
Publisher: Knotted Road Press

20

Tanelith knew that the first step would be the hardest. But she was determined to move, and keep moving.

They stepped from the grove they were in to a tree not too far away, directly south of where they’d been.

Her head pounded and dots swam in front of her eyes. Her mostly empty stomach clenched and knotted. She forced herself to take a deep breath, swallow, then nod at Vyncis.

They stepped again.

This time, Tanelith felt her throat closing up on her. She gasped, drawing air in. She was sweating hard, as if she’d run the entire distance.

“Keep going,” she directed Vyncis.

He looked concerned, but they stepped again.

The next few steps weren’t any easier, but luckily, they weren’t any more difficult, either. Tanelith found she could suffer through the pain and dizziness.

There were worse things, after all. Like wearing a blood metal collar.

They kept traveling in a fairly straight line, due south. Tanelith panted at each stop, her head swimming, her legs and arms shaking. The edges of her sight darkened, as if she was looking through a tunnel. The bottom of her stomach felt hollow and hard, as if she’d swallowed a huge bubble.

She was afraid that when that bubble burst, she’d vomit all of her insides out.

They kept going, Tanelith determined to endure.

Until finally, she tried to take a step and fell flat on her face, unable to go on anymore.

“Hide yourself,” Vyncis said through gritted teeth. “Hide!”

Tanelith managed to keep her groan to herself as she rolled over onto her side, dragging a shadow over her body like a cold, wet blanket.

She gulped the air as though a bag had just been removed from her head. Her sweat cooled as her heart slowed, though it took a while. Where were they? Where was Vyncis?

Groggily, Tanelith sat up. At least she had the sense to keep her shadow wrapped tightly around her.

They had landed at the back of a grove of birch trees that faced a road.

A party of slavers stood on the other side of the road, taking a break.

Tanelith froze, horrified.

Were there slaves in those covered carts? She couldn’t tell from here. Couldn’t hear the whimpering of the women or the groans of the men.

Perhaps the lead slaver wasn’t as bad as Ugmas, who’d tortured them just so he could have his “music.”

Tanelith shuddered but stayed where she was, recovering from the ordeal of traveling as hard as they had. It had weakened her, tremendously. It would take quite a while before her hands stopped shaking and her insides settled down.

However, she also remembered traveling at the back of one of those carts, of being helpless and terrified. The blood metal draining away all magic, all hope.

Without making a sound, she mouthed the names of all those who had endured with her. Findelye. Indimal. Miryelle. She would never forget them. If she could, she would rescue them today from the places they were now enslaved.

She couldn’t save them all, though.

Even if she’d wanted to go and attack the carts in front of her, she had no strength left.

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