Rise of a Warrior (Blade Of Ice Book 1) by Jessica Wayne

Author:Jessica Wayne [Wayne, Jessica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: B.A.D. Publishing, LLC
Published: 2023-04-24T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Carleah

“Will you tell me what’s in there?” I ask as I stare at the Phantom shimmering directly in front of us. Fort reaches into his pack and pulls a long cord of rope.

“Nothing,” he replies. “But the danger is real enough.”

“Can you truly see nothing?”

Fort secures one side of the rope to my mare’s reins. “Nothing.”

“How long does it take to cross?”

“I was in there for a week.”

“A week?” I choke out. “Of not being able to see anything? You were so young!”

His gaze levels on mine. “It is important that you decide now if you want to turn back. We can hide, try to find our own people to fight. Wait for a supply ship, anything else.”

“We don’t have time to do that,” I remind him. “Even losing a week in there—” I swallow hard as I look into the thick fog barrier before us. “We will arrive before the ship would.”

“This presents more of a risk. Especially once we reach Nemoregno.”

“The Cerulean Seas are not safe, either,” I say.

“Pirates do not stray this close to the coast,” he insists.

I reach out and touch the side of his face. His stubble scrapes against my finger, and even as I try to avoid the shiver that runs through my body, I cannot. Especially when he reaches up and covers my hand with his.

“We will survive this,” I tell him.

“Should anything happen and we get separated, you run, Carleah. Understand?”

“If you’re asking me to leave you, I won’t.”

Fort shakes his head. “You need to.”

“No. If we die, we die together.”

“You are the future of Navalis.”

“And I don’t want it if it means losing you, too.”

He steps closer and rests his forehead against mine. “Please promise me that you will run. You vowed to bring those people to safety.”

“I will not leave you behind, Fort. Not even to save my own life.”

Fort pulls back, wearing a harsh expression on his face as he secures the rope to his horse’s saddle. “It will be easier if we ride together.”

“Okay.” The thought of him pressed against me when I can see nothing brings me a tinge of relief. Because, for some reason, knowing Fort is there gives me confidence that we’re going to make it through.

He’s become my lifeline in the midst of death.

My hope when all feels downright hopeless.

I stare at the Phantom. It moves like thick mist, coating the ground and disappearing up into the sky as far as I can see. Every muscle in my body is tense as I consider again what it means to cross it. I will be leaving Navalis behind and entering a realm full of people who breed their women and slaughter for sport.

“Are you—”

I whirl and throw myself at him, flinging both arms around his neck and slamming my mouth to his. Fort’s mouth is feverish on mine as he wraps one arm around my body and snakes the other up to the back of my neck.

He pins me to him, kissing me as though his very breath depends on it.

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