The King of Frost and Shadows (Fated To Darkness Book 1) by Jen L. Grey

Author:Jen L. Grey [Grey, Jen L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grey Valor Publishing, LLC
Published: 2024-08-02T00:00:00+00:00

16

LIRA

Each breath burned my lungs, and my legs quivered like Jell-O. The same tightening sensation I had during my nightmares dominated my body.

I needed to get out of here. If the gas was causing this reaction, it would get worse the longer I stayed in it.

Gritting my teeth, I forced my legs to move, and I could’ve sworn I was treading in water with the air resisting like waves and holding me back. But this wasn’t comforting like water. This was me struggling to control my own body.

When my right foot touched the ground and I put weight on it, I crumpled. I landed with a thud, dropping the quiver of arrows as pieces of rock and dirt flew into my eyes.

I sucked in a breath, trying to get my bearings, and my lungs caught fire. The pain intensified so that even shallow breaths hurt. Images of dark shadows crept into my mind.

My body tensed, and my heart rate skyrocketed. I searched for signs of Eldrin hiding in the shadows. I didn’t doubt he’d use the gas to blend in and attack me, even in front of an audience. With the ruthlessness of the Unseelie fae, I suspected the others would urge him on.

The gas thickened, and I couldn’t see my hands in front of me. My lungs stopped expanding, and everything inside felt as if it were on fire. This was worse than any nightmare I’d ever had. If Eldrin wanted to attack me, I’d never see him coming.

Remaining here wasn’t an option. I could die if I didn’t find a way out of the gas.

Not wanting to leave empty-handed, I clutched the slingshot and felt around for the quiver of arrows. My hand touched only rock and dirt until something pricked my finger.

The tip of an arrow.

My finger stung, but I followed the neck to the smooth quiver. Securing the shoulder strap, I slowly pulled it around my shoulder. I had to go.

My head pounded, and nausea added itself to my ever-growing list of problems. I was running out of time.

With darkness engulfing me, I closed my eyes. There was no point in keeping them open. Each time I blinked, they throbbed worse.

I concentrated on moving my hands and feet forward. The gas was coming from behind me and blowing toward the platform. I needed to head back past the icy rock and the axe gauntlet … the very things I’d been trying to avoid.

Despite moving at a crawl, I felt like I’d run a fucking marathon. All I wanted was to wake up from this horrible nightmare and find myself back home.

The urge to lie down and never move again surged through me. Maybe that was the point of the gas—to see if we’d give up and die. But I’d never been a quitter, and I sure as hell wouldn’t start now with all these people eager for me to do just that.

My irritated eyes watered, tears dripping down my face. Any other time, I’d hate looking

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