Trial of Thorns (Wicked Fae Book 1)

by Stacey Trombley

  “No,” she says softly. “You chose.”

  I close my eyes and suppress a shudder. Dammit, why does her voice affect me like that? She’s my enemy. I hate her. I’ve vowed to kill her. And even though she’s apparently my current ally, that’s still true.

  I’m going to kill her.

  “How are you feeling?” the male voice asks. I assume it’s the dwarf—the only other fae left in the trials, besides those who betrayed me.

  I touch my stomach again, firmer this time. “Miserable. It’ll take another day to heal properly.”

  “That’s it?” he asks. “We only gave you a blood loss potion.”

  Caelynn shakes her head. “He has healing abilities.”

  I nod. Only those from my court or the Glistening Court have these abilities. I am a fairly capable healer, though I don’t use the talent very often. I’m rusty, at best which means not only will it take me longer than it should, it will require more of my magic. Lack of practice means lack of efficiency.

  My father values battle powers more than healing, which he considers a maternal power. As in, too feminine.

  “I could heal it completely if I weren’t so drained and didn’t mind using all my magic in one go.”

  “Impressive.”

  I shrug. It’s not really.

  “Why did they turn on me?” I ask, running my fingers through my thick hair. Sand scatters onto my pants.

  Caelynn pauses, eyes darting toward the dwarf—Tyadin. “Apparently, someone wants you dead.”

  “Drake?” That’s the logical choice, but that wouldn’t be enough to turn Brielle.

  She pauses, looking down at her hands. “No. Someone more influential. Some political leader who would pay handsomely. They offered me a pardon if I helped.”

  My eyes narrow. “There are only two people able to do that,” I say. “The queen and my father.”

  Because the crime was committed against my court, it was up to my court to decide if and when the criminal would be pardoned. My father is the leader of my court, so he’d have that choice. The queen is the only person with the power to supersede him.

  “Drake said it was the queen, but I don’t know that I believe him,” Caelynn says.

  I nod. “I have no idea why the queen would want me dead. She has the ability to squash me in every way except physically. What could possibly threaten her so thoroughly that she’d want me dead?”

  “You father also seems unlikely,” Tyadin says. “Why have his own child killed?”

  I pull in a breath through my nose. “I wouldn’t be surprised,” I whisper.

  “Oh?” Caelynn asks.

  “He’s always hated me. I don’t know why. I suppose now I’m going to have to find out.”

  She doesn’t respond further, and I lie back on the hard stone. How had I slept so deeply in such discomfort? I stare up into the dark stone above, my mind still spinning through this new reality. It’s entirely changed.

  Friend is now enemy. Enemy is now friend—or ally at least.

  Why? Why would she save me? It doesn’t make sense.

  I close my eyes, and an image floats through my mind—of a young version of the woman with me now. She had one request in that vision.

  Call me by my name before you kill me.

  Caelynn

  We rise with the sun, pack up, and head out without one word spoken between us.

  Most awkward alliance ever. We climb the highest point we could conceivably complete in a day because the clue at the well told us to reach a high point and look for a blue clue in the south for further instruction. Apparently, climbing and finding the next instruction is our second task. Simple and fairly easy. So long as we find it by the time the sun sets, we are good for the day.

  The only thing we have to worry about today is basic survival—including avoiding our enemy foursome who are certainly hunting us as we speak.

  We climb for hours without a word spoken, each using our own supplies. Our chosen mountain is a plateau with a steep but well-worn path up to the summit. We could take shortcuts up the sharp face of the mountain, but considering the amount of time we have in the day and Rev’s injury, we’ve decided to take it easy. Or, at least no one has voiced otherwise.

  Rev never looks me in the eye.

  He never says a word to me.

  We silently work together to complete our simple task; for the moment, content with our protection by sheer numbers. We edge across a narrow ledge and sweat pools over Rev’s brows.

  “Are you alright?” I ask him calmly.

  He scrunches up his nose like he’s disgusted I’d even speak to him. “Fine,” he says through gritted teeth.

  I raise my hands in surrender, and he rolls his eyes. Yeah, should’ve seen this kind of reaction coming. What did I expect? He’d all of a sudden swoon over me since I saved his ass?

  Nope, I’m still his brother’s murderer. I need to remember who I am—to him, the others, all of the fae world, even to Tyadin.

  I will die one day and rise as a wraith, destined to haunt the Schorchedlands for eternity—all for one mistake. One decision that I can’t take back.

  I’ve come to terms with my past and my future that can’t change. Even if Rev were to treat me as an equal. Even if he could forgive me—not happening—it wouldn’t change anything else.

  I need to win to change my legacy, but my future will still remain.

  A raven flies overheard, squawking as it goes. “What is with that black bird?” Rev says, annoyance clear in his voice.

  “It’s a bird. Nothing to be concerned with.”

  “Right,” Rev says, his tone implying he’s not convinced.

  I swallow.

  Rev’s foot slips, sending a scattering of rubble down the side of the mountain. Without thinking, I reach forward and grip his forearm to steady him. He rips his arm away with a growl. “Don’t touch me,”

  I wince. Tyadin meets my eye but looks away quickly.

  “Then get moving,” I say, not bothering to hide the acid in my tone.

  “I am.” He takes another slow step. Annoyance stirs in my gut.

  “The others may have seen the disturbance,” I say, voice still edged with stress. Presumably, the fae I knocked out yesterday will have revived and are out for blood more than ever before. “We don’t want them to find us.”

  “I’m not an idiot,” he seethes, and I swallow.

  “No, you’re just holding us back with your stubbornness.”

  “I hold no one back.” His feet shuffle more quickly over the edge.

  We finally reach the end of the narrow ledge and continue farther up the mountain side. Rev still grumbles beneath his breath.

  I march past him and begin an all-out climb up the uneven mountain face. The path is long and winding, and I’m out of patience. Rev and Tyadin can meet me at the top.

  Tyadin stops to watch me take the challenging climb, his hands on his hips. “I doubt that’s actually a good idea, Cae.”

  “Why not? Rev thinks he can do anything I can, injured or not.”

  I hear him grunt far below. I don’t know how much he’s healed himself already. His injury was potentially fatal without medical attention. The potion we gave him was a mere temporary fix. Some healers are able to heal even fatal injuries in moments but only the most talented and extensively trained. And I can tell is he doesn’t trust me. He’s saving as much magic as he can to fight me if necessary.

  Based on the stiff way he’s moving, he’s only about halfway to healing his wound at this point.

  More than a hundred feet up, I find a reunion with the walking path and I plop myself over the mini cliff side to watch them below me.

  From this spot, I’m nearly three quarters up the mountain. We’d reach the summit quickly, if they can follow me.

  Rev and Tyadin argue for a minute or two as I dangle my feet over the edge, watching Rev begin to climb after me like it’s my evening entertainment. Just missing the popcorn.

&
nbsp; He’s steady for the first two dozen feet. He pulls his weight up seamlessly, no noticeable issues. But his pace slows once he’s halfway up the section. Still over fifty feet to go.

  Tyadin patiently climbs behind him, watching closely. “He’s bleeding though his bandage,” he calls to me.

  I shrug. What’s that to me?

  “This is your fault, you know?” he says, eyes half annoyed, half amused.

  Rev doesn’t respond, just continues to climb, getting more and more vocal with each pull of his arms. He groans with every move now. He’s close enough for me to see his clenched jaw, vein bulging over his temple, and sweat streaming down his face and neck. Stubborn fool.

  Yet, I know I’d do the same thing.

  “You can do it,” I say, watching his efforts with a new eagerness. “Only another ten feet to reach me.” His pain is obvious, but he keeps moving. Keeps pushing. The muscles in his back tense and bulge through his tunic. I bite my lip.

  Yes, he’s a stubborn fool for even trying something this far beyond his current physical abilities. I am probably a fool for baiting him.

  But watching him push beyond what should be outside his capabilities has me suddenly on my feet, hoping he makes it. Endurance and tenacity at its finest.

  “Keep pushing,” I coach louder.

  He grunts and growls, his fingers shaking. He has feet left. One more stretch and pull would have him at the top.

  “Come on,” I whisper, stomach squirming with unexpected anticipation. I’m impressed. He’s stronger than I thought.

  “Shut up,” he spits through ragged breaths.

  I chuckle.

  His foot finds a rock as a foothold, but as he places his weight onto it, the rock slips, crumbling all the way down the mountain face. I gasp as he roars in pain, holding all of his weight with his right arm, his back pulling through his injury. The back of his shirt now exposing a deep red stain.

  I lay down on my belly, reaching an arm out to him. I’m close enough to reach him now. I could pull him up.

  “I said, don’t touch me,” he hollers through gritted teeth. He swings his body, reaching for another stone with his left hand. He smacks my still hanging hand away as he pulls himself up through a roar of pain, finding one last foothold. He lifts himself over the final ledge, falling to his stomach on the flat pathway beside me.

  I sit up, watching in awe as he stands without a glance in my direction, wipes his pants, and walks away with a significant limp but confidence in his gait.

  Tyadin follows, pulling himself up, eyes examining my expression as I still watch Rev walk away, stomach squirming.

  He places two fingers under my chin and pushes my mouth closed. I hadn’t even noticed it was hanging open.

  He leans in and whispers, “You could at least pretend not to be totally turned on.”

  I snarl at him, but he laughs and follows after Rev, now out of sight around the corner. “I’ll catch up in a few,” I call to Tyadin. Knowing I’d pushed Rev much, much farther than I should have—farther than he should have been able to go. So, I decide I should do something to make up for it. Rev is going to need a bit more help now that his injuries have regressed.

  I’d seen the red flowers from below—it was one of the reasons I suggested this mountain to start with. Yes, it was a decent medium between easy and high and too obvious, but it also held some significantly powerful healing herbs near the summit.

  So, let these stupid red flowers be my olive branch.

  He’ll still hate me—I still hate me. But at least he’ll be in a little less pain while he does it.

  Rev

  Pain roars through my body with each step. My vision blinks in and out with inky blotches of black. I’m closer to blacking out than I’d like to admit. But my pain tolerance is high, my annoyance tolerance is low.

  I won’t let her win this one. I’ll make it the rest of the way to the top without her seeing any more weakness from me.

  My chest is on fire, my muscles trembling, but I force my mind to steady and push myself through every step.

  Almost there. Almost there.

  I can make it without her help.

  I don’t need her. I won’t need her.

  My focus is so tight on each step, I don’t even notice I’m at the top of the mountain until Tyadin places a hand on my shoulder to stop me. We’re on a flat ridge at the top of one of the highest summits in the area.

  I blink, looking out at the amazing view—miles and miles of expansive forests beyond us. My knees wobble beneath me, and I crumble onto my butt beside a blue maple.

  I lay my head back against the bark and pant. He hands me a bottle of water, and I sip it gingerly, wincing with each swallow.

  Caelynn doesn’t appear to be anywhere nearby, so I venture a question that might make me sound weak. “Can we camp here tonight?”

  Tyadin doesn’t immediately respond. “Maybe. It would be better if we move a bit farther down the mountain—less likely to be spotted and less travel time tomorrow. But if we have to, I’ll back you.”

  I nod and swallow, head spinning.

  “Where is she?” I ask.

  “She said she’d meet us up here. Maybe she’s giving you a little space.”

  “Good.” I press my eyes closed, entire body throbbing.

  “You probably hurt her pride. She didn’t expect you to do that.”

  “Good,” I repeat.

  “She was clearly impressed. You should have seen her face. Mouth hanging open, cheeks flushed. It was quite entertaining.”

  I swallow but don’t respond. I don’t need her to be impressed. I only need her to not think me weak. Footsteps sound gently nearby, and Tyadin stands, but I can’t seem to open my heavy lids. I continue to breathe heavily, consciousness slipping from me.

  My head spins as I try to rouse myself, but finally, I concede and let the void take me.

  Caelynn

  “Can you get him to eat some of this?” I ask Tyadin as I finish crushing some of the healing seeds into a fine dust. “And wrap his bandages with this?” I hold up the red leaf.

  “Me?”

  “He won’t take anything from me.” I shrug.

  “He’s passed out now.” He nods toward Rev slumped against a maple. “He won’t notice.”

  “Fine, I’ll do the wrapping if you do the feeding.”

  He accepts the arrangement, and we chat about the next day’s challenge as we work. He helps to hold Rev’s limp body upright as I wrap it.

  Looking south, the clue is obvious—three words written out in blue stones over the landscape beyond. The higher you get, the easier they’d be to read. At a lower spot, you could see the letters but the wrong angle could skew the message. We likely didn’t need this height to make it out.

  SW Black Gate

  “The Black Gate is five hundred miles from here,” Tyadin muses.

  I purse my lips and consider. The Black Gate is on the north end of Shadow Court land, my home. And he’s right, it’s entirely too far to travel in one day. I take a slow walk around the plateau, examining the landscape around us. Everything seems normal. Except...

  We traveled west to reach the mountain range, and we’re only a few miles in. I should have a good view of the Fire Sands in the distance... but I don’t. It’s nowhere to be seen.

  Is it just me or is the forest below us much bigger than the one we traveled through?

  “I think we traveled farther than we thought,” I say. “We’re not in the Winding Mountains.”

  He looks around. “I thought the mountains seemed strange for the Winding Court. The rock is too brittle.”

  Of course the dwarf would notice the rock.

  “Seems more like the Blue Mountains. Between the Glistening and the Whirling Courts.”

  “So what? The whole arena is fake? They’re mimicking real world places? The Black Gate could be only a few miles away.”

  I shrug. “Possibly. But... if the arena were that small we’d defin
itely be able to see the desert from here.”

  He purses his lips, scanning the land around us.

  “Is it possible we passed through a portal without noticing?” The fae have used magic to create a sort of portal between lands for thousands of years. There are a few public, well-known doors. Some fae have the ability to create and destroy them. I’ve never heard of a portal being used in this manner—to pass one without noticing would be impressive.

  He purses his lips. “Interesting. I think you might be right.”

  “So, we travel southwest and look for the Black Gate. Will you know it when you see it?” he asks. “It’s from your court.”

  “I’ll know it. I’ll be able to find it easily once we reach that territory. No idea how long that’ll take if hidden portals are being used. We should keep an eye out for them. If it’s true, they could come into play later in the challenge.”

  He nods.

  Raven lands on a branch above us, chippering quietly. Tyadin eyes the bird and then looks to me. “A friend of yours?”

  I sigh. “You could say that.”

  He shrugs. “Better than someone else’s spy.”

  Connecting Raven to me is dangerous for her, no matter who knows.

  Anyone who wants to get to me, which is pretty much everyone, would be eager to shoot down an ally of mine—pet or human. Doesn’t matter.

  I don’t want anyone to know about her in anyway. If it’s only Tyadin, for now, I’ll let it slide. Any more than that, and I’ll have to send her away or turn her into a damn frog so she can’t follow me. If Rev finds out...

  Raven chippers more and then flies off around the slope to the side of the mountain. “I’ll be back.” I sigh and then follow the path.

  A hundred feet below the plateau, Raven lands on the grassy ground, hopping on her little black talons excitedly. I roll my eyes and flick my hand. She pops back into human form breathing hard.

  “Wow!” she says the moment she’s able. “That was... intense!”

  Her smile makes me smile.

  “You said you weren’t strong enough.”

  I sigh, leaning against the mountainside, arms crossed. “I got lucky.”