Page 4 of A Kingdom of Shadows
He raises a finger as if to correct me and grins. "The barmaid did, though the queen gave me a generous offer for you and the Golden Thief's capture if you turned up here."
A funny feeling, a lot like betrayal, punctures through me. I must remind myself that Ivarron has always been this type of person.
"We need to go.” Darius grabs hold of my arm, tugging me toward the door, but I halt and stare at Ivarron, my molars grinding the longer I have my eyes on him.
"I wish you could have been different," I dare to say, and his brows rise with the faintest amusement. "Because there was once a time when I thought you were like a father." An incredulous laugh slips out as I shake my head. "But what would a thirteen-year-old know?"
The unexpected comment breaks that constant grim confidence Ivarron always carries around. His smile fades into a straight line as venator voices near outside, and the last I see before I let Darius take me away from the room is Ivarron sinking onto the chair with a bleary gaze. I try to forget that imagery as Darius, and I rush through the tavern, pushing past people before we barge through the doors. Bright light springs down on us, and the first thing I see is Tibith waving from the ground.
"Hello, Miss Nara! Did you get the map?"
Darius and I exchange frustrated looks. I heave out a breath as I say, "Not exactly."
Tibith simply blinks at my answer just as a venator spots us from afar and yells towards others of our location. Darius quickly places another glamour upon us, masking our looks from the venators as we make our way through the village square. Civilians brush past us while I keep my head low, praying we make it to the forest before someone realizes who we are.
"Shit," Darius mutters beside me.
"What is it?"
"My magic, I can feel it fading. I've overused today."
No, not now. Not when we are so close.
I look both ways. Sections leading off into fields and other villages cover my view before—
"Over there!" a venator shouts, and panic blankets me completely.
People stop to look, and venators unsheathe their swords, darting our way.
"Come on," Darius grunts, fingers closing around my upper arm as we move through the crowd, dodging and sliding between gasping women.
Once we are out of the market square, long grass, fresh crops, fields I'd once taken my time upon laying in pass me as I start to run and run. Soon the galloping of horses and venators behind us is nothing compared to the heavy thud of my heart, just remembering how my home was not so far from here.
Sunlight carves among the trees ahead, and a cart full of hay enters my vision. The second we near it, I unlatch the side, and all the fodder staggers out of the carriage, slowing down the venators.
"Always knew you were a criminal at heart." Darius laughs, and I snap my head at him as we careen through the woods. A scowl forms between my brows as I try to ignore him despite the smile begging to part from my lips. Tibith rolls ahead of us before Darius leaps over the same broken tree I'd seen with Illias the day I killed that rümen. He sticks his hand out to help me, but I shoot him an irked look and jump over it myself as I run past him.
Stubborn as I may be, I know these woods better than anyone else. This is why as I near certain branches and lichens, I stumble to a pause, panting at what is in front of me.
Thorns and shadows cover the entrance to the Screaming Forests, save for the thinnest opening a person can get through. Hundreds of times, I'd wondered what it would be like to go through them and curious about what lay hidden ahead.
Male voices tug me away from my transfixed gaze, and I look over my shoulder at the venators appearing between trees.
"Goldie," Darius says, his voice a gentle command as I turn to him. "We need to go."
My eyes connect with his, compelling and all, and I can't help but nod. I take one last look at the entrance, and my stomach plunges over the mystery of the forest before Tibith, Darius, and I cross the threshold into Terranos.
Chapter Two
As we leap over logs, we are surrounded by endless verdant trees. We don't stop, even if my legs are tired and my breathing is meaningless. Branches brush against the sides of my cloak, and I hide my face to avoid being scratched.
Darius slows down when there are no venators in sight, and we skid to a stop near a clearing. I take a breather and slowly twist on my feet, glancing at everything around me. The forest is surrounded by ancient roots, and the trees are tall enough to obscure the sun, towering over us as if they intend to capture anyone who walks into this horror of a forest. The only light that does enter dapples over the trees before disappearing into the mist.
Twisting toward Darius, I see he's also assessing the forest. Gloom settles over us before I decide to have a go at him. "Why on earth were you carrying the Rivernorth pendant and didn't bother to tell me!"
He releases an annoyed chuckle, running a hand through his hair. "Is now really the time to argue, Goldie?"
Yes, always with you.