Bridging the Ancient ✓

Chapter 34

Instead of traveling through the Blood Desert and finding ourselves surrounded by more robbers, we go back the way we came once the trial is clear. The hoof prints are faint but we find our way through the sandstorm and back out to the grasslands outside of Ashtomb Prison.

Night has fallen and the sky is clear, revealing every twinkling star overhead. In the distance, a full moon watches from overhead and illuminates the bare and silent land. We're the only witches out here, the only living thing once you forget about the howling wolves in the distance. But they don't bother me. There are other demons I need to slay.

I clutch tightly to the small wooden box. Every once in a while, I run my fingers over the sand-crusted surface and the tang of blood returns. This guilt doesn't feel the same as it did when I killed that rebel. His intentions were clear as was the same for the robbers. Why am I beating myself up for it now when I didn't do the same before?

There is time to think about the death of those two robbers, I suppose. When we were captured by the rebels, I didn't have the chance to think twice about what I had just done. But out here, with an empty trail before me and a silent prince as terrible company for a time like this, I can't do anything but bask in the sound of their bones breaking.

I never want to do that again. I don't want to be at the winning end of a blade and I definitely don't want to use my power to kill more. That's all anyone thought I was good for—my father thought the same although he never admitted it. I don't want to give into the stereotype of being a killer with a power like my own. But I also can't stop myself from protecting the prince.

Over hillsides and through clustered forests, we ride until Renit decides that its best to stop for the night. He picks a spot next to the stream and takes the horses to drink. They dip their powerful necks to the cold water and hydrate themselves while I get started on a fire. But that's difficult with shaking hands and only one to do the job. I don't want to let this box out of my sight.

I'm about to throw down another stick onto the pile when Renit's hand closes around the other end and takes the burden off my shoulders. "Wash up. I'll get started on the fire," he offers.

Instead of meeting his eye and finding a question there, I hand over the box and leave our small campsite to head towards the stream. The trees surrounding are somewhat thick so we'll be blocked off from anyone on the nearby trail. We're days away from Ducoria but that's nothing we can't handle, we've been through this entire kingdom.

The farthest thing away from us now is the capital. My sister is weeks away and if I needed to get to her...I couldn't. We're too far apart, even Arego is closer to us than the king. That's a first for me.

Our supply is dwindling so we have to eat light.

I splash some cold water onto my face and take a deep breath. I'll have to kill more people, I can't allow the death of two to keep me down. On the battlefield, you must claim life. Or it's yours that will be claimed.

Renit's words are something I need to hold onto. I'll slip entirely if I let myself off the tight leash I keep. Although we are not on a battlefield...is life not a battle within itself? Is this mission not a fight to survive if we encounter the wrong company? I had to kill them, I had to do it so we could survive. So our lives weren't claimed.

The prince is waiting for me by the fire, already holding out bread and cheese for me to eat. I force myself to take them although my appetite is little to nothing. Those people that I killed cannot eat now so I should go at least tonight without my own meal. To pay them some respect.

When Renit realizes I'm fiddling with my food instead of eating it, he rolls his eyes. "That was only two lives, spitfire. There will be more," he attempts to console.