My chin tilts higher than I've ever allowed it when I stare up at Fire Mountain. There's nothing unique about it compared to the rest of the mountains bordering around Lona—extreme in its height but clean in its ways of jagged rocks to keep us down. Same as the rest.
This will be another journey up the side of a mountain, only this time, we won't have a steady trail to follow. From where we stand at the base, I spot hardly anything of a trail except for slick points that someone has either slipped off of or the rock is so fragile; it broke by itself. A mere wave of wind shrivels this mountain to dust, pieces chipping off like worn scales.
A similar wind cuts through our clothes and warns us of the travels ahead. It will be a treacherous climb, one we must make. Without that crystal, we have no chance of getting Silas back. It's too risky to attempt kidnapping him without a proper plan afterward. The king's control will drive him crazy, and this crystal, bonded to the Marron blood, will free him from that hold.
Renit will be the sole wielder of freedom for these soldiers. The last thing I wanted was to involve him in this more than he already is. I've already lost Celestine, and to heal soldiers, Renit must be close enough to share breath. Close enough to face the slice of a weapon. Through my power, witch and strength alike, I'll keep him safe.
Then again, I promised myself the same with Celestine. She's dead now; I couldn't protect her. It was my own foolish thought to think my sister wouldn't help the injured and the lost. It was my fault.
Fire Mountain, named such by the red sunrise and sunset reflecting off the surface of sharp stone, reaches a sharp tip that disappears into the clouds. The snow that covers the surface in winter is long gone, summer has taken its toll and even Fire Mountain, reaching higher than the rest, can't protect itself from the impending warmth.
Somewhere on this mountain is the crystal we're searching for. According to the book, the writing being much clearer than the one Renit and I looked through to find the other crystals, our treasure nestles within a cave somewhere along the side of the mountain. It's a small cave, hardly big enough for someone to crawl through—and the horror stories and warnings left behind on the page make my stomach churn.
Spiders, bats, the presence of an ancient witch waiting to cut off your head. Weak stone, sharp points in the shape of daggers impaling through your back. I shiver. These are all risks we must take and Renit, being the largest of the two, will merely have to wait outside the cave while I crawl in. The banished prince, although wanting to provide his services, has never been fond of tight spaces.
I cast a wary glance in Renit's direction. Noticing my attention while still staring up at the mountain, he purses his lips together in what I can only claim to be a form of disappointment. Neither of us wants to do this, but after everything Silas went through over these months; we can't kill him or leave him in that condition. He deserves more than that.
As much gold as there is in that castle, Silas's heart is more than what anyone can touch. The only difference is—the visible gold, the beautiful and expensive creation you can touch—is favored more compared to the beauty of the crown prince's love for his kingdom. Every man for himself, even against his future king.
Our supplies, although hardly anything, will help us scale the side of Fire Mountain. Ropes, ice axes, and iron stakes for footholds on the slicker stretches. It was all we could purchase and the rope we found in a back alley was left untouched. No one chased after us upon realizing we had it...though they stared at us and wondered whether it was their rope rather than one we simply found.
YOU ARE READING
Conquering The Unbroken
Fantasy[Book 4 of the Grounding the Storm series] Roux is back in the safe hands of those that care for her most. With a ticking clock over their heads, the rebellion forms into the operation Bren dreamed it would be since the day he joined. But the threat...
