Picking Petals:

Chapter 1: Valkri

Notes: Picking Petals is in the middle of a final edit, so some chapters have been added/merged together or taken out so the view count will be disorganized.

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Chapter 1: Valkri

The woods stood silent around us, the only sound coming from our boots crushing down on the frozen mud. I held my sword close to my side, the weight of it somehow making me feel more grounded. A false comfort, but a comfort nevertheless. Every muscle in my body tightened at the thought of a demon lurking at the edge of the woods. I looked over to Berella who stood a few feet away from me, waiting for my order. I beckoned over the rest of the Trax and we began to move forward and out of the woods to the empty field that led home.

I looked back at the woods, its charred branches stretched outward as if they were reaching for us, tempting us to return. A shudder traveled down my spine as I moved on with the group, just in time to watch another showdown between Shay and James. I was starting to think Shay had a personal vendetta against the human.

"You know maybe if you weren't so obsessed with Alliesa you'd be able to think clearly," Shay snapped. I found it odd that her dark skin was coated in a thin layer of sweat, being that it was freezing out here. I tried to ignore them by looking up at the murky sky, the sun barely shinned behind the thick layer of darkness. It yearned to show its warmth on this land once again, sometimes I wondered if it ever would.

   "I love her, I will do anything it takes to save her," James snapped back, his dark coal-like eyes swirling with desperation. "But you wouldn't know what that feels like would you? The only person you care about is you, damn the rest of us!" He wasn't wrong... but it was a low blow. Shay didn't have anyone to care about, she lost her entire family during the break through.

   "No, it's because I'm not some lovesick human, fool." Shay wasn't one to look down on humans but the way she said "human," made my skin crawl. "Wake up, James. She left! She didn't bother to say goodbye and I know damn well she couldn't give two shits about all of us looking for her." She was being a bit loud for my liking. We may be out of the depths of the woods but until we are behind the iron walls that still stood ahead of us, we were still demon food. "You risked all of our lives for some girl who doesn't want to be here."

   "Enough!" I yelled over them. I rubbed my temples, a bunch of children, useless, noisy, reckless, babies. I took a deep breath and tried as hard as possible not to yell, "I'm sorry James but we're heading back to the castle for good. It's going to get dark soon and we can't be out here." I wasn't an emotionless person, if we could stay out there and search for Alliesa, I would. My heart tugged slightly for James, not only was my friend hurting but he was lost. There was nothing I could do for him though, except keep him safe by bringing him home.

   James ran a pale hand through his messy brown locks, "We can't leave her out there," he shook his head and frowned at me as if I would have all the answers. I wish I did.

   "She knew what she was walking into when she left," I reminded him. "Shay is right, we've been out there for two days and we've lost three people," I told James, looking him in the eyes. I needed him to know I was leaving with or without him, as nicely as possible. "What about Leanna, huh? What am I going to tell her if we go back without you?" Defeat crossed James's face but he knew I was right. There was no going back, we were almost home. I knew everyone was scared and it was my job to get them back home safely. I already had three families to break the news to, I couldn't add another.

   "Fine," he grumbled under his breath and pushed past me, the rest of our group followed. I sighed heavily and fell into line beside Shay, her nose bunched up and her eyes drilled daggers into the back of James's head.