Page 25 of Claiming Her in the Forest

Thorn’s crown. Not whole, but half of a small circle.

She has found it, the darkness called. I couldn’t decipher what was in its tone, but fog swirled around me, obscuring my vision. Swiping the crown from its case, I ran. Dust clouded the air, but I pushed back the way I came.

Then, maniacal laughter echoed against the walls, jarring my bones.

My boot caught on a rock, and I flew to the ground. I kept my hand locked tight on the shard of crown, but my bad arm caught the impact. My tunic tore, elbow scraping across the dirt, the roaring darkness swallowing my hiss of pain.

Blood bloomed quickly in the wound, dripping to the ground, and sprinkling small dots of crimson.

And—those spots shone. They sent beacons of light up through the fog.

Angellight. I knew it from the rioting of my own Angelblood.

“What in the fucking Angels?” Frantically, I looked around me.

It was still only me in this pit, the mouth towering high above, obscured.

Calm, I reminded myself. I needed to remain in control.

Watching those small drops of my blood fade into the ground, their light extinguishing slowly, I tried to breathe deeply enough to steady my heart rate. I looked at the broken crown in my hand, and told myself to ignore the icy fingers crawling beneath my leathers. They danced across my spine, around my ribs, assessing my bones, and that nameless voice whispered temptations in my ear.

Let me see your deepest wants.

“No!” I shouted. I needed to force it back. I needed?—

As the last of the light from my blood faded, a final hope fluttered to mind.

I lifted my scraped elbow and swiped a fresh line of crimson across the crown’s thorny surface.

And Angellight burst forth from the emblem.

It was different from the others I’d bled on. This Angellight was cold and scattered patches, silver clouds gathering. Uncertain and lost, but trying to guide me, perhaps.

The voice shrieked as it was forced back.

In its place, a window opened. I blinked against the harshness of its luminous edges. They faded as it spread out, an image transposed over the pit rather than a physical chamber here itself. A veil was draped across the scene, the contents murky. Figures fluttered behind it. They seemed familiar, but my head spun too much to decipher who it was.

They looked at me, though. Truly saw me. Whoever they were, they were aware I was here, looking back at them.

I should go to them, speak to them, but the moment I took a step, the veil thickened. The vision dimmed until it shattered to golden particles of dust mingling with the earth around me.

Shaking my head, I turned. Whatever that was—whoever it was—would wait. I had what I came for, and I needed to get out of this pit before the voice returned.

I fumbled against the rock wall until I found the rope and clipped myself back in. My body was too wrung out to make the entire climb on my own, so I braced my feet against the rock and tugged three times.

I walked upward, helping where I could, but with everyone above, it didn’t take long for them to hoist me out. The mouth of the pit grew larger, the lights piercing through the fog, and encroaching safety wrapped its arms around me.

No—those were real, strong arms lifting me from the ledge and holding me tightly. I breathed in Tolek’s spicy citrus scent as I caught my breath, and I let myself sink into him. The security which had helped me below was reinforced.

“What happened?” he whispered once I was breathing regularly. I realized how disheveled I must be—torn and bloodstained tunic, dirt smeared on every surface. I met Cyph’s eye over Tolek’s head, and we exchanged a grim nod of understanding.

“I—” I took a deep breath. “I got it.”

Holding my hand open, I presented them the piece of Thorn’s crown, a half-circle the size of my palm. “There was only half. The fifth Angel emblem.”

“You’re certain?” Malakai asked.

I nodded. Now that I wasn’t being assaulted by my fears and…whatever else had been down there, the pulsing connection with this item was strong. To prove it, I removed a glove and pinched one of the thorns between my fingers. The instant burn was a welcomed confirmation.