Empire of Flame and Thorns (Flame and Thorns #1)

Chapter 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

M y head spins. Staggering across the uneven ground, I desperately try to block out all the exhaustion and pain and hunger. The hunger should be nothing new. But after these weeks in the Golden Palace, my body has started to get used to the luxury of three meals a day. And now it twists, empty after almost an entire day without food. An entire day of running. And fighting.

I glance down at my forearm. The ice has long since melted, taking its soothing coldness with it, and my arm now throbs with pain as my body tries hard to heal the wounds. But because of the lack of food, the healing is excruciatingly slow.

Another wave of desperation washes over me. I really need to find something to eat. But most importantly, I need to figure out where I am.

By my best estimate, it has been two hours since I left the clearing with the stone altar. And I’ve walked in the direction that I think is south, but I’m somehow still no closer to finding my way out of this infernal forest. I glance at the trees around me.

The sun is slipping lower on the horizon, painting the treetops with splashes of deep red. I draw in a strained breath as I come to a halt. The setting sun is a problem, because it will bring a blanket of darkness over the woods soon. I need to try to reconfirm which direction is which.

Because the canopy is so thick, I can’t even see the Peaks of Prosperity from in here. And without them as a landmark to navigate by, it’s difficult to know if I have been walking in the right direction all this time. I need to either find another clearing. Or climb a tree.

My forearm pulses in pain at just the thought of it. But I can’t just wander around aimlessly and hope to come across another clearing, so I grit my teeth and grab the nearest branch. It creaks slightly as I begin pulling myself up.

Vines sway around me like snakes as I haul myself up towards the next branch. I shove them aside with my free hand while bracing my weight on the branch underneath me. Thorns slash at my skin.

I suck in a sharp breath between my teeth. Narrowing my eyes, I glare at the vines and the thorns that twist around them. As if trying to climb a tree wasn’t already difficult, now the damn thing is fighting back too.

With much more careful movements, I push aside a tangle of vines and then jump to reach the next branch above me. The vines immediately swing back into place. Thorns scrape against my skin as I climb. I grit my teeth and try to ignore their pricking.

My muscles tremble with exhaustion as I throw my arm up towards the final branch. I can barely manage to pull myself upwards. A cry of desperation rips from my lungs. Using every smidgen of strength I have left, I shove off from the branch below and haul myself upwards.

Fresh air washes over me as I break through the thick canopy. I drag in a deep breath. While holding on to the tree trunk, I close my eyes for a second and just breathe in the cool air. Out here, it tastes like pine trees and fallen leaves and crisp mountain air.

Just feeling the open air flood my lungs, washing away the suffocating sensation from the hours underneath the twisting vines and thick canopy, makes strength return to my body.

Once my head feels a little clearer again, I open my eyes and gaze out at the landscape around me. The thorn forest spreads out on all sides. Dread washes over me when I realize that I’m much farther from the city than I thought. Twisting my head, I glance between the mountain range visible far to the north and then towards the open area south from here where our city is located. Even if I walk in a straight line, it’s going to take almost an entire day to reach it. And without being able to see the Peaks of Prosperity, I won’t even know if I am walking in a straight line.

A miserable sigh escapes my chest. Mabona’s tits, I fucking hate this stupid forest.

Shaking my head, I get ready to climb back down again. I still have another pressing problem to solve. The sun is about to set, and I need to find somewhere safe to sleep.

My limbs tremble with exhaustion as I climb back down again.

But I only make it halfway before my gaze snags on something that I missed on the way up.

A cluster of what looks like… fruit.

Squinting, I study the strange pieces of fruit. It’s not something that we grow in our orchards out on the fields around our city. In fact, I have never seen a piece of fruit like this before. It’s green and kind of oval in shape.

I reach towards the closest one.

Hesitation flickers through me. What if it’s poisonous?

Pain pulses through my forearm again. I glance down at the burn wounds that are struggling to heal.

Goddess damn it. I need food for the healing to work the way it’s supposed to. I shift my gaze back to the strange fruit. I’ll have to risk it.

Reaching out, I pick the closest one and then bring it to my lips. While sending a prayer to Mabona that this won’t kill me, I take a bite right in the middle.

A soft and juicy texture meets my tongue.

I let out a moan from deep inside.

Goddess, it’s delicious.

My body is urging me to just gobble it all up straight away, but I force myself to wait. After that first bite, I remain standing on the branch and just holding on to that piece of fruit for at least five minutes. If it’s poisonous, or hallucinogenic, I need to know before I inhale the entire cluster of fruit.

When five minutes have passed and I haven’t died, I bring the green fruit back to my mouth and then scarf it down within a matter of seconds. Then I reach for another piece of fruit. And another. And another. Until I’ve eaten them all.

Energy floods my veins once more, and a tingling sensation starts in my forearm. I heave a deep sigh of relief. Now, my body can finally begin to heal the burns properly.

Feeling much more clear-headed, I climb the rest of the way back to the ground.

The sun has slipped even lower towards the horizon, and a murky haze has now crept into the forest around me. I swallow down a sense of dread as I scan the gloomy trees around me. I have no idea what this forest is like at night, and I would prefer not to find out. After all, there is a reason why the people who go into this forest rarely come back out again.

After checking the knife I still keep strapped to my thigh, I turn in the direction I now know to be south and start forward at a brisk pace. I need to find somewhere safe to sleep before all light is gone from the world.

Branches and thorny vines snatch at my clothes and hair as I hurry across the uneven ground. I shove them away while whipping my head from side to side, desperately searching for something that will provide me with a bit of protection.

My gaze snags on something to my left.

Trailing to a halt, I turn towards it fully and squint as I study it.

Gnarly branches have grown from the tree trunks and down towards the ground, creating an almost cave-like structure with an opening at the front. Hope sparkles inside me. This is perfect. If I sleep in there, I can stay hidden both from other contestants and whatever else lives in these woods.

Rolling my shoulders back, I start towards the large opening in the curving branches. A crack sounds as one of the roots that cover the ground snaps in half underneath my weight.

Right as I’m about to glare down at the root, another sound drifts through the forest. A low and rumbling groan.

The blood freezes to ice in my veins.

Stopping dead in my tracks, I stare at the dark opening ahead. My heart slams against my ribs.

The deep rumbling comes again.

“Oh fuck,” is all I manage to say.

Then a monster charges out from the tree cave.