Page 59 of Cursed Dreams (Shadow and Dreams #1)

Thalia ignored them all. She wasn’t in the mood for jokes.

Her nerves were shot; her thoughts tangled with so many things that were out of her control.

Vaelith was still out there. Hunting, for them, and now the priestesses knew why she was here.

How much they knew, she wasn’t sure, but the thought unsettled her completely.

Worse, they still hadn’t managed to look at the map.

The one they’d risked everything to steal.

It sat, hidden and unopened, while everyone around her laughed like they had time to waste.

She didn’t want to hear it. Didn’t want to smile.

Every chuckle scraped at her patience. All she wanted was to get away from the noise, lay that map out flat, and finally make sense of something.

As they entered the main hall, the rich scent of stew and spices filled the air.

Thalia’s stomach twisted, a sharp reminder that she hadn’t eaten all day.

She took a bowl without thinking but barely tasted the food.

The others talked and laughed around her, their voices distant.

She kept her head down as she ate, eat bite feeling like a delay she couldn’t afford.

After they had finished their meal, the priestess led them down a quiet corridor to a small, warm chamber tucked at the back of the temple.

It had clearly been made ready for their use, thick woven rugs lined the floor, soft lanterns flickered along the walls, and a low table sat at the centre surrounded by plush cushions.

A tea service waited in the corner, steam still curling from the pot as if someone had just left.

Thalia felt a pang of gratitude at the thoughtfulness.

Still, impatience gnawed at her. They were wasting time.

Too much was unknown, and every moment they sat idle left them more vulnerable.

Her friends had trusted her, followed her without knowing the full weight of what they were walking into.

She had been naive not to realise just how dangerous vaelith was.

He was a dragon. She needed answers. And she needed them now!

Caelum was the only one strong enough to stand against Vaelith.

The only one who might be able stop him if he came after her friends.

If she wanted to keep them safe, she had to find him and quickly.

Cellen’s groan as he flopped down on to one of the cushions around the table with little grace dragged her out her thoughts and back into the room.

“Gods, I’m stuffed” he sighed, reaching into his satchel. “Should we look at the map tonight or tomorrow?”

“Now” her words came out more forceful that she meant them to.

He gave her a wide-eyed stare as he pulled out the old map and carefully unfurled it across the table. Its worn parchment shimmered faintly in the lantern light, the delicate, ancient ink drawing her eyes in. The room fell silent as they all leaned in.

“Let me get the other one to compare” Marand said pulling a newer more recognisable map from her own satchel and laying them side by side. Everyone stared at them both.

Brushing a hand lightly over the lower edge Nyla turned the map another way, a frown creasing her forehead.

“I don’t recognise this writing?”

She pointed to the bottom corner, where the edge of the map curved around an inscription, delicate, curling script written in a language none of them immediately recognised.

“That’s… not Fae common,” Thalia said, brows furrowing.

“No,” Nyla murmured, squinting as she traced the shapes with her fingertip.

“I think...” Marand stuttered, “I think it’s old high fae”

“Well,” Cellen said, resting his chin on one hand, “aren’t you just the full package?”

Marand snorted, elbowing him lightly without taking her eyes away from the script.

“Could I be of assistance?” Thalia jumped at the unexpected voice.

Standing in the doorway was an old, withered-looking priestess. Her back was hunched, bones pressing sharp beneath her heavy robes. Wisps of thin silver hair escaped the edges of her hood, her face a map of deep lines and sunken shadows. Her eyes, though clouded with age, held a strange sharpness.

“I apologise for the intrusion. My name is Merryweather. The high priestess Elara said when you arrived to make myself available to you.”

Thalia stared at the old woman, uncertain. There was something about her that set Thalia on edge. Something in her gut warned her not to trust her, but desperation pressed in. If there was even a chance this priestess could help, she couldn’t afford to her turn away.

“Do you by chance know the old high fae dialect?”

“My, my” the old woman said her smile was verging on cruel, sending chills down Thalia’s spine. “It’s been a long time since I've spoken it, I may be rusty, but in answer to your questing yes.”

“Can you read this for us?” Nyla asked, Thalia looked at her, she didn't want this woman anywhere near the map.

With surprising speed and grace for her age, the old woman crossed the room.

“Now let me see, “She lifted the map off the table, Thali made to reach for it, but Merryweather pulled it away out of her reach.

“Sorry dear, my eyes aren’t what they used to be, I need more light”

Something inside Thalia roared. She quickly sat on her hands feeling afraid her magic would burst from them any second. What was going on?

“Interesting, “She hummed to herself.

“What is it?” Cellen asked.

“Let’s see… this first part— ‘Veiled… entry’? No. ‘The entrance veiled… by the gods…’.”

“Yes, that’s better” she said turning herself closer to the candlelight, and further from the group than Thalia liked.

She fell quiet for a long moment, mouthing words silently. Thalia watched her intently, ready to rip the map from her the second she had finished translating for them.

Marand poured tea for everyone in the hush, Thalia kept her eyes locked on the old woman.

Finally, Merryweather spoke again, her brow drawn in quiet concentration. “This part I’m certain of. ‘To seek without truth is to invite the curse. The veil will turn them away, heavy as shadow, quiet as sleep. They will forget why they ever tried to enter.’”

Thalia sat back slowly, her thoughts spinning. “It’s hidden,” she said softly. “Not just physically… magically. It turns people away unless they know where and how to enter.”

“That’s some serious enchantment,” Cellen muttered, eyes wide. “No wonder no one’s found it in all these centuries.”

“And we have to figure out how to get through it,” Thalia said, staring down at the map.

Cellen leaned forward, drumming his fingers against the table thoughtfully. “We don’t even know what kind of magic is being used here. Could be glamour. Could be wards. Could be some ancient spell that fries your insides if you try the wrong thing.”

Marand shot him a look. “Very helpful, Cellen.”

He shrugged, grinning. “Just setting expectations.”

Thalia barely heard them. She watched as the old woman traced her fingers slowly over the left-hand corner of the map opposite the script, her eyes darting like she was searching for something.

“If it turns people away unless they know how to enter… then there must be some kind of key. A word, a gesture, a specific entry point?” Nyla mused.

“A ritual on a specific moon phase?” Cellen offered. “Or a phrase in the old tongue?”

“It could be all of those things,” Marand said, setting down her tea.

“If the Dragons were trying to hide something, they would have layered it with multiple kinds of protections. And this wasn’t just a secret—it was meant to be forgotten.

That’s more than defensive magic. That’s erasure, mind work. ”

“Let’s place the maps side by side again” Thalia cut in desperate to get the map out of the old woman's hands. While her friends had been discussing the words, Thalia had watched the old woman searching for something, and whatever it was she was looking for Thalia knew deep inside herself she couldn’t let her find it.

She stood walking over to her and prying her hand out for the map.

Merryweather's face twisted, thalia stepped back every hair on her body rising, her magic roaring in her ears.

She could explain why, or how but she knew this woman was a threat and should never have been trusted.

Steeling herself she stepped forward again this time placing her hands on the map. The old woman didn't let go.

“Thank you for your assistance Merryweather” she said her voice laced with threat,

Her friends noticing her change in tone suddenly looked round.

“We will take it from here” Thalia pulled on the map gently trying to force the old woman to let go. For a second it looked like she wouldn’t. The sir in the room became chilled as ice and Thalia sore she could see her own breath in front of her.

Then Merryweather tilted her head to the side, as though observing Thalia’s soul, her eyes no longer looked cloudy, but like black endless pits.

A horrible cruel smile that that looked more like a nightmare spread across her face.

Despite her legs shaking Thalia refused to move, she pulled on the map again.

“I said we will take it from here” her voice held more strength than she felt.

Slowly the old woman released the map one bony long finger at a time.

“Of course, “she said, there was no warmth to her voice.

Thalia quickly rolled the map up and tucked it under her belt out of her reach.

The old woman watched her for a moment longer, then turned moving faster than someone her age should, her steps unnaturally smooth, her pace unsettlingly fluid for such a frail frame, her footsteps barely a whisper on the stone floor.

Only when she was gone did Thalia let out the breath she’d been holding.

Something about the old priestess unsettled her in a way she couldn’t explain, like standing too close to a fire that gave no heat.

She didn’t know what the woman wanted, but she knew one thing for certain.

She would never let her near the map again.

“Thal, you, okay?” Nyla asked, clearly confused by Thalia’s treatment of the old woman.

She only nodded, sitting back down and placing the map back on the table, laying the two maps side by side once again

“Okay this one has the forest here, see the border markers? That town doesn’t even exist anymore. But compare this ridge line with the other one…” Marand began changing the subject and defusing the palpable tension in the room.

They all leaned in, shoulders brushing, eyes locked on the overlapping terrain. The lines did match, but the older map showed dense woodland stretching far beyond the boundaries of the newer one.

Thalia’s breath caught. “That’s where I grew up.”

Marand blinked. “Wait… your village is here?”

She nodded slowly, tapping the parchment.

“Just south of this line. This forest was always there, but we just called it the grey bark Thickets. No one ever went deep into it, it always felt…” She hesitated, struggling to describe the heavy sense of unease she remembered as a child. “Like it was ...” her word trailed off

Cellen leaned back in his chair, his expression abruptly serious. “You’ve been next to the Forgotten Forest your whole life.”

Silence fell over the room.

“Are you sure?” Nyla asked quietly, looking between the maps.

“Positive.” Thalia’s voice was barely above a whisper. “I’ve walked past that tree line a thousand times.”

Cellen blinked, then whistled. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

Thalia stared down at the two maps, heart hammering. It had been there, so close, all along.

“We need to leave at first light,” Nyla said, decisive now. “We can be at your village in a day if we’re careful.”

Thalia nodded slowly, still staring at the overlapping maps.

She noted the marks just above the forest, tiny crosses dashed around one part of the tree line.

Her heart stopped as the sudden realisation of what they were barrelled through her.

Her thoughts raced back to the last time she had been at this temple.

Standing in the courtyard, Vaelith has offered her comfort, talking about his family, and more importantly telling her about the stars, the constellations and what they meant.

“I know where the entrance to the forest is “she blurted out half stunned.

All eyes fell on her. She swallowed then let out a breathy laugh, “He told me.” she laughed again this time more hysterical

Her friends looked at each other, then back to her confused.

“Who told you? Caelum?” Nyla asked, worry etched along her face.

Thalia laughed harder. She couldn’t believe it. All this time she had known exactly where to look, she hadn’t needed the map. He had unwittingly told her everything she had needed to know that night in the courtyard.

Pulling herself back together, she cleared her throat, before smiling at her friends.

“Do any of you know about the constellation of Reticulum?”