Page 7 of Wicked Prince of Shadows (Wicked Princes #2)

The dark forest of leafless trees was perhaps three hundred feet away. Three hundred feet of open land with only scraps of rock and rubble and cracked earth between here and there. The largest bit of cover was chunks of rock that were barely waist high.

Helm’s bane! I swore as I forced myself to move faster. Another rumbling tremor shook the ground, jarring the pebbles and lifting the dust.

A shadow passed over me, and I glanced up just in time to see a massive shape blotting out what little sunlight filtered through the clouds.

My heart clenched.

A deathbeak circled overhead, its wings spanning at least fifteen feet across. The creature's head turned toward me, enormous, armored beak glinting like polished steel as it focused on me.

"KLAK-KLAK-KLAK!" It tilted its posture, wings adjusting to the currents before it shot down at me.

I threw myself sideways as it plummeted downward, talons extended. Wind rushed past my face as the creature missed me by inches, its massive beak striking the ground where I'd just been standing. The impact sent tremors through the earth.

"Maker preserve me," I gasped, scrambling to my feet.

WHUMPH.

A second deathbeak landed heavily on a crumbling section of wall, its dead silver eyes fixing on me with terrifying intelligence.

It stood easily six feet tall, perched on spindly legs that belied its strength.

Its feathers were a mottled grey and black, slick like oil on water, and its armor-plated head swiveled mechanically as it assessed me. “Grrruuuuuu Nnnnkh.”

I backed away slowly, my bare feet scraping across the fractured ground. The first deathbeak was extracting its beak from the earth, turning to face me again. "KLAK-KLAK-KLAK!"

The second one lunged forward in a grey blur. I pivoted and ran, feeling the rush of air as its beak snapped closed behind me. Something tore, and my blue skirt ripped back. I tore myself forward, tearing off the outer veil of the skirt. The fabric tore easily under the sharp beak’s pressure.

I spun in time to see the massive bird shaking its head, the scrap of silk fluttering from its beak like a trophy. The first deathbeak leaped into the air and flapped its wings to gain height. The second stalked toward me. “KRUKK…krukk…krukk…”

Both creatures were now fully focused on me, advancing with methodical, stalking steps.

I sprinted across the barren landscape, my lungs burning with each breath of the ashy air. There was nowhere to hide—no trees, no buildings, nothing but endless cracked earth stretching until the forest.

The harsh cry of the deathbeak behind me sent another spike of fear through my body as I ran. My bare feet slammed against the cracked earth, each impact sending jolts of pain up my legs, but I couldn't slow down. Not with that monster gaining on me.

"KLAK-KLAK-KLAK!"

I risked a glance over my shoulder and immediately regretted it. The deathbeak was closing the distance with terrifying speed, its armored head bobbing with each powerful stride, those dead silver eyes fixed on me. Above, the second beast circled, its shadow passing over me like a grim promise.

The forest. I had to reach the forest.

My lungs burned with each ragged breath of the ashy air. The blue silk dress, now torn and filthy, tangled around my legs. I yanked it up higher, bunching the fabric in my fists as I pushed myself harder. The ground beneath me felt wrong—too brittle, as if it might shatter at any moment.

"KRUKK!" The sound came from directly behind me, far too close.

I veered sharply to the left, feeling the rush of air as the deathbeak's beak snapped shut where I'd been. The momentum of its lunge carried it forward, buying me precious seconds. I used them to change direction again, zigzagging toward the treeline.

Above me, the circling deathbeak let out a throaty clattering call.

The ground beneath my feet shifted. I stumbled, my arms flailing as I struggled to catch myself.

A massive centipede, its segmented body thick as my torso, reared up from a fissure in front of me, mandibles clicking furiously.

Its hundreds of legs wriggled in the air as it lunged toward me and the first deathbeak pulled back as if in shock.

It cocked its head as it clacked its heavy beak open and shut.

“Get the hell away from me!” I screamed as the centipede chased after me. I veered sharply to the right, my feet slipping on loose stones. The centipede's body twisted after me, but a broad-winged shadow passed over me. The second deathbeak.

I lunged toward a pile of rubble. A heavy crack! CRUNCH! shook the ground behind me. The impact sent shock waves through the ground, throwing me off balance even more. I rolled across the jagged earth, pain lancing through my shoulder and hip as sharp stones tore at my skin.

The centipede writhed beneath the deathbeak's talons, its segmented body thrashing violently.

The enormous bird drove its beak down, piercing the centipede's armored shell with a sickening crunch.

Ichor sprayed across the cracked ground as the two creatures struggled, the first deathbeak drawing closer with hungry curiosity.

I scrambled to my feet, my torn dress dragging in the dirt. The forest was so close now—maybe fifty feet away. The deathbeaks were distracted, one feasting on the centipede while the other approached with its head down and cocked.

My legs burned as I pushed forward again, each step sending jolts of agony up my battered body. The air grew thicker, heavier with a strange scent—not quite decay, but something older, like ancient dust disturbed after centuries of stillness.

"KRAAAAK!" The cry came from behind me.

I didn't look back. The edge of the forest loomed before me, skeletal trees reaching up like bony fingers against the bruised sky.

As I crossed into their shadow. My feet ached as I passed into the strange forest, heart hammering and blood trickling from the numerous cuts and scrapes on my arms and legs.

The trees were twisted into grotesque angles, bark as dark as tar, branches stretched like skeletal arms. Not one branch had a leaf or a flower. The silence made the distant wailing roars sharper, echoing as my ears strained for any signs of further pursuit. My blood thundered in my ears.

I needed to head in a diagonal now if I was going to get to the chasm and cross the narrowest point to the portal. Though I tried to calculate how far I had to go, my vision swam.

The trees loomed on either side, thick black trunks with dark sap oozing from deep fissures. My foot caught on a rock, and I stumbled, my hand catching on the coarse bark. Some sap dripped onto my forearm.

“Ahhh!” The sticky substance burned, sharp as a burning blade against my skin. I jerked back and dropped to the ground, dragging my arm across the soil.

The burning sensation intensified, spreading like fire over my skin.

I bit back another cry, not wanting to attract any more attention from the monsters behind me.

Frantically, I scraped at the dark sap with a handful of dirt until I worked it off.

The pain radiated up my arm, leaving angry red welts in its wake.

"Cursed trees," I muttered through clenched teeth. Of course nothing in this wretched place would be harmless. This whole place was cursed. Then again, with a name like the Witheringlands, what did I expect?

The distant screeching of the deathbeaks and shattering roar of the behemoth spurred me forward.

I couldn't afford to stop, not with those creatures so close behind.

Cradling my burning arm against my chest, I forced myself to keep moving, weaving between the toxic trees and trying not to brush against their venomous sap. Blood dripped down my back and calves.

With only the sun’s setting position through the skeletal trees to guide me, I continued forward.

Soon this would be over. I was getting closer.

The forest grew denser, the twisted trees crowding closer together.

Their branches interlocked overhead, blocking what little light filtered through the bruised sky.

In the deepening gloom, shadows seemed to move independently, slithering along the ground and coiling around tree trunks.

I couldn't tell if they were real or just tricks of my exhausted mind.

A distant crack of branches snapped my attention backward. Something was following me.

I quickened my pace, ignoring the stabbing pain in my feet and the burning in my lungs.

The once gorgeous silk dress—now torn, filthy, and streaked with blood and sap—caught on a jagged branch.

I winced, my gaze catching on a bloody streak of red on my foot.

Ugh. I’d ripped off two of my smaller toenails and cut up the soles of my feet.

This blood trail I was leaving would lead any predator straight to me.

I sat heavily on the ground and ripped my sleeves off. Wincing, I bound the dirty silk around my feet. Sharp pain lanced through me. Bleeding hemlock. It hurt so much. Tears leaked from my eyes as my heart still raced.

I tore more fabric from the hem of my dress, wrapping the silk tightly around my bleeding feet. Each time I pulled the makeshift bandages a little tighter, pain shot through my raw flesh. It would take a miracle to keep me from getting an infection.

"Just a little longer," I whispered. My own voice sounded so alien in this harsh forest. I had to clench my teeth as another series of spasms throbbed through my feet. "Get to the portal, get through, seal it behind you, and go home. That’s all."

Home.

The word felt like a prayer on my lips.

I thought of the Peace Garden with its elegant fountain and vibrant flowers, of the festival music and spiced chocolate. Already I could imagine Enola’s expression when she heard what had happened.

I tied off the last bandage and tested my weight.

Pain lanced up my calves, but the bindings held.

It would have to be enough. I pushed myself up, using a tree trunk for support, careful to avoid the caustic sap.

My legs trembled a bit as I adjusted, and I forced myself to take one step, then another.

One step in front of another. That’s all I had to do.

My limping gait was painfully slow, each step a negotiation between speed and agony. The forest closed in around me, branches reaching like grasping fingers. Strange sounds echoed through the growing darkness—clicks and whispers that might have been wind through branches or something far worse.

Forward even though time no longer felt like it was passing.

With everything being so dark and leafless and with so few distinguishing features, it sometimes felt as if I was just walking in place.

Then, just when it seemed it would never stop, the forest thinned.

I stumbled through the last line of trees and stumbled to a halt, chest heaving.

There!

Relief and fear surged through me in equal measure.

The chasm yawned ahead, vast and unsettling, stretching wider than I had ever imagined. Despite the coolness, the air wavered around the dark abyss as if there were a heat wave. The sun was sliding into the horizon now, weaker and duller than before.

How long had I been out here? It was hard to tell how much time had passed.

I staggered forward, one hand on my aching ribs. Almost there. I could do it.

The terrible sounds of the behemoth and deathbeaks had faded completely, leaving only the whisper of wind through the dead trees behind me.

I inched closer to the chasm, my bandaged feet throbbing with each step, my mouth dry and tasting of blood and ash.

The portal was in the pit on the other side of the chasm. If I could just avoid looking down—

Oh, bleeding hemlock!

I couldn’t help it. My throat tightened as my gaze snapped to the abyss as if it screamed my name.

The darkness below seemed to swallow all light, stretching down so far I couldn't make out the bottom.

My head swam, and I had to step back, swallowing bile.

I wanted to vomit again, even though there was nothing in my stomach but nerves and terror.

That chasm was as if someone had combined the worst of my fear of heights and the ocean. Who knew what monstrosities lurked within?

Okay, no. This wasn’t helping.

Stop.

I closed my eyes, my fingers pressing hard against my arms and avoiding the burns. I forced myself to look across instead of down, scanning the far side for the pit and the portal. The Hollow King had dragged me up there to taunt me.

Oh, how poetic it was that he’d shown me and now—now if I could just get my fear under control, I’d find a way across and get back home partially in thanks to him.

That little spike of spite stabilized me. Yes, I could practically imagine the shock in those burning amber eyes of his when he realized I’d gotten through. I’d put that smug bastard right in his place and seal the passage back so he couldn’t get through ever again.

Hands on my waist, I scanned the far side.

With everything being shades of charcoal, black, and grey, it was hard to pick anything out in particular, especially as the sun’s light lessened.

The blood moon rising in the east offered precious little light.

I had to find the pit and get across before it was completely dark.

There—a few hundred feet to the right—I spotted it. A depression in the ground shimmered with an oily darkness, different from the pure black of the chasm. That had to be it.

"Now I just need to get across," I muttered, my voice sounding thin and reedy in the empty air.

The chasm stretched wide here, at least sixty feet across. Even if my legs weren't shredded and my body exhausted, I'd never be able to jump that far. And how far away was it really? In the waning light, it was hard to see, and the edges were so uneven—

I drew back, my eyes widening.

No…its edges were twitching.

Were those vines moving?

Something seized my ankle.