The World Outside Karnak

The air in Oakwald Forest smelled fresher than anything I’d breathed in for the past year. Rich earth, decaying leaves, and the faint perfume of wildflowers filled my lungs as we rode beneath a canopy of trees. I was free. Or at least freer than I had been in Karnak.

The three sleek black dogs darted ahead of the caravan, their excited yapping filling the air. The sound was almost joyful, and for a moment, I imagined that the pain of the chains around my wrists and ankles was gone. I knelt on the forest floor, reaching out to stroke their velvety ears, feeling their warmth and affection. Their tails whipped the ground like whips, slashing back and forth in excitement.

As I pressed my face into the fur of one of the dogs, the dull thud of boots approached. I didn’t need to look up to know who it was. Only one person in this caravan walked with such authority—Callum Silvermark , Crown Prince of Kyrador. His presence weighed on me, more than the shackles ever could.

“How unusual for them to notice you,” Callum's voice teased, as he scratched one of the dogs behind the ears.

I raised my head to meet his sapphire eyes, trying to hide the sting of sarcasm that rose to my lips. “I didn’t exactly invite their attention,” I said coolly, keeping my voice as level as possible. My body ached, but I wouldn’t let them see my exhaustion.

Callum Smiled, that playful, arrogant smile he always seemed to wear. “Am I going to be blessed with the pleasure of hearing your voice today?” he asked, tilting his head slightly, his dark hair falling into his eyes.

I didn’t have the energy for this. Not after everything I’d been through. “I’m afraid your questions didn’t merit a verbal response,” I replied with a sweetly mocking tone, turning my head to stare at the surrounding trees.

Captain Marcus stood a few paces behind me, watching every movement, every twitch. He was always watching. “I didn’t want to keep you waiting,” he said to Callum, his tone all business, though I could feel the tension between us.

Callum feigned a deep, exaggerated bow. “How terrible it must be to condescend to answer me, oh great Thalia Blackwood,” he teased, his tone light, but with an edge that spoke of danger lurking beneath his charm.

I gave him a thin smile, not bothering to respond. My thoughts were already far ahead of this conversation, imagining what it would be like to finally leave Karnak behind.

“Enough.” Marcus's voice cut through the air like a whip. “We need to keep moving.” He was all duty and order, his focus completely on the mission.

As Callum turned to go, his dogs trailing at his heels, my eyes caught the sight of the piebald mare being led towards me. My heart skipped a beat. The promise of freedom—of even the slightest movement without chains—brought a surge of excitement I hadn’t felt in months.

I gripped the saddle horn tightly as I swung onto the horse’s back, feeling the rush of power beneath me. The sky opened above me, and the world stretched out before us. I was leaving Karnak. I was getting out. My chest tightened as I pictured the world beyond the mines. Rifthold. Freedom.

But before I could lose myself in the fantasy, Marcus was there again, fastening the iron chains that bound my wrists into new shackles—this time, attached to the saddle. A reminder that I was still a prisoner. Still Kyrador ’s property. My smile vanished as quickly as it had come.

“A long chain,” I muttered under my breath, “just in case I try anything clever.”

“I’m not taking any chances with you,” Marcus replied, his eyes narrowing as he adjusted the length of the chain. His hand brushed mine, cold and calloused, and for a brief moment, our gazes locked. He might be my captor, but I could see the wariness in his eyes—he knew what I was capable of.

The caravan moved forward, a line of soldiers, Callum, Duke Ravenscroft, and me—the infamous assassin of Kyrador —dragging behind like a criminal on display. Twenty men guarded us, all armed to the teeth, watching the woods for any sign of danger. It felt like a farce. They weren’t protecting us. They were protecting themselves from me.

As we approached the massive, looming wall of Karnak, my chest tightened again. I remembered the last time I had seen those gates—shoved through them, broken and bloody, a slave. Now, I was leaving, but not as a free woman. Not yet.

The horses’ hooves clattered against the stone as we passed through the dark, damp passage. The gates groaned shut behind us, echoing like a death knell. The air was thick with tension, the sound of the chains rattling with every step I took.

“You should feel grateful,” Marcus said suddenly, his voice cold as he rode beside me. “Not everyone gets a second chance.”

I didn’t respond. Instead, I focused on the sight of the forest as it opened before us—the bright morning sky, the leaves shimmering in the sunlight like jewels. Oakwald Forest. A place I had once heard about in stories, in legends. Now, it was real, alive, and beautiful.

The beauty reminded me of Valtoria, of home. I hadn’t seen my homeland in years. The memories of that place were like ghosts, haunting me even now. But that was before I had been dragged into Arobynn’s world. Before I became his.

A laugh from one of the soldiers behind me snapped me back to reality. “Damned forest,” an olive-skinned soldier grumbled. “Nothing but trees and more trees.”

I stiffened at his words, anger flaring inside me. How could anyone be so blind to the beauty around them? But then again, these men—these soldiers of Kyrador —weren’t here to admire the forest. They were here to conquer it, just like their king.

We rode on in silence for a while longer, the forest sounds surrounding us. The crackle of leaves, the distant call of birds. The wind rustled through the branches. It felt alive like it was watching us.

Just as we stopped to rest for lunch, the dogs came bounding back, settling at my feet. They were the only creatures in this forsaken caravan that seemed to care about me. I scratched behind their ears, feeling a small smile tug at my lips despite everything.

Marcus dismounted and unshackled my wrists, only to fasten the chains to my ankles. The weight of them dragged me down, a constant reminder of what I was—still bound, still trapped.

But the forest—the world outside Karnak—was alive. And so was I. For now, that was enough.