Allie POV
The walls of the hut shook as I slammed the door, and all I could hope for was that Josh wouldn’t follow. I needed space. My hands were trembling, but I wasn’t sure if it was because of the anger at being used as a toy, the embarrassment of him knowing what my body was doing, or the shock that I’d actually enjoyed his touch.
He knew exactly what he was doing when he touched me, and he still did it anyway. I didn’t know why I had even thought for a second that he cared about me. He was just my guard, and he was only here because he felt obligated. He probably figured he may as well have some fun seeing as he was stuck with me.
Was he even saving himself for his mate, or was that just another card to play so he didn’t sound like such a jerk? I’d felt him pressed up against me, he was just as turned on as
Allie POV The ground was soggy and a little slippery in places, but going down was a whole lot easier than going up had been. My body felt different. My training with Josh had me feeling fitter and stronger, and even though I still had a long way to go before I was at a level I should be, I marvelled at how noticeable the difference already was. I felt lighter on my feet, and I wasn’t tiring as quickly. It surprised me to find that I was actually enjoying the hike and getting to move my body so freely. Things remained quiet with Josh. He tried several times to initiate conversation and apologise, but I shut him down each time. I didn't want to hear it. I just wanted to walk and enjoy the scenery, and hope that we made it back before nightfall.
Allie POV The sound of birds chirping at an obnoxiously loud level woke me from one of the deepest sleeps I’d had since entering the forest. My bladder was screaming at me and I realised there was a heavy weight across my abdomen. By the looks of it, I must have cried myself to sleep in Josh’s arms. Just add it to the tally of my embarrassment. He had rolled onto his stomach and was facing the opposite way, but one arm still draped across me, holding me tightly against his side. I didn’t want to move him, but peeing my pants while lying next to him would propel me from embarrassed to utterly mortified. I lifted his arm and wriggled out, then let out a groan when I remembered we were up in Aspen’s tree. I was going to have to call out to Aspen and wake Josh up anyway.
Allie POV We walked with a renewed spring in our step and optimism shining, but after several hours, the usual Josh and Allie arguments surfaced again. “But we can follow this path and see where it goes. We don’t need to leave and enter the thick woods if we don’t have to,” argued Josh. “The path veers west. How long do you want to follow it? We could get lost even more. No, we take the most direct route south to the border, even if it means going over rougher terrain.” “Allie, the Ivory Court said they’d spotted the Obsidian King heading south. I know that was over a week ago, but I think we should stop and reassess this plan a bit more. You’re always accusing me of jumping into things. I thought your plan was good to begin with, but now I’ve thought about it more,
Allie POV Up ahead was a ring of large stones in a tiny clearing. I walked over and took a seat on one of the lower rocks while I caught my breath. Moss covered most of the stones, and a gap in the tree canopy overhead cast rays of green sunlight into the centre of the circle. It was stunning, but I made sure to avoid touching the standing stones. The entire scene looked like something from a movie; knowing my luck, I’d end up time travelling or something if I dared touch them. My lungs were on fire, my left arm throbbed, my right shoulder was even more painful, my head was pounding, and my heart just… ached. Josh. Annoying, impulsive, chaotic, wonderful Josh. I’d never thought he would deliberately hur
Josh POV I walked back from the bushes and saw Allie’s satchel lying on the ground where we’d been sitting, but she was nowhere to be seen. It was unlike her to leave her bag unattended, even if she was just going to pee. After what happened with her shoes, we were both conscious of leaving our things out in the open, especially when she was the one with the compass in her bag. I lay down next to her bag, staring up at the green sky and clouds. Their swirling, spiral pattern was mesmerising. It was easy to lose track of time just watching their patterns. I pulled out a handful of nuts and ate while I daydreamed. ‘Something’s not right,’ said Aster. ‘What do you mean?’
Allie POV My feet ached, my legs ached, everything ached. After being on the move all day with Josh, I’d now been walking through the night without rest, too. I wasn’t tied or chained, but there was also no room for escape. The trolls had encircled me as we walked, and they looked like giant walking boulders. I was in a walking prison. The only distraction I had from the pain my body was in was my thoughts. And they were just as painful, if not more. The trolls spoke their own language, and it was unlike anything I’d heard before. Their voices were deep and gravelly. They chatted among themselves and pretended not to understand me when I spoke, but I knew very well that they could. The smallest one was on my
Allie POV Raised voices and clanging metal stirred me from my sleep. I felt like I’d only just put my head on the pillow. However long it was, it wasn’t anywhere near enough time to recover from the previous day’s events. My eyelids felt heavy and refused to stay open, and my entire body ached with fatigue. “Get up! Time to work!” came a shout from outside the cell, as the key turned in the lock and the door swung open. I struggled into a sitting position on the bed and slowly tried to focus my eyes. I suddenly wished I’d kept them closed, so I didn’t have to see my prison for the first time. The floor was hard, compacted, reddish-coloured dirt that seemed to cling to my boots, which I hadn’t taken off to sleep. My bed was a bundle of cut logs, with a very thin
Allie POV **Trigger Warning: Briefly mentions pregnancy loss. Skip chapter if you do not wish to read.** “We’re going to deliver these,” said Gladys, holding up a stack of clean linen. “We’ll be back soon.” It was just Mulberry and me, and in the silence, I slowly managed to calm my breathing. It wasn’t as quick as when Josh was helping me through it, but I did it on my own. “How were you captured?” I asked quietly. Mulberry took a deep breath before replying. “I was out hunting with my father and grandfather. My father is the chieftain of the Ivory elves and my grandfather is one of the elders of the elf community,” she said, lifting her head as she said it, the pride showing in her voice.