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.
Allie POV There was a noticeable change in the air the following morning as the guards released us from our cells. They were much more formal, standing to attention and barking orders in an almost professional manner. Mulberry and I exited the prison building and made our way to the laundry, but were stopped at the door by two more guards. “The Obsidian King has ordered us to bring you to him,” one of them said, looking directly at me. My whole body tensed. I wasn’t ready for this. “Good luck,” said Mulberry, trying her best to sound reassuring, but I noticed she didn’t meet my gaze. I quietly followed the guards out into the village towards a large, open area just past the animal enclosures. My eyes darted around the wh
Allie POV Mulberry and I were in a dangerous predicament. We needed people to help us when the time came to break free, but we also couldn’t risk telling the wrong people–people who might dob us in. For now, we’d decided to stick with the Ivory elves, as most of them had already established a sense of respect for Mulberry because of her lineage to the chieftain. We had let some of the men tending the gardens and animals in on our plan. They were nervous and a little sceptical at first, but eventually our determination and enthusiasm won them over. So far, over the last couple of days, they had managed to stow away some broken tools to use as weapons. They were also finding branches and pieces of wood to sharpen secretly and hide around the place.
Josh POV Damn it all to hell. Yet again, I’d fucked up. My brother told me not to go. Dad had warned me not to go. And what did I do? Snuck out of the house in the middle of the night to join the battle. I hadn’t even taken my phone. Where did it get me? To the Jade Willow Forest. Almost to the brink of death, twice. To Allie. Unlike last time, she wasn’t with me when I opened my eyes again. I remembered how worried I was when she disappeared. I remembered the shock and disbelief when she stabbed me. That could never be Allie, and it wasn’t. I remembered the blast of water as Tatiana knocked the imposter backwards and the boggart’s disgusting face was revealed. Running, swimming, Tatiana, the waterfall, the rocks b