The Dark and Hollow Places; Book Two

Mind Tricks

            After scanning the area, I realize that my attacker isn’t coming back. Indra warned me about this kind of stuff. He said that this temple could play with my mind. It all felt so real, but nothing was ever there. I take a deep breath and walk back over to the large tree. I couldn’t believe that I was drowning myself. My entire head was soaking wet and when I get to the base of the tree, I braid my hair again. I look up at the large trunk. I got my sleep or what sleep I could get and I was ready. There were little divots in the bark where I could put my hands and feet. Until I got up far enough to use the branches, I would have to climb. I was pretty good at climbing trees so I wasn’t too worried.

            I grabbed a hold of the bark and started climbing. I stopped multiple times because I was so tired. I considered myself to be in pretty good shape, but here, I felt like I got tired so easily. I didn’t understand why that was. I reached up when I saw the first limb. I grabbed it and swung myself over. I almost lost my grip but I held on for life. I look down at the distance I covered. I had to be at least two-hundred feet up and I still had a lot of tree to climb until the top. How tall was this thing? I felt a little moment of defeat. I had no support right now and I hallucinated that my own husband was drowning me.  

            I look up and scan the tree for a few minutes. I could probably rest on one these branches, but there was a risk of me falling off. I also knew that I couldn’t not sleep because I needed energy to keep climbing to the top. I better get a freaking award for doing this. The Senate better put me on top of a pedestal and call me a hero. After my break, I start climbing from each limb which was a lot easier than climbing the bare bark.

            It was when it started getting dark that I stopped and that I realized I was a little more than halfway to the top. It was good to be almost there and to be that much closer to the stone. I felt like just jumping off the whole tree when I got the stone. I didn’t feel like climbing all the way back down. I settled on a wide branch and took out my water and granola bar. I had half a bottle of water left and I was parched, but I had to ration. I just needed the bare minimum to get me by. I lean against the trunk and toss my head to the side, welcoming sleep in.

            “I can feel how close she is to getting that stone. I must head to the temple now.” Garth says. The Unseelie King shakes his head. Garth looks down and makes a fist with his hand. He was pissed and he needed to pounce now before he missed his chance.

            “Calm down my son. She has led us this far and so we shall just wait until the precise moment. Remember to kill the girl too once you get that stone.” His father says to him. Garth nodded. He would rather to kill her mate in front of her and then make her beg for her pathetic life. He wanted her to suffer forever.

            “Yes father. I shall sharpen my blades.” Garth left the throne room. He was smiling. He just couldn’t wait to rid the universe of Estelle and her mate.

            I woke up a little scared. Garth has been tracking me the entire time. He was just waiting for me to get to the stone so he could kill me. I had the upper hand though because I can see him coming through my dreams. I touch the handle of the blade hooked on my belt. This would be the weapon I would kill Garth with. He would be dead and so will our stupid bond. I drink a little bit more water and then start climbing again.

            My muscles ached terribly, but I kept moving on. I had to because I wanted to get this over with. I needed to stop prolonging my own pain. I just wanted to be with Will and live happily ever in our castle. I wanted that fairytale ending although I wasn’t sure if I was going to get it. I climbed up another fifty feet when I heard a noise. It sounded like a faint whisper in my ear. I turned to my left and then my right but saw nothing.