Wounds

I woke up in a cozy bed in a dimly lit room. I was painless, and for a brief instant I thought I must be dead. However, as I looked about, I saw that neither heaven nor hell was waiting for me. Rather, I observed Nyla Taylor in a different bed, with her brother sitting next to her and people moving silently around, taking care of us. As I continued to look, I realized that this had to be an infirmary of some sort. A woman walked up, her steps deliberate but soft. "Good evening, Miss," she greeted softly. "Are you feeling better now?"

"I don’t feel anything," I said, my voice just above a whisper.

"Good," the woman responded, nodding. "We removed the burned flesh and bandaged you, but your wounds were so terrible that we almost couldn't treat you. You won't be able to walk for a few days, and the discomfort will subside after another three or four days. Additionally, the serious cuts on your arms and chest have been bandaged. They should heal quickly, although you will be sore. Is there anything I can get you?" she finished, smiling courteously.

"No," I replied with a headshake. "I just need to know where I am, why I’m here, and how long I’ve been out."

"You're in The Healing Hall," the woman clarified. "You were discovered by Nyla Taylor's brother, and we cannot abandon a wounded person unless we are callous, which we are not. For nearly twenty-four hours, you have been unconscious."

"A day!" I cried out, letting forth a moan. "By now, Jase will be dead! Why did that dragon appear, oh, why?"

"I’m afraid I don’t understand," the woman answered, her expression puzzled and intrigued.

"I was trying to save someone from The Spire of Shadows in The Shadow Woods," I blurted out. "However, I've heard that he might not be living. All I'm concerned about is that his time is running out."

The woman tilted her head slightly and asked, "Do you not know the story?"

"What story?" I demanded, a hint of urgency in my voice.

With a sigh, the woman took a seat next to my bed. "According to legend," she began, "someone exiled to The Spire of Shadows has five days before their health completely deteriorates. They die after three more days. What is the duration of his absence?"

"Around four days," I replied, my heart racing.

Brightly, the woman exclaimed, "Then you have time! Don’t worry, miss, he’ll be fine."

"Thank you," I said quietly, trying to smile a little. I was comforted by her assurance and friendliness.

"You’re welcome," the woman said gently. "Go to bed now. You must have the rest."

I felt a lot better when I woke up again. Bryce, the brother of Nyla Taylor, took the place of the woman who had looked after me and sat at the foot of my bed. He saw my eyes flicker open and grinned. "At last!" he greeted warmly. "We were beginning to worry."

I smiled back at him and pulled myself up, but as soon as my legs touched the covers, I gasped in pain.

"Yes, you'll be very sore," Bryce answered in a strong but empathetic tone. "Don't worry, you'll be able to stand and walk with minimal discomfort on another day. Eat and rest for the time being."

"I can’t!" I objected. He looked at me inquisitively, so I continued urgently, "I have to save Jase."

"He’s fine," Bryce tried to reassure me.

"You don’t understand!" I sobbed, raising my voice. "Nobody is able to! Until I know he is, I won't be alright." My eyes begged him as I pleaded, "Please, help me."

He examined me, maybe assessing my determination. A little later, Bryce gave a slow nod. "If you eat and rest today, I'll assist you," he conceded. "We will go for The Spire of Shadows tomorrow morning. After you've located him, you two can spend some time back here before departing from The Shadow Woods. Is that appropriate?"

I realized that I had no other choice. "Alright," I agreed grudgingly.

"All right," Bryce confirmed. "Eat this now." He gave me a glass of clean water, a piece of fresh bread, and a bowl full of soup. There was nothing more welcome.

I leaned back and studied Bryce for a moment, satisfied. His short, shaggy hair, which was blondish like Nyla Taylor's, spilled over his stone-colored eyes set in tanned skin. He had a calm strength and was tall and powerful.

I felt his eyes on me as I watched him, and I hurriedly averted my eyes. I looked back, and he smiled as our eyes locked. I did the same.

"Camryn, right?" Bryce asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes," I confirmed.

"Tell me, Miss Camryn," Bryce continued in a lighthearted voice, "what brings a lovely young lady like yourself into The Shadow Woods, searching for a man in a tower?"

I let out a sigh. "Want the whole tale?" I asked.

Bryce laughed. "Preferably," he replied.

"Then sit back; it’s no short story," I warned. He nodded for me to continue as he leaned on the end board of the bed. I inhaled deeply before diving right in, telling everything I knew about my beginnings, my early years, the palace, the queen, and every turn of events leading up to this point, leaving nothing out. After over two hours, Bryce finally grasped everything. I politely responded to his queries, thankful to be able to vent to someone.

"You've been through a lot, Camryn," Bryce said softly after I was done. "I will make every effort to assist you in finding your prince. Rest now. I'll come get you in the morning."

"Thank you, Bryce," I said sincerely. He gave a nod and left. Nestled under the blankets, I yawned and allowed myself to dream of my happily-ever-after, of being together, of saving Jase.

"Camryn… Camryn…" A voice whispered, accompanied by a light tap on my shoulder, awakening me. I grinned as my eyes opened to meet Bryce's.

"Good morning," I mumbled, blinking my eyes open.

"Anything but!" Bryce snapped back urgently. "Outside, it's darker than before. We have a long way to go, you have two days to save the prince, and I'm afraid it's going to rain soon. Wake up! We have to go immediately, Camryn, so hurry up!"

I leaped from the bed and hurried to get ready, chafing and stretching my skin while gritting my teeth against the burning sensation.

Finally, Bryce and I set off alone. Before I was able to bring the dragon down, Nyla Taylor was still there, severely wounded by the onslaught. We ensured speed by carrying light packs. We went at daybreak, although the darkness made it difficult to tell the time. We traveled all day, without stopping, eating as we went, and keeping our eyes on the prize. By dark, my legs were rubbed raw and we were both exhausted and dragged down by the suffocating blackness.

I stretched my legs out in front of me and dropped myself to the ground with slow, careful care. "How much farther, do you think?" I moaned, dropping to the ground.

"We should reach it tomorrow afternoon if we keep this pace," Bryce responded, settling nearby.

"Good," I sighed.

"You should rest," Bryce advised.

"All right," I agreed. "Bryce, good night."

Bryce settled down, and I heard him shift. "Goodnight, Camryn," he replied.

Long after Bryce's breathing stabilized, I was still unable to go asleep. I had a lot of thoughts about the prince, but I also had thoughts about myself and my life up to this point. My bright but uncertain future unfolded before me: getting married to the prince, becoming queen, and living with Jase until death separated us. If only I could get him back, it seemed doable.

Even though the unrelenting darkness obscured the clock, we started up early the following morning. Hope and, for me at least, prayer drove us to almost run into The Shadow Woods. I was frozen in place by a startling notion as we approached another Tower Glade. Bryce didn't realize I was motionless for three seconds. He pivoted. "We have to go quickly, Camryn! Hurry up!" he urged.

"Bryce," I mumbled, my voice trembling, "what if 'five days before health deteriorates' means they have to leave The Shadow Woods after eight days? Only on the eighth day will we arrive there." As I stared at him anxiously, my pulse pounded and my breath caught.

After giving it some thought, Bryce responded quietly, "We can only hope 'deteriorates' means they can leave The Spire of Shadows, not the entire Woods."

"Oh!" I gasped, putting my palm to my mouth to stop the tears from spilling out of my chest, but they still managed to get through. Even though I hadn't cried a tear during this agony, hopelessness overcame me and robbed me of all hope. If the deadline to leave The Shadow Woods was extended, we would be too late even if we made it to The Spire of Shadows today. Just minutes ago, I was positive that we would return to The Woodsmen's Warren hand in hand in a matter of hours, but now I might lose him after all. I fell to the ground, crushed under its weight.

In an instant, Bryce was by my side. I sobbed into his chest as he put his arms around my shoulders. "Camryn, I know you're worried, scared, and maybe even hopeless, but sitting here crying helps no one—especially not Jase," Bryce said quietly after a few minutes. "By then, he must have left The Shadow Woods, although we don't know that. We're not sure. Getting him out of the tower and into The Woodsmen's Warren is the only thing we can accomplish at this time. Come on, we have to leave now."

His remarks gave me a renewed sense of resolve. I got up, wiped away my tears, and nodded. I saw his reassuring smile through the gloom.

With the goal of arriving to The Spire of Shadows within an hour, we continued to go forward at a faster pace than before.