Her bones cracked. She would groan, but the mud caked in her mouth, down her throat. Her tongue sluggishly pushed at the muck. It tasted sweet. She clawed forward. She clawed upward. She clawed through. The wet earth felt silky between her cramped fingers. When she broke the surface, there was cool water ready to caress her with reverence. Yes, ( Read more... )

The narrow path reached with twisted fingers and sharp nails to grab at the worn leather of Saden’s borrowed boots. Her feet ached from the long journey through the dense greenwood. Something snapped loudly in the gloom behind her. She leaned against a tree, peering around its girth, her eyes wide. Her breath was shallow, her chest felt too heavy ( Read more... )