Page 59 of Sinful Curses
The questions churned in her mind as she tried to process everything, but she couldn’t think straight. Everything was so difficult right now, and trying to process anything was nearly impossible.
She’d give anything to fall asleep. To lay down, put her head on the ground, and let it all go. Sleep would be so….
A jerk from Orin alerted her that she’d passed out again. This time, her chin didn’t hit her chest; she’d stood there, eyes closed, and her face pointed straight ahead.
“Is this real?” Her voice sounded as grainy as her eyes felt.
Orin’s thumb stroked her skin. The tender gesture was nearly her undoing as more tears surged into her eyes.
She was overtired, that’s why she was so emotional, but she was on the verge of losing it. Breaking down here could spell doom, because once she started crying, she wouldn’t stop, and standing might prove impossible as sobs wracked her body.
“It’s real,” Orin said.
“Are you sure?”
His hesitation before he replied told her he wasn’t entirely sure, but he said, “Yes.”
She had no idea how they made it through the day again. Probably through their squeezes to stay awake and the steady reassurance the others were here.
And they were all counting on each other to stay alive. If one failed, they could all fail.
When the sun set again, they continued across the field. Travel was becoming increasingly slow and difficult as her vision often blurred, and the geysers became two or three in some places.
She sometimes had to stop for a few seconds, if not more, to make sure what she saw was real. She wasn’t the only one, as the others also called a halt to ensure they were stepping in the right place.
Since they hadn’t eaten or drunk much since entering the field, their bathroom breaks were far less frequent, which was the only silver lining in this mess. Trying to relieve herself hadn’t been fun with the others around, even with their eyes closed. No one dared to turn away for fear they would lose their direction and end up going the wrong way or start meandering in circles.
Fath and Loth, uninjured and more rested, guided them when they asked questions about what they saw. The brownies were also exhausted, as their tails drooped, and they often wiped tears from their eyes. They hadn’t endured as much physical exhaustion as the rest of them, but the loss of Gior had taken an emotional toll on them.
As the night wore on, Sahira couldn’t tell if she was sweltering or freezing. Sweat beaded on her nape, but she couldn’t stop shivering as the wind invaded any opening in her cloak.
Too tired to pick them up, her feet skimmed the ground with every step. It was the best she could do, considering every step took away what little remained of her energy. When she made it to a mound, she shuffled around it, carefully avoiding its deadly wrath while not pulling Zeth or Orin toward the geyser.
The moon was high in the sky and already beginning its descent. She tried not to think about being trapped out here for another day, but inwardly, she started sobbing again at the possibility.
Much to her dismay, this time, one of her tears slid free. She blinked the others away as she resolved not to cry again. No matter how battered and tired she was, this was not the time or place to lose it.
There was a way across this field. That other immortal had nearly made it to their side of the field, so it must end somewhere.
She couldn’t consider the possibility they were going the wrong way; her brain wasn’t functioning enough for that. All it could handle was one foot in front of another, one more step, and another and another.
Her entire existence had boiled down to steps and hand squeezes. They were all she had to give.
They only had about an hour of nighttime left when Loth suddenly exclaimed, “I think I see something!”
CHAPTERFIFTY-ONE
At first,it took a few seconds for his words to sink in as she remained focused on her feet and avoiding the geysers. When what he’d said finally penetrated, her brow furrowed as she tried to process it. The others must have had the same problem as they all ceased walking.
“What is it?”
Orin’s words grated out from between his teeth. She had a feeling it would take too much effort for him to open his mouth and speak; she understood completely.
“I’m not sure. I’ll be right back,” Loth said.
With that, the brownie took off to dart in and out of the geysers as he crossed the field with far more speed than he exhibited while helping them. When he made it a couple hundred feet, Sahira lost sight of him amid the mounds.
“Do you see anything?” Zeth asked, sounding as exhausted as she felt.
