Page 5 of The Glass Unicorn: Part 12

I stared at the ground. I had known—at heart I’d known, but I hadn’t wanted to admit it for real. I’d wanted to keep hope for as long as I could. But this sealed it. We were here for good; this was my life from now on. Abarria—the Abarria we were in—was a very real world, and it was now our home. There were no more questions. We had our answers.

“Are you all right?” Ray tapped me on the shoulder.

“I don’t know. Or rather…I knew. I’m just processing the fact that the owners of the game decided to write off any other attempts to recover us. The sooner this is over, the sooner they can repair their reputation.” I sounded bitter and I knew it, but I couldn’t help myself.

“Erenye?” Master Ashelainn said.

“What?” I turned to him. The unicorn was incredibly beautiful, more beautiful than any creature had a right to be. The sun glinted off his body, prisming in the facets that made up the Glass Unicorn, and rainbows shot from him with every mood he made.

“Remember, we said the portal was destroyed? We told you that when we first met. Portals are difficult to create. Those whom you feel betrayed you, can’t rescue you. They can try to create a portal, but without the knowledge of where this world lies, their chances of linking back to this world are infinitesimal. You made the choice to come. An unforeseen catastrophe broke the mechanics of their game. And you were caught in the crossfire.”

He held my gaze, and I let out a long breath. He was right. It wasn’t the developers’ fault; it wasn’t the CEO’s fault. The fault belonged to the company that decided to attack them.

After a moment, I nodded. “I understand. All right, that makes getting rid of this key of utmost importance. Then, we can decide what to do with the rest of our lives.”

CHAPTER 71: MAKING PLANS

We decidedto stop for the night where we were. The forest might be watching us, but that was safer than feeling like we were exposed. Otsiano and the Glass Unicorn settled down with us. I wasn’t sure if they were going to stay the night, but they seemed comfortable and I felt far safer around them than without them.

“Do you know if Zaran has reached the Summer Kingdom?” I asked, carrying a pan of water over to the campfire that Reggie had built. We had several potatoes and some salted meat that Magdala had given us, and we decided to make a stew of sorts.

Otsiano knelt down by a bush with small purple flowers on it, cutting off several of the stems. “This will add flavor to your stew,” he said, handing it to Brynn, who was cutting the potatoes for the water.

“That smells like…” She brought the herb to her nose. “It is! Sage. Sage is clarifying, as well. It’s good for several conditions. Gather what you can so we can take it with us.”

Reggie nodded, moving toward the bush, but Otsiano stopped him.

“Only take one-fourth of the bush and thank it for its life before and after. The plant will still grow, and the forest willknow you respect it,” Otsiano said. “Erenye, your suspicions were correct—this forest is so alive that it canfeelyour breath. Even the fire you lit—I watched to make sure you used dry wood that you had carried in with you.”

“Should we avoid cutting wood while among the trees?” Thornhold asked.

“Yes, though if the tree is truly dead, that’s not a problem. But still, thank the forest for its offering. The Summer Kingdom is home to numerous dryads, nymphs, and other creatures who caretake the woodlands. Be polite, mind what you do…it’s good advice for anywhere, but especially when you walk beneath an ancient tree herd.”

“Tree herd?” Ray asked.

“At one time, here in Abarria, the plants were able to move about, like people. The forests moved across the land, settling for thousands of years before moving again. If the land grew depleted through farming, or if the humans grew too numerous, the ancient tree-folk would leave, driven by the dryads,” Otsiano said.

He knelt near the base of a tree to pick several mushrooms, handing them to Brynn. “These are safe and tasty, and a good source of some vitamins. Don’t try to gather them on your own, though, until you have time to study. There are mimics that are deadly, but I can talk to them directly and I know the difference.”

I sat on a log, leaning my elbow on my knees. “I guess we had better start learning things like this. I have some hunting knowledge but that’s thanks to the character I chose.” I glanced over at Thornhold. “I’m sorry.”

“What? Why?” he asked, looking startled.

“Because I know you wish you hadn’t picked a dwarf to play, and now…”

“Now I’m stuck that way?” he asked. “You know, I am disappointed, but yet…if we’re to survive in this world, there would be worse things to be than a dwarf. I’m strong, I’ve got a superior immune system—just like the elves. I’ve got long life…I’m just glad I didn’t choose to play one of the weaker races.”

“I think we all are. Ray’s human, but at least he’s the standard that most other character races are compared to. Brynn, are you human?” I truly didn’t know what she and Reggie had picked. Theylookedhuman, but that didn’t mean they were.

“No, I’m considered a barbarian—they’re stronger than most humans, and have a slightly lengthened lifespan,” she said.

“And I’m one a wizard…magic extends my life by quite a bit,” Reggie said.

I suddenly realized that Thornhold and I, along with Reggie, would probably outlive our companions by a long shot, given the way the game had worked. I wondered if that held true now that we were cut off from home. I turned to Otsiano, but he seemed to sense my thoughts and he shook his head.

“Come, walk with me,” he said, holding out his hand.

I let him pull me to my feet and we set off, heading downstream beside the creek. He really was gorgeous, I thought, and he felt safe to be with. I reminded myself he was married—it was impossible to ignore his charisma—and I had no intention of turning into a home-wrecker. Though truthfully, I doubted if I could sway him from his wife.