All Chapters of Follow: Book 1 The Rose Tree Chronicles: Chapter 11
- Chapter 20
24 chapters
Chapter Ten: Finding Friends in High Places
For a heartbeat, Mazyr and Jed stared agape at Rein, frozen in the silence that followed the chaos. Rein sat just as still, caught like a thief in the light. She should’ve known the commotion she’d made in her escape would practically call them to her.“Jed!” Mazyr cried.“It’s free!” Jed exclaimed.“Get a jar!” Mazyr ordered. “I’ll help you catch it!”Mazyr shut the door with a soft click, his gaze locked on Rein like an arrow strung in a bow. She could now confirm there were no windows in this office. The walls pressed in with that brutal fact, and escape became a question without an answer. Without thinking, she launched upward, clutching the weight to her chest with the hope to buy herself a breath—just enough space to think.“How is it carrying that thing?” Jed asked.“I don’t know!” Mazyr answered.They lunged for her with outstretched arms, clumsy in their urgency. Rein barely kept ahead. The heavy weight clutched to her chest was like an anchor. It dragged her sideways, slammed
Chapter Eleven: A Deal for a Miracle
Rein finished telling her story, and there was silence as the miracle worker processed everything she’d said.“That is quite the tale.” He rubbed his chin, contemplating. “And you were there during this discussion between this naiad and the fairy queen.”“Yes,” Rein answered hesitantly. “I wasn’t supposed to be.”“Well, I won’t be visiting the Maja Forest anytime soon, so you can trust your secret’s safe with me.”The miracle worker considered for another moment. Rein’s shoulders tensed. Every passing second chipped away at her hope, sharpening her suspicion. At this point, she was certain he wouldn’t lift a finger unless something was placed in his palm first.“Do you believe her, Pryce?” the miracle worker asked.Pryce shrugged. “She seems honest enough to me. Everyone knows pixies hail from the Maja Forest.”After one last moment of paralyzing silence, the miracle worker nodded his head. “All right, I’ll take the shackle off.”“What do you want in return?” Rein asked.“Assuming what
Chapter Twelve: On Enemy Lines
Four despondent weeks in Barhollow dragged by for the three soldiers locked in Emperor Mentir’s dungeon. Escape had become a distant thought watched too closely, too constantly for even the hint of a chance. Every day, Gerardo was hauled from the cell and dragged to the Room of Pain. And every day, he returned drenched in his own blood.Today was worse.His body sagged between the two servants as they pulled him down the corridor barely conscious, coughing wetly. His knees buckled, and they let him fall, his body hitting the stone with a sickening thud. They stepped back, giving him space … or perhaps just unwilling to touch him further. Gerardo curled around the fire in his gut, one arm wrapped across his abdomen, the other braced against the floor as he coughed again, sharp and broken, red flecking his lips. He groaned, low and hoarse, forcing himself not to cry out. When the last spasm passed, a guard grabbed him by the collar and hurled him through the bars. He hit the cell floor h
Chapter Thirteen: Finally a Plan
The dark figure watched Rein, its yellow eyes glowing like embers in the black. It didn’t move. Neither did she. She held her breath, every muscle frozen tight, afraid that even a twitch might provoke it. In the silence, her eyes adjusted and the outline sharpened. Coarse fur. Twitching whiskers. A rat. A huge one. Her pulse thudded louder. Pryce stood vulnerable behind her. She had to do something before it decided to attack.“Can you talk?” she asked.The rat didn’t relax its position, but answered her in a low, intimidating voice. “I can.”“I don’t want to fight,” Rein said. “I’m not a threat; you have my word.”The rat was unswayed. “Then lower your weapon.”Rein hesitated, but obeyed and held up her hands. The rat dropped down to all fours.“Why are you here?” he asked.“We realize we are intruding, and you have our deepest apologies,” Pryce explained. “But we came here to save a friend, and this was the quickest alcove we could find. We were hoping it wasn’t occupied.”“Who’s you
Chapter Fourteen: How to Bring Attention to Yourself
Calder nosed through the thin snow, lips brushing at stubborn blades of grass peeking through the frost. From the direction of the lake, Jorge emerged, cradling a broad, glossy leaf heavy with something gleaming faintly in the afternoon light.“Whatya got there?” Calder asked.“Wouldn’t you know it?” said Jorge. “I found the last of the fireberries.” He laughed and popped one in his mouth.“Fascinating,” Calder replied, quickly losing interest. “So you are absolutely dead set against sneaking into the palace with that cat disguise you’ve been using to check up on your comrades?”“I’m not answering that again.”“Right, right. A random cat in a palace is too suspicious when everyone’s keeping an eye out for specters. And all the guards have been watching their backs, so swiftly attacking one like last time is out of the question. Very well, I’ve devised another plan.”Jorge narrowed his eyes, unconvinced. “What exactly do you have in mind this time?”“Maybe you can be a family friend of
Chapter Fifteen: How Not to Execute a Plan
Emperor Mentir spun around, eyes locking on the coin bag lying just a few feet from the mouth of the mouse hole. Before the emperor had a chance to react, Pryce vaulted back into the drawer and slipped into the one beneath with practiced ease. In that heartbeat, Rein streaked out from the hole like a flash of gold, snatched the coin bag, and vanished back inside. When she made it back in, Lusitania took the bag and bolted down the tunnel. Rein didn’t follow. Lusitania noticed, and stopped.“What are you doing?” he asked. “Come on! We gotta go!”“I have to make sure Pryce makes it back safely!” Rein replied.“Pryce is done for, Rein!”“I’m not leaving here without him, Lusitania!”Lusitania paused, then gave a heavy sigh. “Fine. In that case, I’ll try and help.”A hand shot inside the mouse hole, groping madly, but Rein leapt out of the way just in time. She drew her dagger, and drove it into the hand while Lusitania sank his teeth into it. A shout of pain erupted from outside and the h
Chapter Sixteen: Hope Gained and Hope Lost
The final rays of the Northern sun stretched thin across the sky, painting the clouds in pale gold and draping the forest in the darkening cover of dusk as Jorge returned from his walk. His steps were slow, almost reluctant, as if he hoped the fading light might delay what came next.“All right,” he said, giving in. “We’ll go through with your plan. I’ll ask to speak with the emperor.”Suddenly, both of them froze. Frantic footsteps pounded through the snow, echoing from the direction of the palace. Without a word, they ducked behind a nearby tree, breath held. The sharp crunch of light feet grew louder, uneven and fueled by fear. One person, running hard. They listened, honing in on the frantic, shallow breathing. Jorge leaned out slowly, just enough to glimpse the figure barreling toward them. A woman, cloaked in satin and gold, rushing through the forest like it was aflame.He turned to Calder and whispered, “Empress Shae!”Sure enough, it was the empress of the People’s Empire, alo
Chapter Seventeen: Last-Minute Adjustments
Blood shot everywhere with the dust and shards, all of it showering over Rein while she ducked for cover. The sound of her heart echoed off the tunnel walls as she dared to peer over her shoulder. She saw Pryce’s arm and leg: the only parts of him that weren’t crushed by the rock. They dangled there by their tendons. Crimson poured from the mangled limbs and surged down the wall like a stream.Rein couldn’t move. The world blurred, spinning around the shattered image before her. Her legs gave a warning tremble before buckling, dropping her to her hands and knees. Something clogged her throat, tight and rising. Was it a scream? A sob? She couldn’t tell; she couldn’t breathe. Then instinct took over. She staggered upright, and stumbled through the tunnel like a puppet with cut strings, her hands scraping the walls for balance. Then she got airborne. Cold wind slapped her face as she burst from the palace, but she didn’t stop. Not until she hit the edge of Sirene Lake and dove in. The icy
Chapter Eighteen: After So Much Effort...
The corridors exploded into chaos. Freed prisoners surged forward in a ragged tide, brandishing stolen swords, jagged tools, and anything they could grab in the frenzy. Those without blades got creative, swinging chairs like clubs, hurling potted plants, tearing legs off tables and using them as makeshift weapons. The air rang with shouts, grunts, and the harsh clang of metal on stone. It was less an escape than a battlefield. Fistfights broke out where swords clashed and missed. Guards collided with prisoners in frantic scrambles, slipping on scattered debris. Some of the palace staff, wild-eyed and cornered, lashed out at the floor, kicking at the rodents that darted through the fray—little shadows navigating the chaos like scouts in a war.Through it all, Jole and Travis moved like ghosts, ducking low and weaving between bursts of violence. They stayed close, wordless, eyes scanning. They weren’t looking for an exit, they were looking for her. The one who’d opened the doors. Who’d s
Chapter Nineteen: Divine Intervention
Guided by the torches illuminating the courtyard, Jorge made it to the top of the stone wall and climbed onto the overhanging branch of a tree. Twilight had passed, and the light of the orange moon was all Jorge had to aid his way through the Lucierna Forest and the thick snowfall. Ahead, he could make out the dim glow of a campfire, and he ran toward it. He only morphed back into his original form once he had arrived.“Captain!” Travis exclaimed. “Where have you been?”“Spying.”“Did you learn anything?” Jole asked anxiously.“They’re going to search the forest for us tomorrow.”“And what of Gerry?” Calder interrogated.“Gerry’s scheduled to be executed at noon in Cair.”“You were supposed to come back with him!”“Well, it didn’t work out that way! I thought some pixie was going to handle it!”“A pixie?” Travis repeated, wondering if it was the same pixie he had seen in prison.“That’s what I said. She came out of nowhere to help with the jailbreak, and her plan was actually successfu