by K.N. Lee
Five more years? Hannah wanted me to stay here for five more years, trapped in this stupid house full of reminders of the adventurous lives my parents had led. I was so tired of Hannah making every decision for me. It wasn’t my fault that she was a coward.
I needed some space. Being around Hannah literally made me sick.
Hannah wiped tears on her sleeve, spun on her heel, and practically ran back to the safety of her room. Typical Hannah.
“What did you say to her?” Alacia demanded. She looked as sick as I felt.
“I didn’t— I just— She started it!” I turned in the opposite direction Hannah had gone and stomped away.
I had almost forgotten that I was supposed to be giving this outfit to the guards, so whichever loser this uniform belonged to could go on a trip I didn’t get to. Life was so unfair.
Unless…
This outfit might be a little big, but it would probably fit me. Maybe in the hubbub of Ariana’s departure, I could don the outfit and join them. I wouldn’t need to fool them for long. All I had to do was keep up the ruse until we got too far from Silverleaf to turn back. Then I could finally travel. Alacia had admonished me for trying to leave Silverleaf, while unwittingly handing me my ticket to freedom.
By the time anyone noticed, it would be too late.
4
Just act natural.
So far, no one had noticed that I didn’t belong. I was stationed at the back of the procession, next to another low-ranking guard. Fortunately, we weren’t supposed to be making small talk, so he couldn’t out me right away. We weren’t even supposed to look at each other, though I kept sneaking glances to make sure I was mirroring his every move. We were supposed to march with our backs and limbs straight. I would be exhausted before long.
The guard uniform I wore was only a little too wide in the shoulders, too long in the sleeves, and the shoes were too big. I’d stuffed the toes with an extra pair of stockings, just to make them fit more comfortably. I had to remove the bandage so I could blend in with the other guards better. My cheek didn’t hurt much anymore anyway. With my hair pulled back under the helmet, I could almost pass for a real guard if no one looked too closely. I even had a sword, which Tor had shoved at me in annoyance when he saw that I didn’t already have one on my hip.
“Take this,” he’d growled, not even looking at my face while I did everything I could to not make eye contact.
Tor was coming with us — something I hadn’t counted on. He was riding up front, leading the procession, as far away from me as he could get. Still, his presence made me so nervous I jumped every time I heard his voice barking commands. If he found me, he would turn us all around, carry me kicking and screaming back into the city, and probably chain me to a wall. He would be livid. I would have to keep up the act as long as possible.
In total, there were eight guards accompanying Ariana’s carriage: three higher-ranking guards on horseback and five lower-ranking guards on foot. When Alistair and Hannah found out I’d disobeyed them, they would certainly be upset. But at least they would know I was safe, surrounded as I was by guards.
What could possibly go wrong?
Well, I could trip and make a fool of myself. The guards didn’t walk like normal people. They marched in time and did this weird thing where they stepped twice with the same foot every fifteen steps or so. Most of my attention was focused on not tripping in my too-big shoes. I couldn’t even take the time to enjoy the sights. Not yet.
Right, left, right, left, right, left-left, right…
We walked for what felt like an eternity. I could feel blisters forming on my feet. I tried not to pant. I was probably one of the more physically active of my sisters, but even I wasn’t ready for a march like this.
“Halt!”
I flinched at the sound of Tor’s voice cutting over the beat of marching feet and horses’ hooves. I almost tripped, but caught myself and stood straight. Standing still was worse than walking. But at least I didn’t have to count in my head anymore.
Why had we stopped?
I leaned to the side to see around the carriage. Probably an amateur move, but my curiosity got the better of me.
A single figure stood in the road ahead of us. Something seemed ... off about this person. They had no cart or horse with them, no pack on their back. I couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman. Just the sight of them gave me chills.
Or maybe that was the Forsaken Woods, only a few yards to the left. The trees were so close that I could make out the individual leaves on their twisted branches. The trees looked like people convulsing in agony, arms raised to the heavens.
I shuddered.
“State your business,” Tor thundered at the stranger.
I squinted to see if I could make out more details and gasped when, in the blink of an eye, the person stood several yards closer. The horses stomped and snorted anxiously at the sudden movement. Beside me, the nearest guard rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.
I could see now that it was a man in a dark, purple cloak. His long, gray beard was braided down to his knees and decorated with beads and baubles that tinkled when he turned his head to look us over.
“I am looking for Mistress Ariana,” he said, his voice rasping.
A murmur ran through the guards.
“Why do you seek her?” Tor asked. He was still surprisingly calm, considering the strange man now stood an arm’s length away from his horse.
The man licked his lips and fiddled with the brim of his tall hat. “That is between me and the Mistress,” he said.
“Tell me what you want or else—” Tor was interrupted by the screeching of hinges as Ariana opened the door of the carriage. Her back was to me, but I stood up straight anyway. Now was definitely not a good time to reveal myself.
“Inejor,” Ariana said. So she recognized the weird man. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?
Inejor clapped his hands in delight. “You remember me!”
“How could I forget?” Ariana did not sound friendly. She stepped out of the carriage and placed her hands on her hips. “I have no business with you. Why are you here?”
The man laughed. Or giggled was more like it. “Is it a crime to check up on an old friend?”
“We are not friends.”
Inejor grinned. He was missing several teeth. “Your mother was my friend.”
“My mother had no friends.” Ariana was unmoving, her voice void of emotion.
“But she does have debts, and I have come to collect.”
Tor shifted, the first sign that he was anxious. But Ariana stood her ground.
“My mother is dead.” Again, her voice held no feeling. “All of her contracts were voided upon her death.”
“That is exactly the point,” Inejor said. He tried to take a step forward, but Tor pulled his horse between them.
“Stay back,” he warned.
Only after Inejor took a step backward did Tor move his horse so that Ariana could see him again. Inejor smiled at her, his shrewd eyes twinkling.
“Your mother made me stay away from you. It wasn’t fair, but it was the deal. The deal. The deal!” He shrieked the last word, making the horses snort with apprehension. “The wretched deal. Your mother was so good at making deals. But now she’s gone, and she can’t protect you anymore.”
Tor unsheathed his sword.
“I will ask nicely,” Inejor said, eying Tor’s sword. “Just once. You belong to me. Submit yourself willingly, and no one will get hurt.”
Behind Ariana, Kadria poked her head out of the carriage door.
“I belong to no one,” Ariana said. The rest of the guards drew their weapons. Kadria tumbled out of the carriage.
I moved before my mind even registered it, some deep maternal instinct kicking in and taking over my body. I dove forward and caught Kadria in my arms before she hit the ground.
“You have a child?” Inejor sounded so pleased he might as well have been given a precious gift. “A
n untainted child? I want her instead!”
Kadria clutched my tunic, stunned from her fall. When she saw my face, the shock melted away, replaced by a big smile. “Av’ry!” she said.
Energy pulsed through the ground, vibrating unpleasantly through me. Inejor suddenly stood beside me. Guards shouted and dove forward. Kadria shrieked in fear.
Ariana threw herself between us and the psychotic man, her arms outstretched to defend us. Inejor’s surprise bordered on fear for a moment. Just long enough for the guards to seize his arms.
“Leave her alone,” Ariana growled. I had never heard her speak to anyone with such disdain.
“You wish to protect her?” Inejor’s beady eyes shifted from me to Kadria to Ariana. “Then fight for her.” The guards slowly drew Inejor away.
“I am fighting for her.”
“With your magic!” Inejor’s voice pealed high in frustration.
Ariana had magic? That was news to me!
“No.” Ariana turned her back on Inejor, dismissing him with a toss of her long, dark braid. “Bind his hands,” she commanded the guards. “We’ll turn him over at the nearest city.”
Inejor scowled, but Ariana ignored him. Instead, she knelt in front of me. She reached into the pack she wore on her hip and withdrew something I couldn’t quite see.
“You shouldn’t be here,” she said.
I smiled guiltily at her.
“Av’ry!” Kadria cooed with pleasure.
“Take this.” Maintaining eye contact, Ariana grabbed my hand and shoved something in it. It felt like a small locket with a chain.
“If you won’t use your magic, then I will use mine!” Another shockwave of energy nearly bowled me over. Kadria screamed and wrapped her arms around me. Inejor had broken free from the guards who held him. With a wave of his hand, he knocked them off their feet.
Tor dismounted, his sword held high as he approached the sorcerer. But before he reached him, something appeared between them. It looked like a giant black bear with silver antlers. It reared up on its hind legs, purple eyes glowing from beneath its heavy black brow. Tor took a step backward, but it wasn’t far enough. The creature swiped an enormous claw at him, knocking him to the ground. He dropped his sword as he fell.
“Tor!” I gasped.
Two more of the bear-creatures appeared, inciting shouts of alarm from the guards. Ariana looked from Inejor to me with fear in her eyes. This was the first time I had ever seen her look frightened.
“Run!” Ariana screamed.
I held Kadria close and stumbled out of the way as more energy shuddered through the ground. I heard grunts and cries of pain, but I couldn’t make out exactly what was happening in the chaos. All I knew was that one of those big, ugly bear-creatures was very close.
“Run!” Ariana had said.
So I ran.
I ran in the only direction where there would be a place to hide:
Straight into the Forsaken Woods.
5
I ran with Kadria awkwardly cradled in my arms while she screamed in my face in terror. The bear-creature was right behind us. I could hear its heavy panting as it pursued us. The trees were our only hope.
As we passed the line of trees, I stumbled on a root and collapsed.
I twisted mid-fall so I wouldn’t crush Kadria. I grunted, landing hard on my shoulder, pain shooting through me. Gritting my teeth, I half-crawled, half-squirmed toward a large tree that had collapsed against another, creating a pocket of dark space between them where we could hide. I wriggled into the space between the trees and pulled Kadria into my lap.
Kadria whimpered, burying her face in my tunic as I caught my breath. Now that the initial terror was over, Kadria was very quiet. She trembled in my arms, but made no noise as we waited, both tense with fear.
All was quiet in the trees. The bear-creature was gone. I couldn’t hear any sounds of the conflict. It was as if we were worlds away.
I don’t know how long we stayed that way, huddled in silence, waiting to see if Inejor had followed us or if one of his creatures would pop up suddenly and devour us. In the tense silence, I realized I was still holding whatever Ariana had just given me. I uncurled my fingers and squinted in the semi-darkness. As I expected, it was a small, oval-shaped locket. On the front were the initials K.D. — most likely for Kadria Delaroe. The locket had a delicate hinge and clasp. When I opened it, I found the word ‘remember’ engraved inside.
Remember.
“This is yours,” I whispered to Kadria. The chain was long enough to slide over her head, but the moment I tried, Kadria put her hands up to stop me. She grabbed the chain with her tiny fingers and promptly tried to eat it.
“No,” I chided, pulling it out of her mouth.
She made the cutest little scowl and tossed the locket into the underbrush.
“No, Kadria!” I lifted her out of my lap, plunked her on the ground beside me, and crawled over to where I thought I had seen the locket land. “That was from your mama!” I ran my hands through the leaves, grass, and twigs and sighed with relief when my fingers the locket. It seemed like an ordinary old locket to me. But if Ariana really did have magic, then maybe the locket did, too. There had to be a reason Ariana chose to hand it to me when she did. It had to be important.
Since I couldn’t trust Kadria with the locket, I put it around my own neck and slipped it inside the collar of the tunic.
We waited.
Surely, someone would come looking for us. We hadn’t gone far into the Woods before I tripped. Someone should have been right behind us. We would be found any moment now. Hopefully by a guard and not a big evil monster-bear.
Right?
After what felt like an eternity, I stood and took Kadria’s hand. I held my finger to my lips, and her eyes lit up with excitement, as if we were playing a game of Sneak. Carefully, we crept back the way we had come. My shoulder still smarted where I had landed on it. But there was nothing I could do about that right now. We had to find the guards. Surely, they were waiting for us.
The edge of the trees should have only been a few paces away. Beyond that should have been the road and the rest of our company. So why hadn’t we found the edge of the trees yet?
“Up.” Kadria held her arms above her head, already tired of walking. I picked her up, wincing from the pain in my shoulder. I shifted her to my opposite hip.
Were we going in the right direction? I stopped walking and spun in a slow circle. There were trees as far as I could see. How was that possible? Had we gone the wrong way?
Kadria squirmed. “Down.”
I set her down and took her hand. She grunted and fussed until I held her other hand. Only then could we continue our journey.
I stared up at the thick canopy overhead. The trees were so close together that very little light streamed through. The sun would be setting soon.
“Hello?” I whispered.
“‘Lo?” Kadria echoed.
There was no response. Nothing but silence, mist, and trees.
Maybe I had misjudged the distance. We kept walking. I squinted through the trees, expecting at any moment to see the road. It never appeared. Had I gone the wrong way again?
“Let’s turn around,” I said.
“Up,” Kadria responded. I picked her up again.
We turned around and walked in the other direction. Now I couldn’t even find the fallen tree we had just been hiding under. How had I managed to get so turned around? Again, I spun in a circle. I didn’t recognize anything.
“Kadri,” I whispered, my voice catching in my throat. “I think we’re lost.”
“Oh no,” Kadria said.
Don’t panic. Don’t panic.
Kadria and I had crisscrossed in every direction and only ended up more lost. It was getting darker with every passing minute.
We were lost in the Forsaken Woods. We couldn’t just stay here. I didn’t even know where ‘here’ was. I didn’t know if anyone else had survived Inejor’s attack.
If there were survivors, I had no way to contact them. We were hopelessly turned around, and night was falling fast.
I had tried crossing sticks into large Xs on the ground to mark where we had been, but within a few steps, they vanished, swallowed up by the forest. I was certain now that the forest was shifting around behind my back, playing games with my mind.
I had heard so many terrible stories about the Forsaken Woods. No one who wandered into them survived unscathed. What was I thinking, running straight into the Woods?
I remembered Inejor’s rotting smile and the way he made my skin tingle with discomfort. I hadn’t really had much of a choice, now, had I? Ariana told me to run. I ran. At least Kadria was with me instead of Inejor. That was a win, right?
We could die together here.
I shook my head. I couldn’t think like that. We were lost, not dead. It wasn’t hopeless yet.
I was unprepared for this. It wasn’t like my tutor had ever taught me wilderness survival skills. My family never intended for me to be alone in the wilderness, so why bother preparing for it?
We couldn’t find our way out of the trees, but I was afraid to wander any deeper into the Woods. I knew the stories of the beasts that lurked in the Forsaken Woods. But if we stayed here, maybe the creatures would find us anyway. At the very least, we would starve without food or water. I didn’t know what was safe to eat and what wasn’t. What if I tried to eat something and died of poisoning? Or grew a second head?
We’re going to die. We are going to die out here.
I couldn’t give in to despair. I had Kadria to think about. I had looked after Kadria before, but never in circumstances like this. She was so young, only recently walking, still learning to speak. Every time I put her down, she wandered away from me to investigate our surroundings. Normally, her curiosity would be charming. Out here … it could be fatal.
I took a deep breath, taking stock of our situation. Kadria was in good health. She had shoes on her feet, pants, and a blouse. As for me, I had a cut on my cheek and a sore shoulder, but otherwise, I was alright. I still wore the slightly-too-large guard’s uniform. I had boots with laces, britches, a warm tunic, a flask of water, my helmet, and the sword Tor had given me.