“Why do you care?” I answered sharply.
“You owe me a favor, and I plan on keeping you alive until I can make it worth my while. So, Seis, you alright?”
“I’m fine,” I bit out, pushing past him to get to Ana. I grabbed her in a hard hug. “I’m so sorry.”
“Sixx, I’m fine. You trusted him, so I trusted him. A little spilled blood is better than being trapped inside that hellhole. So, what’s this about the Lost woods?” Ana released me, stepping in front of me and staring Cyril down.
“The Forest of the Lost is a Light fae concoction from Hell. The only way out is for one of the Light fae to lead the way. Otherwise, Seis and I would wander until they found us or until we starved and died.”
“This was your grand plan?” I screeched, my panic rising. We still didn’t know for sure that Ana was even Light fae, and besides that, she was only half, according to everyone we knew! How did we know this would work?
“Sixx, calm down. Unfortunately, he’s probably right. I can already feel a tether leading me in a specific direction.”
“So…”
“I guess that means I’m Light fae, my father is the King of them all, and he’s kind of a dick, to be honest. Can we talk about this later? I’m ready to go home and get a little bit drunk,” Ana said nonchalantly with a lift of her right shoulder, her palm faced outward in a what-are-you-going-to-do motion.
She tried to sound flippant, but I knew she’d freak out later when she was alone. My heart ached as it dawned on me that she’d finally met her father, who turned out to be a huge disappointment.
“Oh, Ana…”
“Not right now. Later, I promise.” She threw back her shoulders, ready to forge ahead into the wilderness.
“Okay.”
Ana looked back at me and Cyril. “I guess it’s time to play follow the leader.”
With that ringing endorsement, we began our journey. Cyril brought up the rear, and I walked in the middle. I still wore a flimsy slip with no shoes, but thankfully, lush grass blanketed the forest floor and seemed to cradle my feet. I had a feeling we would be walking for some time even if we managed to make it past the woods.
But, me being me, I couldn’t stay quiet for long.
“What happens after this?” I asked.
“Maybe we visit Paris?” Ana suggested.
It let me know she still didn’t trust Cyril because Plan Paris was one of our escape plans. I had to agree with her. I wanted nothing more than to run for the hills since Cyril’s little show in the dungeon. I’d seen his humor and thought I’d glimpsed his humanity, but a sliver of him felt detached and emotionless. If he could hold a knife to someone’s neck at the flip of a switch, how could I trust him? Honestly, I didn’t really know him. Just because he shared food and laughed with me didn’t make him a good person.
In any event, if he had more information on Olezka’s twin and possibly Key, it would be in our best interest to see if we could get him to trust us a little.
“I meant what happens when we get out of these woods. Do you know where we need to head next, Cyril?”
“To the Dark fae lands.”
I rolled my eyes, though I knew he couldn’t see my face. “Super helpful, but do you know where they are?”
“Let’s focus on getting out of these woods first. I have a feeling we’ll be walking for a bit, Seis.”
****
I hated when other people were right. No, that was wrong. I hated when Cyril was right. The Forest of the Lost felt endless. No creatures stirred. No birds sang in the trees. No squirrels darted up tree trunks. A low fog twisted around the lower trunks and around our ankles. Everything looked exactly the same, but worse than that, the sun never moved. It remained high in the sky, managing to slip between the high limbs and burning me to a crisp. Besides a sunburn, it also did a fair job of encouraging my overactive sweat glands. My feet were torn to hell even if the grass seemed plush. Every time I staggered behind, Cyril nudged me along.
When I questioned if we should be on the lookout for other Light fae, Cyril answered cryptically, saying we would be safe because we were being led by one of their own. I didn’t know what to do with that bit of information, but by the time I thought to ask again, I was too exhausted to question it further.
“Guys! I think we’re at the end!” Ana said excitedly, speeding up a bit. Cyril placed a hand on my lower waist, encouraging me to move faster. Ana stopped and closed her eyes. “This is it, the barrier. I feel the end of this one, but now I see a different forest out there,” she muttered.
She grabbed my hand, and Cyril wrapped his hand around my wrist, above the bruises where my manacles had rubbed my skin raw. We stepped out of the Forest of the Lost together. The blinding sun disappeared, and the silvery moon hung high in the sky. The cool air whispered over my skin and teased my hair. I sighed with relief as the dewy grass slicked the bottoms of my feet and offered them a bit of relief.
We all took a breath, but it didn’t last long.
“We need to move quickly. That was only the barrier outside of the Forest of the Lost. I doubt it will take long for the guards to recognize where we broke through. We need to get a head start toward the border into the Dark fae Lands before they do,” Cyril said.
“Do you know how far it is or where we need to go?” I asked.
“Yes to both.”
“Care to elaborate?”
Cyril cocked a brow at me. “No. Knowledge is power, and it gives me leverage. I’m not an idiot. You two care deeply for one another, so you will always look out for each other first. This is my bargaining chip,” Cyril said.
“Are you fucking us?” Ana said, annoyed.
Cyril smiled.
“Not unless you ask,” he answered then winked at me when I made a disgusted noise. “I told you… you won’t like me when this is over.”
Chapter 27
The next leg of our journey was tedious, at best. Cyril walked ahead, leading us through another maze-like forest. He warned us to remain as silent as we could be. Easy for them. Me, not so much. No matter how quietly I tried to move, it sounded like I was bulldozing through the underbrush. After walking for hours on end in the Forest of the Lost, my feet were tattered and bloody, and my stomach cramped from lack of food. Complaining wouldn’t do any good, so I kept my mouth shut.
“There’s a village coming up. It’s situated close to the Light fae King’s palace so they might feel… indentured to the Light Court. I think the best course of action is to steal ourselves some Spiorad and get the hell out of here.”
Ana and I gave each other a look. Ana jerked her chin in Cyril’s direction, and I responded by rolling my eyes, knowing I’d just been volun-told to ask what we were both thinking.
“What’s a Spiorad?” I asked.
Cyril breathed in slowly. “You will find out in a minute, but I hope you both have some experience riding.”
Ana snorted and opened her mouth to make an inappropriate joke, but I shook my head sharply at her. Now wasn’t the time. She ignored me anyway.
“You mean ride a cowboy, right?” She laughed at her pop-reference joke from several years ago. I barely held back a giggle when Cyril glared at her.
“The King certainty would have loved keeping you around,” Cyril said. I shook my head and kept walking.
The forest soon evened out, the trees lessening until only clumps of shrubs remained on the outskirts and flickering lights beckoned from the village ahead. Cyril motioned for us to keep quiet and follow his lead. We walked to the edge of the forest, finding a bit of foliage to hide behind.
The village consisted of a small grouping of squat houses that resembled stone cottages from fairy tales, complete with riotous, sprawling gardens and thatched roofs. Torches flickered along the dirt roadways, chasing away the disappearing darkness. The sky pinkened to a light coral color as the sun began its slow ascent over the horizon. Suddenly, the sound of hooves pounding against the ground came from close by. We
remained tucked away, watching as a group came rushing down a small incline. I tried to lean forward to see where they were coming from, but Cyril pushed me back.
“King’s guard,” he hissed.
Ana moved closer, sucking in a sharp breath when Cyril stopped her movements.
“Don’t. Your magic will be a beacon that leads them right to us,” Cyril warned.
Ana and I hunkered down further in the undergrowth, watching carefully as two males rode by wearing iridescent armor that sparkled in the early morning light. It was nothing like the tight dark leather that Erebus’s warriors wore, Olezka included.
Their armor didn’t hold my attention for long; it was quickly captured by their mounts. Tall and lithe, much like their riders and equally beautiful, the guards rode deer-like creatures that had white hides speckled with tiny black spots. Antlers that looked as if they were fashioned after twisting tree branches sat proudly on their noble heads, the same bone-white color as their fur.
The creatures were easily twice the size of a giant elk back home. Heck, they were probably bigger than a moose. Thick tails whipped and flicked as they slowed their paces. Light, barely-there reins wrapped around their noses.
Simply put, the beasts were majestic, beautiful, and slightly terrifying.
“Oh my…”
“Those are Spiorads, and luckily for us, those two are ready to be ridden out of here,” Cyril said, moving closer between us.
“But–”
“Sixx will ride with me,” Cyril continued as if I hadn’t tried to interrupt him. Ana opened her mouth to argue that I should ride with her, but my former cellmate cut her off before she could speak. “First, I don’t trust you. Sixx has proven herself to me. Second, you are a child with your magic, which makes you unpredictable and dangerous. I wouldn’t want to put her in that sort of danger, would you?”
Ana snarled at him but backed off. I didn’t particularly want to ride with him, but arguing with the fae with the knife seemed like a bad plan.
The guards swung down from the beasts and walked to the first house together. One slammed a fist against the small wooden door, and a sweet-looking little brownie hesitantly stepped outside. The brownies who occupied the Dark fae Kingdom were roughly the same stature but a lot less friendly. The brownie’s face dropped when she saw her visitors, and she took a wary step back.
The guards exchanged words with the brownie, but we were too far away for my human ears to pick them out. Cyril motioned for us to remain where we were. I watched as the guard moved forward, using his size to intimidate the much smaller, “lower” fae. The brownie woman took another three steps back, glancing over her shoulder into the house.
The guard slammed his meaty fist against the doorframe, regaining her attention. She jumped and faced him once more. He spoke a few words to the other guard, who nodded and moved farther into the village. The guard who walked away picked up one of the lit torches and danced it over the thatch roofs of some of the smaller huts. My heart skipped a beat at the wanton destruction, and I croaked out a sound. Ana clapped her hand over my mouth, and Cyril shot me a look. With a curt nod, he moved quickly.
With the two guards distracted, their mounts remained still, placidly waiting for their riders. The guard who still stood in front of the brownie’s house pushed his way in while the other one continued to drop his torch closer and closer to the flammable roofs.
Horrified by what the guards were doing, I almost missed Cyril creeping out of the forest and running silently to the two Spiorads. One stomped its foot and snorted but otherwise didn’t seem fazed when Cyril grabbed both their reins. Cyril led them closer to us and waved us forward.
The guard who had been threatening to torch the houses disappeared, which worried me. Ana nudged me gently, waiting until I moved first. I stood shakily and crept toward where Cyril waited with the beasts along the edge of the village. He wisely kept them relatively close to where they’d stood earlier, almost as if the beasts had merely wandered away to graze in a different patch of grass.
As I approached, I realized their muzzles weren’t blocky and soft like a moose or a horse’s, but narrowed, sleek, and wolf-like. With slanted eyes and a dark ring around each one, I would have easily mistaken them for large wolves. Knowing I didn’t have time to admire the beasts any longer, I started edging closer. The one closest to me dipped its head as we approached, its deadly-looking antlers dropping low as if getting ready to attack. Holding back my alarm, I swallowed as the creature dipped its head to nibble on a bit of grass before looking straight at me.
The beast intimidated me. Well, screw that. Straightening my back, I glared at the creature and lifted a challenging brow.
It slowly lifted its head and stared without blinking. I held its gaze as long as I dared, feeling the perspiration trickling down my back in fear that it would attack. Suddenly, the creature dipped its head in acceptance.
Cyril watched the interaction silently with wide eyes before handing me the reins. “I will help the princess on hers,” he whispered, his lips brushing over my ear.
I recoiled and, in doing so, bumped into the beast. Muscles packed on top of muscles met my shoulder. There was no give. Unexpectedly, the creature dropped its massive head on my shoulder and tucked me closer, protecting me.
Cyril held onto the other animal’s reins while he instructed Ana how to mount the creature. He crouched down and gripped her calf in his hand before whispering for her to jump. She placed her hands on the Spiorad’s high back and jumped. Paired with Cyril pushing her up, she landed on top with a quiet Oof.
Cyril handed her the reins with quick instructions before rushing back to me. He looked at me, distractedly petting the Spiorad’s face as the beast nuzzled my neck. I lifted my shoulder in a shrug. Couldn’t help if the beast liked me.
“Come quickly.” Cyril tugged me away from the affectionate beast. He gave me the same instructions as he did Ana, but it took me a couple of tries before I managed to climb aboard.
“Come on, Seis, work with me,” Cyril gritted.
“I’m trying!” I scrambled to get my leg over the taller-than-a-tree Spiorad’s back. My cheeks flamed with shame as my frustration mounted. Cyril placed his hand on my ass and pushed. I squeaked, wrapping my arms around the Spiorad’s neck. Just as I thought I was about to slide back down, the animal tossed its head back, the antlers landing behind me and protecting my back.
“Seems like Warrior doesn’t much care for you,” I hissed down at Cyril, who was glaring at the mystical creature with a look of annoyance.
“Warrior?”
I shrugged again. “Sure, why not?” Warrior stomped his hoof. I’d say he liked it. I patted his neck, and he put his antlers away with a barely audible grunt.
Cyril jumped up with ease and landed behind me, tugging me closer. “Grip tightly with your legs. Imagine he is your mate.”
I gulped. Nope, wouldn’t be doing that.
Cyril chuckled. “I do enjoy seeing you turn red, Seis. Let me know if that male of yours doesn’t know how to handle you,” he teased, trailing his fingers lightly over my thick thighs.
I slapped his hand. “Stop that.”
Unfortunately, my words were a little too loud, and the slap on his hand rang out with a crack. The guard who had forced his way into the brownie’s house came rushing out, his face contorted with rage. His eyes locked on Ana, who fiddled with the reins.
“We should go,” Ana warned.
Cyril didn’t need to be told twice. With a light kick to Warrior’s flanks, he took off with a lurch, and the wind whipped past us. I tucked myself further down and caught sight of the second guard.
The sight that greeted me was something that would haunt my dreams for years to come. My heart froze in my chest as tears choked me.
“Oh, fuck.” Cyril dropped his arm down over my eyes and tried to block the sight, but it was too late. Ana rode next to us, focused on the path ahead.
Feeding on my fear and anxiety, War
rior ran faster as I threaded my fingers in his short fur, trying to keep my grip on reality.
The horrors I’d seen in the village weren’t real. It couldn’t have been.
It couldn’t.
Chapter 28
“Stay awake, Sixx,” Cyril whispered.
We had been riding hard for three days straight. My former cellmate kept saying we were getting closer to the Dark fae Kingdom’s border, but I had my doubts. When we ran into a bit of trouble just outside the palace, after the first day, we didn’t stop. The second day, we had to rest, including Warrior and Dancer, which was what Ana had named her beast. Dancer had earned her name for multiple reasons but mainly because Ana’s Spiorad didn’t much care for her and attempted to dance away each time Ana tried to mount.
We found a clean, burbling creek to drink from, and Cyril quickly found fruit for us to eat. He warned Ana repeatedly against using her magic since it would lead the Light fae right to us. Once we reached the borders of the Dark fae Kingdom, he told her she could use it all she wanted because it would lead the High fae to us.
But that wasn’t the only challenge. He informed us that the Light fae typically patrolled and watched the border, so we would have to finish our escape on foot soon so we could better blend in with the landscape. At this point, I almost preferred the idea since my thighs were unbelievably sore and chafed. Flesh against fur… No matter how soft, after three days, it wasn’t much fun.
We wore a pretty rank layer of stink, too, and I was ready to be done with this journey. Cyril kept telling me to stay awake so I could stay upright on Warrior. Truthfully, I feared closing my eyes because I didn’t want to see the images burned into my mind from our hasty exit from the village.
He touched me as little as possible, and when Ana asked what was wrong, he deflected for me. His kindness made me ashamed because it meant he saw the same thing I did.
“Seis. Stop. There was nothing we could do.”
The Sidekick Chronicles: Sixx and the Fae Page 19