The path descended, and the further we went, the more the trees seemed to step away from the path, which allowed the hot afternoon sun to shine down on me. At first, I didn’t mind, and I even welcomed the warmth. After all, spring mornings were cold, and since Griswil was forever in a perpetual state of springtime, it felt nice to have warmth.
A few hours later, gauging by the sun’s angle, the full heat of the sun was on me. My arms and hands were uncomfortably warm in particular. I didn’t understand why the black scales felt cooler than having them wrapped up in white cloth. From my studies, dragons were cold-blooded, just like lizards, and soaked up the heat from the sun. Perhaps I’d been so cold the night before because the temperature of my blood had dropped too. Still, there was a lot I didn’t know about the way a dragon’s body worked. And I didn’t want to.
Finally too hot, I had to stop and direct Tao off the path and under the shade of nearby trees. My stomach loudly reminded me it needed sustenance. A break for food and from the sun for a little while sounded wonderful.
I stretched my back the instant I stood on the ground. I couldn’t hold back a grimace as I tried to straighten. Sitting on a horse all day caused my hips and lower back to ache in a way they’d never hurt before.
Tao turned his head and scratched at his back under the saddle.
I knew I hadn’t taken the saddle off him once, and if he was as hot and sweaty as me, he must have been terribly itchy and uncomfortable. But if I took it off, I would never get it back on.
“Maybe I’ll try taking that off tonight,” I said, trying to reassure him. I reached out and patted his hot neck. “Hm. You probably need some water. But I haven’t heard the sounds of a stream or river …” I looked around.
Having followed the river the last couple of days, I had become accustomed to seeing certain types of foliage, like the tall weeds with brown fuzzy parts that looked like fat caterpillars, and thin flowers with white stems and pink tips. None of those plants were nearby. Perhaps further in the trees?
“I’m going to try and find some water for you.” I took the water pouch and sipped from it as I pushed through the undergrowth and made my way toward the tree line.
Like the trees at the cathedral, these trees began to whisper, and I glanced up at them.
They were taller, the trunks thicker.
I’d been intimidated by the trees before, but one had ended up helping me to wake the fae. I wasn’t intimidated now. So I stepped further into their shade and glanced over my shoulder to make sure Tao was staying put. I was lucky to have him for a companion. Philip’s father was right about not needing to tie up a horse loyal to me.
“I’ll be back!” I called to him.
He lifted his head and swiveled his ears. He lifted his chin, looking at the trees, and snorted with a toss of his head.
I carried on into the forest, stepping over fallen logs and around bushes. Still, there was no sound or sign of water. I thought we had gone in the same direction as the main path we’d been on, but the river must have been farther away than I’d thought.
With a dejected sigh, I turned around and began walking the way I’d come.
The trees seemed to crowd in on me, and their whispering became louder.
I swallowed hard and quickened my pace. Maybe these trees weren’t as helpful as the others had been. I finally broke into a run, darting around trunks, and jumped out into the sun.
Tao blinked at me, his left ear swiveling again.
I drew a big breath. “I’m all right. I just got a little frightened.” I glanced up at the trees, which had stopped moving. “I didn’t find any water, though. Maybe this path will get us closer to the water.”
I took a few moments to get some food out—bread, more dried meat, and an apple for both me and Tao, which he loved. And then we carried on our way again.
And nothing happened.
No signs of water, no signs of any fae village, nothing.
I began to wonder if I needed to return to the castle and tell them about my findings, that clearly they had missed something in their searches, and that we needed to amass an army to help find them again and get rid of this curse once and for all.
We rounded a large bend in the road, and the trees’ whispering resumed. I rolled my eyes. “I’m not walking through the forest to harm anyone. I’m trying to find the faeries, that’s all. And if we could find water, we would be very grateful. Tao is very thirsty.” I rubbed the horse’s neck for emphasis.
The trees grew silent, and I finally relaxed again.
“Look ahead! A meadow! That will be the perfect spot to rest for the night.” I rubbed Tao’s neck again. “I’ll take the saddle off, too, so you can get some proper rest tonight.”
We entered the meadow, and I climbed off, dropped my bag on the ground, and bent over to look at the latch holding the saddle on Tao’s belly. It wasn’t difficult to unlatch at all, but when I tried to lift the saddle off, I immediately dropped it. It was a lot heavier than I’d anticipated, especially with the saddlebags. I removed the saddlebags, heavy from the food and cookware, and tried to lift the saddle again. With a grunt, I managed to lift the saddle enough to slide it off his back and onto the ground.
“There.” I wiped my hands on my dress.
His skin twitched, and he trotted to a nearby tree to get a proper scratch on the bark.
I crouched and laid out the bedroll first, pushed aside weeds to make room for a fire, and then removed all the twigs I’d collected from our previous camping spot. I stacked the sticks on top of each other, grabbed a few pieces of the nearby dry grass, and dug out the candlestick I’d been smart enough to grab. When the fire was lit, I opened the saddlebag to take a look at what to make.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have water tonight unless I used what was in my second water pouch, which wasn’t ideal. What I wouldn’t do for some fresh fish. I knew I could grill some vegetables, so I took the small knife, cut up a pepper, and dropped in some pieces of the dried meat. I cut up a potato and finished it off with some carrots.
It tasted as good as it sounds, meaning not very good at all. The potatoes were burnt on the outside and crunchy in the middle, as were the carrots. The dried meat was even drier than before, but I had to eat. I forced it down and then lay on my back under the open sky to watch the stars peek out as the sun’s brightness faded.
“I really miss Dahlia and Marigold,” I admitted out loud. “This would be a lot more fun with them here. And I bet Marigold would have some ideas of what to cook.” I sighed and rolled over to check on Tao.
He was lying in the cool grass, likely relieved to relax for a few hours.
I pulled the bandages from my hands to allow my arms to breathe and stretched my fingers before I closed my eyes and rested my head on my arms. Going out on an adventure sounded like a wonderful and brave idea. I regretted it now. I wanted a proper bed, a proper meal, and for every muscle in my body to not ache.
I was also lonely.
This was nothing like the books.
I was just drifting off to sleep when an intense pressure took hold of my ankles. I winced in pain before peeling my eyes open to see what was happening. To my shock, tree roots had wrapped around my ankles, pinning them to the ground, and more roots were slowly clawing their way from the soil.
“Tao, run!” I screamed.
I reached for the saddlebag, but roots shot up from the ground and grabbed my left arm. I gasped but managed to snatch the bag with my right arm before the roots could grab it and pulled out the only knife I had. Without hesitation, I drove the blade into the roots. This sent a shockwave through them. They violently trembled, and then even more sprung up around me.
“Someone, help!” I screamed, tearing at the roots.
Tao trotted over, snorting, but as he drew closer, the roots tried to reach for him too. He started stomping his feet,
then rose up to his back legs and let out a shrill whinny.
“Leave him alone! Ah!” The roots seized my arm holding the knife and yanked it down to the ground. “What are you doing? I didn’t do anything to you! Stupid trees.” I tried to pull away, grappling at the roots, but the harder I struggled, the tighter the roots became. “What do I do?” I asked myself. But the voice that had been guiding me didn’t know either.
I tried relaxing. I took slow breaths and stopped moving.
The roots pulled on my arms, forcing me to the ground, where they wrapped around me. I tried fighting again, struggling, gritting my teeth.
You can’t let yourself die! What kind of a dragon are you?
“I’m not a dragon!”
Defend yourself, you fool!
I growled, trying to get my hands under me. I managed to lift my shoulder from the ground but couldn’t get anything else off. I let out a shout, which strengthened into something much deeper and stronger, and the roots stopped moving.
I yanked against them, pulled upward, and one hand broke free. But when I tried tearing at the roots with the claws of my free hand, more roots came. It was as if the trees had waited for more to join in the fight. The roots continued to wrap around me like rope, pinning my arms down to my sides and legs together.
“No!” I screamed.
The soil grew higher and higher as they dragged me down. A tingling wave washed from my head to my toes as I began to lose sensation in my body. Roots wrapped around my face, and the last thing I saw was a wishing star streak across the night sky.
This was how I was going to die.
Twelve
The raw voices of the trees whispered around me, and I heard a man’s voice reply.
“She is no danger to you. I am aware she was in your forest. You don’t get many travelers through here, but do you truly do this to each of them?”
He paused as the trees replied.
He sighed. “I know. I left her at the cathedral. I shall warn her to be careful where she travels. Now, let her up.”
The roots began to reluctantly slide from my body.
When my face was freed, I gulped in the chilled air, and once the roots had completely returned to their place in the ground, I jumped to my feet and ran to the center of the road, the farthest I could get from any of the trees.
I put my hands on my knees and closed my eyes as I grasped to comprehend what had happened. “They tried to kill me!” I coughed. “The trees tried to kill me!”
The figure stood beyond the light of the fire, but I knew it had to be the stranger I’d met. He’d said he left me at the cathedral. His shoulders rose, and the firelight reflected off his eyes.
“You shouldn’t be in this forest,” he said, voice flat as if I were a stupid child.
“How was I supposed to know?” I snapped.
“Everyone knows not to enter the Ancient Wood.”
“Evidently not me.” I took another deep breath. “It’s not on the map.” I looked around, but couldn’t see it. The whole area was a mess of overturned soil, my packs were dumped everywhere, and food lay scattered about.
Tao trotted over and nuzzled me repeatedly.
“I’m fine. I really am okay. Just … afraid. I don’t think I’ll get any rest tonight.” I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Are you hurt?” I crouched to check his ankles, but aside from some sore marks, they appeared to be fine.
“The dragon princess,” the boy muttered.
I looked sideways at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You should gather your things. I’ll lead you out of the woods and you can be on your way.”
I frowned and straightened. “Were you following me?”
The boy didn’t answer.
“You really hate me enough to not talk to me? You don’t even know me!”
“I don’t need to,” he snapped in response. “My people are dying because of you. My being willing to lead you out is the biggest act of kindness you will ever receive from any fae. I recommend you take advantage and then get your little royal-ness back to the castle.”
I gritted my teeth and stormed over to my scattered supplies. The roots had completely destroyed my bedroll, I don’t know why I even bothered to roll it up and bind it to the bottom of my pack. I got on my knees and started shoveling things into the pockets, ignoring the fact I also shoveled in handfuls of dirt and rocks.
Tears stung my eyes.
Hot and angry.
I had almost been killed by trees for being in the wrong part of the forest, I had found a fae who hated me so much he wouldn’t even give me his name, I didn’t know where I was or how I would sleep that night, and I would never break my curse.
I held the empty linen that had been for the dried meet on my lap. Most of the apples had survived, and the potatoes and carrots, but everything else was lost somewhere in the upset ground.
I will never break my curse.
Tears trickled down my face, and I smeared them away, not caring that I was smearing mud all over my face.
When I returned to the castle, Mother would be so angry. I would never be allowed from my room again. If Gerard found another fae in his travels, maybe there would be hope, but for me finding it myself? None.
I put the crook of my arm up to my mouth to stifle a sob.
The adrenaline shakes had left my hands, but the harsh reality that I really wasn’t brave at all brought even more tears. I sniffled and tried to compose myself. I got to my feet and called for Tao.
He trotted over and waited patiently. I set the blanket on his back, then tried to hoist the saddle from the ground, but I was too exhausted from fighting the roots, still hungry, and too emotional.
With a shout, I threw the saddle down and spun around. “Are you going to just stand there and laugh at me in the dark?” I snapped.
“I wasn’t laughing,” the boy replied calmly. “I was watching you.”
“You could at least help me.” I lifted the collar of my dress to wipe at my face. “Please,” I added softly.
He walked over and scooped up the saddle, easily lifted it, and set it on Tao’s back. “Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
“I followed you.” He turned and faced me. “I was curious to see what you really were.”
I sniffled. “Then why didn’t you warn me about the forest before I entered it?” I replied, gesturing to the trees. “None of the trees look any different!”
He inclined his head. “You don’t get out much, do you?”
I tightened my lips.
“I ask because anyone could see that these trees are much bigger than the new forest. The trunks are dark, the leaves are dark, the branches stretch much higher.”
“Again, why didn’t you stop me?”
He opened his mouth.
“Because you wanted the trees to take care of me?” I rolled my eyes and grabbed the saddlebags. I struggled with them, but when the fae stepped over to help, I pulled away. “I wouldn’t want to touch you and poison you with my dragon scales,” I said sharply.
His lips tightened, and he stepped back.
I set the bags on Tao’s back, then grabbed my pack and put it on my bruised shoulders. “Lead the way, fae.” I gestured down the road.
“It’s this way.” He gestured in the opposite direction I’d pointed.
I muttered under my breath. I stayed close to Tao’s side and started walking, trying my hardest not to limp, but my left leg ached terribly.
The fae boy easily caught up and walked just a little ahead of me down the path. Suddenly, he said, “My name is Dormir.” He looked over his shoulder at me.
I nodded softly.
“You truly came out here on your own to try and find a fae?”
I nodded again, my voice feeling raw. “My whole life
my mother has sent scouts to try and find a fae who can help, but none have been successful. The faeries hide, and … I can’t blame them.” I glanced down at my hands. “I know your people are dying because of me. My curse.” The lump in my throat tightened. “All I want is to be rid of this curse. I want to turn eighteen and become the queen I was raised to become. And then … and then your people won’t have to die. Selina wouldn’t kill you.”
Dormir scoffed. “Selina? Forgive me for not believing your story, Princess, but you pretend you’re innocent.”
“You believe I had a choice in whether or not to become a dragon?”
“I believe you have a choice in how you treat my people. You could provide shelter and protection. We are, after all, still part of this land.”
I blinked. “We haven’t known where your people lived. I can ask my mother.”
Dormir shook his head. “Don’t bother.”
I was too tired to try and make sense of him. “Do you know about the spring stone?”
“I’m surprised you do.” He looked over.
“Do you think … maybe …” I resisted the urge to look away from the road. “If you took me to your queen, perhaps she could use the spring stone to release me from this curse.”
“You truly have no idea, do you?” he said, stopping in the road.
I shook my head. “I stayed in the castle because I was afraid I would hurt someone. Mother hired teachers for us—me and my sisters—but … ” I paused and bit my lip. “This is the longest I’ve been away from the castle. And I’ve never gone anywhere on my own.”
His blue eyebrows lifted in evident surprise. “Why would you hurt someone?”
I held up my hands. “Remember?” I muttered. I started walking again, pulling Tao with me. “I know how to get back from here. You don’t have to lead me. At the crossroads, I go left, past the cathedral, and then … and then it’s another day’s journey to the castle.”
“I would think you would be happy to be back in your bed.”
“Bed, yes. I will be thrilled to see my sisters as well.” I said nothing else.
The Dragon Princess: Sleeping Beauty Reimagined (The Forgotten Kingdom Book 1) Page 10