Thane sat with Fennan next to the fireplace at the Mage’s Tower. The heat of the flames seeped into him as he stared into the orange glow. He had been so light. So happy when he left that bedroom. When she kissed him and he thought it meant she’d stay, she chose him. He didn’t remember ever feeling that way in his life, like he could float up into the sky. Even with everything, all the mess of the war and rebuilding this city, she was all he could think about. The longing to be near her was like the pull of a long night wishing for sunrise.
It hit him hard when she confessed what happened to the man she loved, but the air sucked from his lungs when she said, “I don’t love you.” She wasn’t even willing to try to find another way. He held a small bit of hope that maybe, just maybe, in the time they spent together that she could grow to love him even if it was in the smallest amount.
“Thane…” Fennan’s voice broke in sorrow, shattering the long silence. “We have to go after her. I’m not letting you turn.”
“She doesn’t want me,” he muttered, dejected. “Even if her magic wouldn’t kill me, the marriage and the bond must be consummated in love. I can’t force her to love me.”
Fennan grabbed him by the front of the tunic and jerked him closer. “Stop it! For weeks I’ve watched you two gaze longingly, tease, and laugh together. I’ve seen her stare at your tent at night after you walk in. She does love you, Thane. That’s why she left. You will go after her. At least help her find this sorceress. At least try!”
“No,” he barked, shoving his hands away. “It is over. I have accepted that this would likely be my fate. I will not turn into a pale one. I will end my life.” Anger and frustration and sorrow simmered on the verge of boiling.
Fennan’s eyes widened. “You can’t give up so easily.”
“Easily?” Thane ground his teeth. “I’ve been fighting for her all my life. I am done now. I have to let her go. This was always going to be my fate. She was always meant to kill me. I just prolonged the inevitable.” He pushed up from the chair, picked it up and threw it. The pieces of it splintered and crashed loudly onto the stone floor. The fury slowly turned toward sadness and resignation.
“What about fighting for you? For all of us?” He didn’t respond so Fennan went on, “Then I’ll go after her for you. I will help her break this bond.”
“You can’t.”
Fennan slammed his fist on the tabletop. “I’m not going to lose my best friend and king. It is my duty to protect you when you can’t protect yourself.” Fennan turned on his heel and ran for the tower’s exit.
The tower door slammed behind Fennan, and crushing reality dropped Thane to his knees. He would suffer the world for her, and she wouldn’t even give him a chance to love her. She couldn’t even give him a drop of herself when he’d sacrifice every last bit for her. He would rather die loving her than die alone with a broken heart by his own hand. He couldn’t stop the tears from sliding down his face as he pictured her walking out that door over and over. Hearing her say, “I don’t love you”, again and again.
After a while a numbness overtook him. He had so much hope. He was so sure that they were meant to be… but this was the end. When she left, she didn’t just take their lives; she took the last two mages with enough magic to have any chance at defeating the enemy with her.
For well into the night Layala rode hard, feeding Midnight endurance leaves to keep up their pace. She hoped if she followed the road and the stars, she wouldn’t get lost. Castle Dredwich was due north as was the portal that she needed to get to in the next couple days. The steady ache in her chest wouldn’t shake. She didn’t know if it was her pain or Thane’s seeping into her. It hurt like losing someone to death, but worse, because this was a willing choice. She chose to walk away. Death didn’t force them apart. If only she could make him see—feel how much she cared and she was doing this for him.
When Midnight started to slow the next morning despite the magic flora, she looked for water. Sweat dampened around his saddle and his breaths were loud and heavy. He needed a break, or he wouldn’t make it to the mountains, and neither would she. She patted his neck, “Good boy. You’re such a good boy. We’re going to find some water.” The looming gray mountain to the right and the city below on the left sparked her memory. She knew this place, it was where she and Thane sparred and the pale ones had dragged her into the crevice. That meant there was a stream nearby. She slid to the ground and tugged Midnight behind her, bringing them closer to the mountainside.
The temperature cooled as the pine trees grew thicker providing shade from the morning sunshine. The sound of rushing water led her to the creek and Midnight stepped halfway in as he drank deeply. She scooped water into her canteen, ever watchful. She couldn’t afford to be caught off guard again. Tifapine stirred from her slumber and stretched, standing on the back of Midnight. “It’s morning already? That went by fast.”
“That tends to happen when you sleep.”
“And no pale ones or assassins that I missed, I assume.”
A flock of birds took flight from the branches above making Layala’s skin crawl. “None so far.”
Looking up, Tif visibly shuddered. “Alright, that was creepy. The timing, I mean, uh I hate birds.” She pointed excitedly behind Layala. “Look, berries! Get me down.”
When Layala grabbed her under the arms and set her on the ground, Tif ran to the bush, plucking plump red berries and shoving way too many in her mouth at once. “Stho gooood,” she mumbled.
They stayed there to rest for an hour before she set off again at a slower pace this time. Given that Midnight grazed most of the break she didn’t want him sick. She kept her bow on her lap for quick access. Under no circumstances could she use her magic. Doing so would tell the pale ones she was alone, away from Thane and the Ravens. Vulnerable and ripe for the taking.
Another day and night passed without Layala sleeping. Her eyes were heavy, her body growing weak. She’d stopped for hours to let Midnight sleep during the night, but she was buzzing with anxiety, hyperalert. Every sound was louder. Every break of a branch, creak of a tree, movement of an animal had her tense. She didn’t trust Tif to stay awake to keep watch. She brewed herself some tea to keep her awake but eventually it would stop working.
When she passed the Valley of the Sun, excitement kept her going. The bright golden light shone off the roofs of the homes, like a beacon of hope. She was close to the portal now, only a couple hours away. When she came upon the dead tree split in half that Thane and she raced to the day he brought her here, she turned and entered the dark, twisting woods. This was where she worried about getting lost. Nothing here was familiar and the portal was somewhere deep within. After riding for an hour, she stopped, looking for any indication that they passed through here previously. There was no trail, no broken branches or disturbed grass. Weeks had passed and all signs had grown over. “Shit,” she mumbled dismounting. The forest groaned and creaked. Creatures with big eyes watched from the shadows. The wind here wisped around her, seeming to carry light voices. Was she hallucinating or were they real? She rubbed her stinging, dry eyes trying to clear the blurriness.
Layala grabbed hold of her mother’s willow necklace, slumped against the trunk of a tree and waited. “I’m just going to rest for a minute.”
Sliding down Midnight’s reins, Tif landed and then patted Layala’s knee. “You need to rest. You have some serious bags under your eyes.”
“Thanks,” Layala murmured.
“I know we are in a hurry but if you’re half dead you can’t get to the dragon shifter and you certainly won’t have the strength to fight her or any other enemies if you have to. I will keep watch. Sleep.”
She fought to stay awake but in the end her body’s need for rest won.
“Psst, wake up,” Tif hissed, shaking Layala’s shoulder.
Her eyes shot open, and she sat upright jerking her dagger loose from its sheath. “What? What is it?”
“The sun is setting, and this forest is scary.”
Layala blinked rapidly looking up at the sky. It was indeed stained orange and pink. “That means I’ve been sleeping for like seven hours. I don’t have that kind of time to waste.”
“I didn’t have the heart to wake you while there was no danger,” Tif said with a wide smile. “But I think there might be when it gets dark. I’ve heard stories about this forest. Mama said that wicked things live here. Giants with one eye and serpents and scorpions as big as you.”
Layala’s pulse raced as panic seeped into her gut. “Giants? Scorpions as big as…?! It will be dark in minutes. I have no idea how to get to the portal. You should have woken me sooner!”
Midnight neighed loudly and took several steps closer.
“You mean we’re lost?” Tif tugged at her dress nervously.
“I should have never fallen asleep,” Layala berated herself, peering around the gnarled and twisting tree she rested under. She slammed her fist against the trunk and then hissed when the bark scraped her flesh. “Damn it, I don’t know where to go. Does your mother know these woods? Could she take us?”
“No, and I don’t know how to get back even if she did,” Tif whined and scurried under Midnight.
“I think I could follow our trail out,” Layala said mostly to herself, slipping the reins over Midnight’s head. “And then I could find someone to lead us to the portal.” The ground rumbled once, then again and again like—giant footfalls. “Don’t move,” Layala whispered, catching movement ahead.
“What is it?” Tif whimpered.
“Shh.” She held her trembling finger to her lips. Midnight shifted, pinning his ears back. Dipping under Midnight’s neck Layala saw the creature and it was the last one Tif listed. A massive tail with a stinger loomed above the reddish-black body with pincers that could easily take off Layala’s head with one snap. And it was much much bigger than Layala. Its tail reached the tops of the trees.
Layala sighed with relief when it appeared to be moving away.
“Maybe if we don’t move it won’t see us,” Tif whispered.
The creature stopped and its eight legs turned in time. Its huge black eyes glistened in the dying light. When it moved toward them it didn’t make stomping noises, which meant there was something heavier and possibly bigger nearby. Scooping Tifapine up, she tossed her on Midnight’s back and struggled to grab hold of a low enough branch to be able to reach the saddle. She jumped, grabbed hold of the saddle horn and pulled. Midnight spooked and reared up, tossing her back down.
The giant scorpion charged, taking down full trees in its wake. “Go!” Layala cried, slapping Midnight’s rear. He took off with Tif screaming.
Layala knocked an arrow back and launched it. It hit the scorpion in the shoulder and bounced off. Shit shit shit. She reloaded and fired a second time. It whistled and impaled one of the scorpion’s many eyes. It let out a shriek but kept coming, cutting its pincer through the air right for her. She dove under it and stuck her dagger on the top of its neck, but it was like hitting solid stone and she was thrown back. Its stinger slammed into the ground spraying dirt into her eyes. Backpedaling, Layala tumbled and fell. The stinger came down again. She rolled with a scream. It barely missed.
Shoving to her feet, she pulled her sword and ran, arms pumping as her legs carried her as fast as they could manage. The crashing trees and roar of the monster gained on her. Magic! Use your magic! Her magic screamed in her to be let loose, but it could make things worse, bring more enemies. What if it wasn’t only pale ones that it drew but all manner of evil things? One of the pincers crashed into her, sweeping her through the air until she slammed into the trunk of a tree and hit the ground. Get up! Get up! Her arms shook as she pushed her aching body. She looked up in time to see the stinger careening down. A scream tore from her throat, and she hacked her sword, cutting deep into the stinger. The creature wailed and jerked its tail. Layala tried to wrench it free but was dragged through the air and forced to let go. Before she could get up one of the pincers encircled around her torso. It squeezed so hard she thought her ribs would crack and concave at any moment. Then she let her magic tear free. Black vines tore from the ground wrapping around the pincer forcing it to drop her. She landed on her feet in a crouch, calling forth more and more vines.
The giant scorpion chopped and hacked at the magical stalks even as they closed around it. “Holy troll piss, it’s going to break free,” she murmured to herself as she turned to run. She threw up more magic behind her, more barriers to block the beast’s path. Ahead, two figures moved in the shadow and made an abrupt turn left. Her pounding heart stilted: pale ones. They had to be. What if they’d been following her the entire time from Doonafell? Where was Tif? Where was Midnight? She frantically looked among the knotted ever-hulking trees. The scorpion screeched in the close distance. Where are they? Where are they? She had to escape this forest. Darting into a hollow in a trunk she hid in the dark, praying to the Maker she wouldn’t be seen.
Please don’t find me, please please please. She gripped her dagger and knife tightly, having lost her sword and bow somewhere.
Those loud pounding footfalls she heard earlier drew closer. Layala pressed further back into her hiding spot. A huge pair of hairy legs and feet stomped by. She held her every breath. It stopped outside the hole and then one huge eye peered in at her.
