“I’m nobody.”
She laughed, and in the bushes on the other side of the river came a chorus of laughter. “There is that,” she whispered, her eyes bulging.
I stood up straighter. “Does the stream lead to the Great Forest?”
“I’ve never been,” she said. “And that’s where you want to go? Are you certain you’re in the place you’re supposed to be?”
“Not entirely,” I said, swallowing my fear. “But I have to make the best of what I have.”
She nodded as if satisfied. “Follow the stream then. It’s weak and pathetic, but it’ll take you on your path. At least some of the way. But beware the clurichaun. They like to get in the way.”
She disappeared under the water until all that remained was seaweed floating on the surface. I took a few steps before breaking into a run. More laughter rang out, but I didn’t slow.
The stream led around the desert. The ground grew greener and greener until it seemed as though I had bypassed the desert almost completely. I came to an apple tree and picked up some fruit that had fallen on the ground. I tried to eat some, feeling lucky that I had found some food, but the first few bites made me want to throw up.
Sometime later, the stream divided. The main fork went through a sandy section, while the smaller fork led into a patch of green grass. I stood there, thinking hard, until I noticed the flowers.
White flowers grew on either side of the main fork—Brighid’s flowers, the very ones that had been in her garden. But the lure of the grass was too great. I took off after the tributary, walking faster. But the offshoot ended abruptly, right in the centre of a patch of green. The heat was so intense that the water seemed to be drying up in front of my eyes.
I ran back to the fork. My legs felt like jelly by the time I reached it. The sun was setting, so I crawled under a bush to sleep. It wasn’t pleasant, but the flowers made me feel safe. I drifted off almost immediately.
In the morning, my shoulder was blazing hot. I was pretty sure it was infected. The sweat rolling down my back could have been from a fever. I had to get back into neutral territory before I collapsed.
The stream broadened, and every so often, I would spot a single white flower. I stuck one in my hair without really knowing why. My stomach rumbled, and my feet ached. I saw trees in the distance. Even if they weren’t part of the Great Forest, I might find shelter, perhaps even find some fruit.
The stream moved away from the trees that evening. I abandoned the white flowers—as if some faery goddess was actually marking the correct path with flowers—and kept going toward the trees. They were farther away than I expected and not the Great Forest at all. The Great Forest was green, but the foliage around me was russet coloured. Everything was red, gold, orange, and glistening. It was beautiful.
The path narrowed then ended at a large clearing. The golden trees surrounded the field, and in the centre were some statues. Curious, I moved closer.
Twelve stone figures danced in a circle, forever frozen in time. They looked so lifelike that I wondered if they had been real at some point. I weaved between the statues, amazed by the detail. I could almost hear the swishing of their dresses and the clicking of their heels.
One of the statues held out her hand as if beckoning me. I reached out and touched it, and the head moved slightly. Startled, I jumped, still holding the hand, and the arm broke off at the wrist.
Horrified, I stepped away from the statue. It followed me, the face distorted with rage. I heard the clumping of stone, and I sprinted around the broken statue and headed back toward the path. The noise followed, but as soon as I reached the path, everything returned to eerie silence again. I chanced looking over my shoulder. Once again, the statues were frozen, but their positions had changed.
I realised I still held the broken hand. Freaked, I flung it onto the grass. It slowly moved, digging the tips of its fingers into the soil and pulling itself along the ground. The disembodied hand made its way back to the statues.
I decided I really didn’t need to sleep under a tree, and that I was going to trust those white flowers. I found the stream again, and lay down near it. When I slept, I dreamt of hands that crawled all over my body.
The next morning, I trudged along the water’s edge, determined to find some decent food. I’d had my fill of the sparse berries. I needed some substance. The weather cooled a bit, and I was soon walking on grass again, having left all traces of the desert behind me. Bekind had led us on a winding route to escape attention on our way to the Fade, but the trip seemed a lot quicker on my more direct path.
In the afternoon, the white flowers disappeared, and I entered the Great Forest. The air felt cleaner, lighter, and the sun wasn’t as intense.
Unsure of where to go, I kept moving in an attempt to find a road that might lead me somewhere familiar. But my progress was slow due to a lack of food and energy. I travelled through the forest until I caught the aroma of cooking meat. My mouth watered instantly. As I walked toward the source of that heavenly smell, I flattened the feelings threatening to erupt out of my chest. The more fatigue I experienced, the less I was able to control myself. If any fae felt my emotions, I was screwed.
I snuck through the trees and saw three short fae sitting around a campfire. Their backs were to me, and two rabbits were skewered over the fire. I thought of my father, and how I had learned not to react around him, and put on my game face. I crept nearer. The faeries were too close to the rabbits for me to steal one. I needed to distract them somehow. But what if only one moved away from the food?
“We’re willing to share!” one called without turning. “No need to lurk in the shadows all evening.”
I froze, cursing under my breath. How did they know?
The one in the middle looked over his shoulder. “Come share our meal.” He had a large crooked nose and small beady eyes.
I put up my hood and stepped out from behind the tree. Big Nose beckoned me over to them. Shaking off my fear, I strode as if I owned the world. That was what Brendan would do.
“Sit,” Big Nose said. “Would you like to share our rabbit?”
I nodded, making sure not to dislodge my hood. They weren’t warriors or guards, but I kept my weapon close at hand, just in case.
Big Nose removed a rabbit and sliced off a haunch. I took the offered piece and devoured the meat, sucking every morsel from the bone.
“Where are you headed?” the fae on the right asked, his dark eyes full of curiosity. Though he appeared to be the youngest, his hair was snow white. The colour reminded me of Reynard, and Snowy hadn’t stopped staring at me since I had joined them.
“To swear fealty,” I blurted.
“Same here,” Snowy said. “Eh, which king would you be swearing for?”
“I’ll judge that when I get there.” I wondered what I would do if Drake and Brendan decided I had to swear fealty to one of them. That would be a little awkward.
“A sensible answer at least,” the third fae said. His hood had been tugged even farther down over his face than mine. The others looked surprised to hear him speak. “These are strange days when three kings appear almost at once.”
“There is such a thing as a false king,” I whispered.
The three of them stared at me for so long that I grew worried.
Big Nose eventually spoke. “Well, you’re welcome to share our camp tonight. You’re a thin little thing. You could ride with us tomorrow. We’re all heading to the same place, after all.”
“Thanks,” I said. “Is it far?”
He frowned. “A few days’ journey, at least.”
“And the main road?”
“About a day to the north. Were you lost then?”
I just shrugged noncommittally. They all nodded as if they understood my reluctance to answer. They drank some spirits and later bedded down beside the fire. I waited until the snoring of the three fae was loud enough to cover my escape.
I stole the remainder of the second rabbit a
nd a horse. I felt like a bit of an arse, but I couldn’t trust anyone. And apparently, nobody could trust me.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The horse wasn’t as fast as Dubh, but it was a breeze to control. That got me wondering about faery types and animals and how anybody could keep track—not to mention the ridiculous class system and rules about who could and couldn’t be together. I wasn’t sure how it had passed right over my head how strict the fae could be about certain things. It was easy to forget when they acted as though they did whatever they liked, whenever they felt like it.
Nourished by rabbit, I rode north for a day and a half, only stopping briefly to allow the horse to rest. When I found a road, I followed it from a distance—close enough to not lose my way, far enough to run if the wrong person came along. I was sure I was in neutral territory. I might not have been going in the right direction at all, but staying still was a sure-fire way to get caught by the wrong people. My oh-so-clever plan was to keep moving until I couldn’t move anymore.
A trumpet sounded, followed by lots of raised voices and mocking laughter. I stopped and dismounted. After wrapping the reins around a tree, I climbed as high as I dared to see what was going on.
A whole troop of fae were passing on the road. Most rode on horseback, surrounding a couple of carriages adorned with black flags. Behind the second carriage, a small faery was being towed by a rope around his hands. He was having trouble keeping up with the conveyance, but if he fell, he would be dragged. I bit my lip, feeling completely helpless.
A broad figure on a chestnut horse cracked a whip. The tied-up faery pleaded for mercy. By his howls as they moved out of sight, I guessed none came.
I figured those were the kinds of fae pledging their loyalty to Sadler. I had also assumed that Drake and Brendan together would take care of Sadler quickly, but if the Darksiders were already celebrating…
I had seen enough. I couldn’t go near the road again. I climbed down and untied the horse, but when I lifted my leg to mount, a hand gripped my thigh and yanked me back. A second hand grabbed my shoulder as I fell, knocking me onto my back. I stared up at two men who weren’t much taller than Grim.
One sneered and planted a foot on my stomach. “Now where do you think you’re going?” He held an axe over his shoulder.
His companion let out a loud belch, and I could smell the alcohol even from my place on the ground.
“Great,” I said. “Here come the seven freaking dwarves.”
The men glanced at each other, looking puzzled.
Axe looked at Belcher and gestured at me. “What are you waiting for?”
Belcher frowned then bent over and pulled the white flower from my hair. He swallowed hard.
Axe knocked the flower out of his hands. “It’s nothing. D’ya hear me?”
Belcher looked miserable.
“Uh, can I get up?” I asked.
Axe removed his foot. “You can.” He nodded at his friend. “Get her horse before anyone sees.” He kicked the sole of my shoe. “Come on you. We’ve claimed you.”
I sat up. “You can’t just—”
He swung the axe in a neat arc, stopping it right above my head. He arched his eyebrows.
“Okay,” I said meekly. “I’m coming.” I grabbed the flower, shoved it under my cloak, and got to my feet.
They led me deeper into the forest, Axe showing off the entire time. We came to a cave at the foot of a hill. Sitting outside were a bunch of men who looked a lot like Axe. Two of them came running toward us.
“She’s mine!” Axe bellowed, swinging his axe around.
The pair skidded to a stop, looked from me to Axe, then shrugged.
Axe turned to me. “Who do you belong to?” he shouted.
“Axe… uh, you?”
He nodded. “You heard her!” He came closer to me and lowered his voice. “Do you cook at all?”
I shook my head.
“A pity.” He glanced over my shoulder at Belcher. “Leave the horse and tie her up. Away from the cave. Don’t want to be tempting nobody.”
He promptly forgot about me and went off to drink with his boys. Belcher took my hand and led me to a tree. He made me sit down, then he wrapped some rope around my torso, strapping me to the tree. He didn’t bother tying my hands or feet. He, too, joined the others, ignoring the horse.
The woman at the river had said the clurichaun would delay me. Maybe Axe-boy and his buddies were clurichaun. More appeared until there were more than two dozen of them lounging around the fire. As the men grew drunker, their voices became louder. I listened as I worked to slip the dagger out of my boot, grateful on many levels that they were too stupid to think of frisking me.
“I’m telling you. Two kings, it is.”
“Three of them now.”
“I heard five.”
“Who cares? They’ll all be as lousy as the queens were.”
“And they’re all after the same thing.” Axe peed against the wall of the cave. “Looking for a human, they are.”
All eyes turned to me. I shrank back, trying to look as small as possible. But I made sure I kept the dagger hidden under my leg.
“That scrawny thing?” one of them asked.
Axe roared with laughter. “I’m gonna get me some ransom, so I am.”
“Ransom? For a human?”
“They’ll take your axe and use it on your head, you fool.”
Axe sat back in his place. “We’ll see about that. I’m going to strap her to the horse and take her to the Darksider. They say he swims in his gold.”
“And what are you going to do with an ocean of gold?”
“Buy more ale and a better axe.”
They laughed and drank until they were no longer coherent. I started sawing through the rope. I wasn’t about to be handed over to Sadler.
The only sound was snoring, so I made a run for it as soon as the rope dropped. I went straight to where I had last seen the horse. Fortunately, he hadn’t wandered far. I jumped on his back just as someone shouted behind me. I dug my heels into the horse’s sides, and he soon began to gallop.
After a while, I spotted a white flower and then another. The horse kept going as if someone were chasing us, but I didn’t see or hear anyone. I decided to put my trust into something as completely off the wall as wild-growing flowers and urged the horse to follow the path the white flowers may or may not have been marking out for me. Strangely, whenever I glanced over my shoulder, the flowers had disappeared. I was definitely losing my mind.
The trees changed again. The horse stopped, jerking his head against the bit in his mouth. I slid off his back and clutched the reins. The trees were huge, unrecognisable, and greener than anything I had ever seen. I touched a verdant leaf hanging from a low branch. It left a streak of sap on my palm.
“Are you lost?”
I almost jumped out of my skin and whirled around in a circle. Nobody was there. A gruff laugh behind me caused me to twirl again. A face protruded from the tree trunk.
“Holy mother of…” I covered my mouth and took a step back.
The horse reared in a panic. My shoulder hurt from the effort of holding the reins tight enough for him to remain. I was pretty sure it was bleeding again.
“No need for fear,” the voice said.
The horse settled down almost immediately. The face disappeared, and a tall willowy male stepped right out of the tree.
“Are you some kind of hedge-witch?” I asked.
“Hedge-witch?” He laughed. “I am a Guardian. And I ask again. Are you lost?”
I nodded. “I’m kind of… being followed. And I don’t know where I am.”
“Where do you wish to go?”
“I need to find… two kings.” My cheeks flushed red. “We were travelling together and got separated.”
He stretched out his dark brown arms. “Where did you travel to?”
“The Fade,” I whispered.
“That was quite a journey.” He stepped past me
and leaned against the tree next to his. “Find the two kings.” He looked up.
I followed his gaze. A small semi-transparent female stepped out of the tree and moved along a branch until she reached the next tree. She pressed her hand against the wood then went back to her trunk. A second female crawled out of the next tree, and so it went on until I could see them no longer.
After a few minutes, the Guardian cocked his head. “They’re not so far, but the path quickens with my will. Do you wish me to lead you to them?”
“I… would you?”
“Of course. I am not fae, nor do I believe humans are lesser. I am ancient, and the will of the forest is mine. They are travelling along the eastern route. I will take you to that path. If you wish to find your kings, you must wait there in silence. The forest is full of enemies today.”
I nodded. “I noticed.”
“I ask for payment,” he said sternly.
I winced. “All I have is a dagger and this horse, but the horse isn’t even mine. I mean—”
“I want the flower. Give it to me.”
“How did you even…? Fine. Take it.” I took the flattened flower out from beneath my robe and handed it to him.
He stared at it in wonder before laying it at the foot of his tree. Within seconds, roots began to form.
The Guardian made a soft cooing sound. “It’s been a long time. I’ll take this as a sign.”
I cleared my throat. “Uh, right. Can somebody show me the way now?”
“Follow the trees,” he said absentmindedly.
If I hadn’t looked up, I would have missed the first woman leaving her tree. The same thing happened again, transparent figure after transparent figure touching the next tree before disappearing back into their own. I followed the path, towing the horse by the reins. I called out my thanks to the Guardian, but he was too busy staring at his flower.
Amidst some kind of odd magic, we soon found the road, and the tree spirits disappeared. They had never made a sound, and I began to wonder if they had been real at all.
I waited amongst the trees in case the wrong person came upon us on the road. My stomach was rumbling by the time I heard some familiar voices. I peered around a tree to watch the road. The faeries I had stolen from were riding alongside Brendan and Drake. Feeling super embarrassed, I stepped out and met them on the road.