by Olivia Ash
Edric nodded. “I believe the village will be safe while we are gone.”
“I’ve added even more traps around the perimeter. Nothing is going to be able to get close enough to the village and not trip them off,” Ezekiel said. “I’m ready to administer the scent blocker.”
Sophia nodded. Ezekiel sprayed her first. Next was Edric, and Andreas. Finally, himself.
Andreas smiled and said, “Doesn’t smell that bad. Let’s get this show on the road.”
They turned and left the village while Ezekiel studied the map and directed them on where to go. Haris joined them once they were out of sight of the village. Sophia smiled and pet his flank. He trilled and bumped into her, almost knocking her over. She chuckled.
There was a cracking sound, like a branch breaking under too much weight. The group fell silent, stopping for a few moments to search the woods. Even during the day, when the sun was directly above them, the shadows were thick. Not a lot of light showed between the trees. The darkness of Witch Woods was impenetrable. Only ever so often did a few of the sun’s rays ever peek through the thick canopy of trees. And even then, it wasn’t enough to keep the dark at bay.
They continued on their journey, constantly searching the shadows for even the slightest movement. Even Haris seemed on edge. She couldn’t stand that her friend was so uncomfortable. She patted him on his flank again, to let him know everything would be okay.
He nudged her as a rumbling sound came from his throat. He pranced a few steps, shaking his head from side to side. He nearly hit Andreas with his antlers. Andreas laughed and rubbed his hand along Haris’s snout.
“Careful, boy,” Andreas said.
Haris trilled.
“Seems like even he is growing weary of the constant tension,” Ezekiel said.
Edric said, “It can’t last forever.”
It wouldn’t. She was certain of it. All Sophia could do was try her best and take it day-by-day. And having Haris accompany them, hamming things up in his typical yakshi way, it was a nice break from the constant threat of danger. They had each other to lean on, they would be all right.
Chapter Eight
Sophia
It was late in the evening when they came to a clearing marked by a stone wall that barely reached the midpoint on Sophia’s thigh. It was circular, and a single archway led into the area. In the center, bordered by glowing rocks weaving between them, was a copse of trees. Around them were butterflies that held a soft purple glow. Even some of the bushes shed a soft aura. However, the trees themselves seemed ordinary. Just regular trees that found their home in Witch Woods.
Sophia wasn’t sure about what stood in front of her. It could be a trap. Or, it could work out in their favor. Either way, Sophia called Haris back to her arm before she cautiously stepped forward, entering the small enclosure. She heard her men shuffle behind her. Holding up her hand, she signaled for them to wait and continued forward.
Rustling came from the bushes. Sophia halted mid-step. She held her breath as her eyes darted from tree to tree and shadow to shadow.
“Why do you wake us, Little Bird?” There was more than one voice, speaking as one. It sounded magical, terrifying, and yet beautiful all at once.
Sophia narrowed her eyes on the shadows and said, “I seek answers.”
“Answers to what?” they asked.
Sophia sighed. Here goes nothing. “I’m looking for the heirs of Nighthelm, so that they may reclaim the throne.”
The voices said, “We may have the answers you seek, but you must first complete a task.”
Of course. With her luck, she would be forced to dance blindfolded around a firepit amidst the vengeful grimms.
Sophia sighed. “What do I have to do?”
Four figures emerged from within the trees. At first, their skin matched the tress, but the bark smoothed away to reveal rich browns, greys, and even white. They were women, standing stark naked with long flowing black hair and glowing, hazel colored eyes.
When they spoke, their mouths didn’t move. Yet their words surrounded Sophia, as though they were carried on the wind. “Touch the heart.”
They gestured to a tree in the center of the copse that shifted and revealed a glowing, teal colored heart.
She looked over her shoulder at her men. They shook their heads. None of them looked too thrilled about what the nymphs asked her to do. Edric’s hands rested on the hilt of his sword. She slightly shook her head. He hesitated for a brief moment but released his sword. Comforted by that sight, she continued toward the tree. As she drew closer, a strange drumming hum surrounded her. She felt the pull of magic lure her closer.
This had better not be a trap.
She reached out a hand toward the heart. Her fingers brushed against the surface. It glowed brighter, enveloping her in the bluish-green light. The brightness increased, stabbing at her eyes and her mind.
Just when she couldn’t take the pain any longer, the light receded. Panting for breath, fighting against a wave of nausea, she peeled her eyes open to find she was no longer standing in Witch Woods, next to the nymphs, but in front of a tree hovering high above the clouds. Roots entangled a circular piece of earth. Orbs of different colored lights, bright pinks, blues, purples, and white swirled around her.
Where the fuck am I?
She had no idea what would happen when she touched the stone. Certainly not this. She had somehow been transported, and now stood who knew where. The sun nestled against the horizon of cloud, shining brighter than she had ever seen. The sky was a vibrant blue.
As beautiful as the scene was, she didn’t know how to get back. And that was a problem.
“Choose an orb,” the voices said.
Sophia turned around and looked at the orbs as one of each color hovered in front of her. Each one held a different symbol.
“What are they?” she asked.
“Your trial.” The voices said, soft and sweet. Never mind that the last time she faced a “trial” she ended up in the mountain and nearly watched two of her men be sucked dry from the poisonous magic.
“What sort of trial?” Sophia asked.
“Each orb contains a possible outcome of your life,” the nymphs said. “Choose wisely, for it will sway our decision to help you.”
“So, this is a test?” she asked.
No answer.
Perfect.
Everything had to be so damned cryptic. None of what they offered helped her to know which orb was which. She stared at each of them. She knew she couldn’t take forever making a decision. They all looked inviting. But she couldn’t pick all of them. Just one.
Closing her eyes, she extended her hand and touched one. There was another pull and she was lifted and swimming through air, as magic swirled around her. She kept her eyes closed, waiting for the sensation to stop. When it did, she opened her eyes.
She was in a cabin. A nice one. Fancy furnishings covered nearly every inch of the floor and she smiled at the familiar feeling. She knew this place. This was home. Though she didn’t know how she knew that, it was something that resonated with her. Memories floated through her mind of things that had yet to pass, and she mused over the peacefulness that surrounded her.
She walked to the door and pulled it open. Woods, bathed in the orange-red glow of sunset, stood in front of her. Not too far off was the sound of an ocean, and she could smell the salty sea as the wind blew into her.
Edric approached from behind her, wrapping her in his arms and warmth. He rested his chin on her shoulder and left a kiss on her cheek.
Just as she wondered where Andreas and Ezekiel were, she saw them. Andreas floated through the trees, freely, in his wraith form, while the sound of chopping wood came from the side of the house. Ezekiel walked around front, joining Sophia and Edric at the door as Andreas shifted to his human form and approached.
She smiled at her men. They looked so happy and healthy. Her heart warmed being near them, and she wanted to lie on the grass to watch the
sky, picking out shapes in the clouds. She nearly laughed at herself for such thoughts. She wasn’t like the other girls in Nighthelm that swooned over the silliest romantic notion. But the peace here offered her a freedom she had never known before.
Though she didn’t know how, she knew that they could breathe without the threat of her living with a broken soul, without worry of an attack from one creature or another, from standing guard and always fighting.
It was a dream. And though this place felt so real, she knew it was only an illusion. But this place held such an allure. Sophia wondered if this was something she could really have. Peace and love. With her men at her side.
“We can make that happen for you,” the nymphs said. “All you have to do is ask.”
Could she?
Nighthelm needed her, even though the people would never admit to needing an anima contritum like her. Andreas pulled on her hand, dragging her from Edric’s loving embrace, and led her through the woods on the other side of the cabin, closer to the sound of the ocean. As soon as they stepped through the break in the woods, Sophia’s eyes focused on the jade colored ocean against the light navy blue of the evening sky.
Her breath stilled for a moment.
There was such beauty in this little paradise of theirs. So much wonder and awe.
All you have to do is ask… the nymphs’ words repeated through her mind like a distant, echoing whisper.
“Stay with us,” Andreas said, pulling Sophia’s attention to him. Edric and Ezekiel flanked him.
She smiled. But words failed her. She loved her men. Truly, and as much as she wanted to stay with them in this magical place, this paradise, she knew she couldn’t. But there was so much weight and longing in knowing all she had to do was reach out to them, touch them, let them hold her. No more running. No more fighting.
The nymphs’ words echoed again.
Edric held out his hand. “Please, stay.”
This wasn’t real. But she so wanted it to be. And though she knew all she had to do was ask, she couldn’t. Nighthelm needed her.
Settling her gaze on each of her men, she said, “I can’t.”
She rushed back to the cabin.
The nymphs’ voices surrounded her again. “We can make this real. No one will ever find you here. No one would ever bother you again. Peace and love forever…”
“I can’t. Not when Nighthelm needs me.”
“What is your decision then?”
“I choose to fight. To do what is right. I choose justice.” Sophia spun in circles as the world started to blur and run like water down a windowpane. “My men chose me. They chose my fight. They will be with me through it all.”
"Even if they die in the process?"
Sophia squared her shoulders and stood firm. "I won't let that happen."
"But you can't—"
"I won't let that happen," she said, hands clenched at her sides. "I would die for them, happily. For Nighthelm. I won't abandon the people who need me most."
The cabin and everything around her faded to black. Sophia focused on her breaths as the magic that brought her to this place surrounded her once more. The emotion in her still felt real. The things she saw felt real. But it was only an illusion. A test.
Magic tugged on her. A sinking feeling entered her gut. She closed her eyes and let the magic take her back to the tree with the glowing “heart.”
SOPHIA
When Sophia opened her eyes, she was back inside the copse of trees, surrounded by the nymphs in the Witch Woods. Her men stood behind her, appearing relieved that she was there. She shifted her gaze back to the nymphs and felt anger burn within her. She was forced to make a decision she never wanted to make.
They smiled at her.
“Will you answer my questions or not, now?” she asked, voice sharp.
The all lowered their heads. Sophia hoped that meant yes.
“I’m looking for—”
“The heirs of Nighthelm,” the nymphs said. “One is no longer. But the other lies in wait, between worlds. Healing. Frozen in time.”
Great. More riddles. Although Sophia instantly thought of the girl in the crystal coffin. She didn’t bring it up though. She was still unsure of who to trust with that information. She wanted no one but herself and her men to know of the girl and her location—and that included Nymphs. What they had just forced her through did little to encourage her faith in them. Still, what they offered was a solid lead to go by. She decided to wait until she could talk to her men about her suspicion and discuss plans then.
“Take heed, Guardian. The heir must awaken by the next full moon. If not, the heir will pass on.”
Sophia narrowed her eyes and a pinch formed in her brow. “What do you mean by pass on? Do you mean die?”
“Yes. The magic that protects the heir grows weaker by the day.”
“What can I do to stop it?” Sophia asked.
The nymphs drew closer to their trees, and their forms began to shift back to the color of the bark. “Your dagger and sword are the keys to your success. Even your forest spirit can help you restore the heir. But be warned, Little Bird. There are dangers even we cannot see that block your path.”
Their eerie voices became softer, more distant. Sophia shook her head. She already knew the things they had just said. She was growing more frustrated with riddle after riddle. She needed a solid direction in which to go.
“Return to the heirs’ beginning, young one. Your answer lies there…”
They disappeared into their trees and the copse fell silent and cold.
Sophia stared at the trees. She wasn’t done asking questions yet. She still wanted to know why they would force her to make a decision like that. After several moments of staring with her hands tightly balled into fists at her sides, she let out a heavy breath and turned to face her men.
“I take it you heard all of that?” she asked.
They nodded. Ezekiel said, “It sounds like we have to head back to Nighthelm. Again.”
“I agree,” Edric said. “That is where the heirs began.”
Sophia nodded. Time was of the essence. There was no telling who else might have been looking for the heir as well. She felt like she was running out of time. She knew there was danger. Though whoever was behind the disappearance of the heirs succeeded in killing one, the other was still alive. And she had until the next full moon, which was in less than two weeks.
Determination renewed her faith and hope. She had to find the heir before someone else did. She would be damned if the last heir died before she had a chance to bring peace to Nighthelm.
“Let’s head back to the village. We have a trip to plan,” she said, and the men followed her out of the strange home of the nymphs.
Chapter Nine
Sophia
Sophia sat in the hut, staring at the sword lying in her lap. The words the nymphs had told her swirled through her mind, and she was further away from solving the problem.
Go back to the heirs’ beginning…
Well at least that part was easy. Nighthelm. The problem was how would they get in? The castle blocked their attempts and the entire Nighthelm army was on alert for her and her men. They were seen as enemies of the city. And she was seen as an anima contrium. It was kill first and ask questions later for her kind. Never mind the risk to her men. She couldn’t allow harm to come to them. There had to be a better way into Nighthelm.
The dagger and sword are your keys to success…
What sort of power did the sword hold? She couldn’t deny how much stronger and more in control she felt when she wielded the weapon. But using it just seemed wrong since it was meant for the heirs—well, heir—and not her.
Andreas took a seat next to her. He gently bumped her with his shoulder. She met his gaze and there was hope, love, and everything she could possibly imagine lighting up his eyes. He said, “What troubles you so much?”
She wanted to tell him all about what she saw. About the nymphs offeri
ng a life of peace and serenity. No more fighting and no more constant brushes with death. She wanted to tell them how real it felt and how badly she wanted to say yes. She would do anything to protect them, even if it came at a price. But for now, she will keep fighting It wasn’t a decision made lightly, and she certainly hoped she would be able to share in that life when she finally fulfilled her destiny.
She sighed. “I can’t figure out how to find the heir if we can’t get into Nighthelm to do what the nymphs told me to.”
He nodded. “Well, that is a challenge. But not an impossible one.”
Ezekiel said, “Andreas is right. We still have yet to check the archives under the castle.”
“True,” Sophia said. “But how do we get in there?”
Edric shifted. “There are many hidden doors within the walls. It’s possible one of them will lead to the archives.”
“Yes,” Andreas added with a smile. “See? We can work through anything together.”
Sophia grinned. “What about the sword? The nymphs said the dagger and sword were my keys to success.”
“The sword is likely just a means to an end,” Edric said.
Ezekiel added, “One we haven’t tried yet.”
“Well,” Sophia said as she settled her gaze on each of her men, “the only thing left to do is to go try.”
The men agreed.
“We should leave under the cover of night. It will be much easier to get in than during the day,” Edric said.
“And less dangerous,” Andreas added.
“We can’t wait long,” Ezekiel said. “The nymphs said something about the next full moon. I highly suggest we do this tomorrow evening.”
“Agreed.” Sophia felt much better having talked with her men about her troubles. She smiled, loving them all the more. They made the problem easy to handle. She appreciated that.
Ezekiel stood. “I’m going to study the items from the chest more. I have a feeling there is a further link to the heir than what lay on the surface.”
