by Candy Crum
"Damn, you look like shit," Cathillian said, a smile on his face as he helped Arryn down.
"You know, if I could just subsist entirely on your compliments, my life would be complete. Really."
Cathillian laughed. "Well, you know. I'm always here to help. So, what's up?" As he spoke those last words, he allowed his fingers to linger on her arms, his eyes glowing for a moment as he pushed magic through her to heal her intense fatigue. Within moments, she blinked her eyes several times, enjoying the feeling of being more refreshed. Already, the muscle aches were gone, and she was more herself.
"Thanks," she said. "I guess you're not always a turd. Anyway, Shae just flew in. Killian sent her ahead because the dark druids are on the move."
Cathillian’s face turned serious then. "On the move? Where to?"
Arryn raised her hands a bit, signaling for him to calm himself. "Relax. According to Killian, they're going toward the Terres Forest. From the images I saw, they had all their belongings with them. They’re going there for a purpose, not just simple travel."
Cathillian exhaled in relief and nodded. "That seems like an unlikely thing to happen."
Just then, the Chieftain walked up, a large smile on his face and a cup of wine in each hand. "Arryn, you made it! I was worried. I heard how much you trained today."
Arryn smiled. "Yeah, but I kicked their asses."
Laughing, the Chieftain said, "You should take it easy. You’ve been constantly working since you've been back. Nonstop training. There are others who can help, you know."
Damn, did she know it! Still, she couldn't bring herself to just sit back and watch others do the work. More than ever before, she was a part of the Dark Forest. Arcadia had always held a place in her heart, but she had realized in her journeys that it would never be home again. Not truly, anyway.
Arryn pointed toward the cups of wine the Chieftain held. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm exhausted enough as is. If I drink any of that, I'll pass out quicker than hell. Besides, we have some things to discuss."
The Chieftain lifted the cups a few inches, looking at each of them individually before turning his gaze back on her. "These? These are mine, but thanks for thinking so highly of me. I appreciate it." Arryn laughed, and he winked at her in response. "So, what's this we need to discuss?"
Arryn recapped what she had just told Cathillian, and the Chieftain didn’t seem a bit surprised. He only nodded and mmhmmed in response.
"Alaric has a brother west of here. As far as I knew, they didn’t quite get along, but I suppose blood runs thick. Though they’re headed out of the Dark Forest, I doubt we’ll be lucky enough for them to stay that way. I would have to assume they’re going for aid."
"Still, that gives us time to figure out what the hell we need to do with the Arcadians," Cathillian said. "I say we stay alert, but it sounds to me like we’ve just gotten a free pass."
Arryn smiled. "Yes, it does."
Narrowing his eyes, Cathillian asked, "Why do you seem so excited about this? It's good news, but you seem more excited than cautiously relieved."
Arryn jabbed a finger in his chest. "Because now we can go to the Heights."
"The Heights?" the Chieftain asked. "Ah. You hope to speak with the mystics there."
Arryn nodded. "Elysia, Amelia, and I talked about it briefly this morning after sending off the governor and his son, but I didn't really think it would be a possibility for a while—not with the Arcadians to the east and the dark druids to the south. We were pretty much surrounded by the threat of war. How long will it take the dark druids to reach the Terres Forest?
The Chieftain thought for a few moments, taking a long drink from one of his cups. "I would have to say a week and a half or more. That forest is northwest of here. If they could travel through our lands, it would be roughly a week, but they will have to travel all the way west into the Terresian Plains before heading north to avoid our lands entirely."
Lifting her hands and smiling excitedly, Arryn said, "Yes. Perfect! That's more than enough time. We can head south first thing in the morning. It'll take us about three days to get to the southern mountains, and another day to get up to Craigston. I bet Samuel would love to go home for a bit. He hasn't been home since before the Battle for Arcadia began."
Cathillian was quiet as he contemplated the plan. "You're not going anywhere without me—I hope you know that. I'm never letting you go on an adventure by yourself again. You scared the hell out of me!"
Arryn laughed. "First of all, it sucked, but I made it back okay. All in one piece. Secondly, I planned to take you. That's why I said ‘we.’ As in you, me, Amelia, Celine, Samuel, and Maddie, too, if she wants to go, but it seems she’s enjoying hanging out with the Chieftain and the kids. She’s a good teacher. Suits her."
"Where’re we goin'?" Samuel asked, holding a cup of wine in each of his hands as well. She realized in that moment he had taken drinking tips from the Chieftain—not that a rearick needed them.
Sighing, Arryn said, "I'm not saying this again. I'm tired. Cathillian, rally the troops. We'll tell everyone at one time."
"Yes, ma'am," Cathillian said, with a slight inflection of sarcasm. "You've been very bossy since you’ve been back, too."
"Shut yer mouth, lad. Ye know ye like it," Samuel said with a drunken wink, several drops of wine dripping down his beard.
"Sweet Queen Bitch," Arryn said with a roll of her eyes. "Just do it."
As Arryn turned her back, she smiled, excitement bubbling in her chest and stomach.
6
Two days had passed since the governor and his son had departed the Dark Forest. Though they knew just how dangerous the Forest could be, the ride had been rather peaceful. Now, as they drew closer to Cella, the governor's anxiety kicked up.
The remnant were cold, ruthless beings. They were all that was left of those who had gone mad long ago. Their minds had never fully recovered, and it left them unable to feel anything other than rage and lust for blood, sex, or any other thing they could get their hands on.
Was it possible for them to be understanding about the fact that Talia had been killed? Could they see it as a necessary evil and accept her death as a good thing?
Something told him that would not be the case.
As they closed in on Cella, he became even more grateful that the druid warriors had been forced on him. While he wasn't exactly certain just how effective they would be against a horde of remnant—if the monstrous leader chose to bring that many—he knew he and his son would stand a much better chance with them than without.
"What happens if there are a lot of them?" the governor asked.
Cassondra rode a little closer. "Well, if there are a lot of them, we’ll play it by ear. I would suggest you not go too close. If they seem hostile, we’ll be ready, but we won't engage unless they do. Just do your best not to agitate them. That's easier said than done with the remnant, but it's the best advice we can offer. If the worst should happen, and they attack, retreat will be our only option."
"Retreat? Don't you think they'll chase us?" he asked.
She smiled. "They may be crazed killers, but they aren't going to be anywhere near as fast on foot as our horses can travel. Not only that, but they aren't stupid. They won’t approach the Dark Forest."
The outline of the city came into view then, but that wasn't the only thing. He could see a line of men—though he couldn't tell how many—standing by the gate. He had expected them to get there shortly after their own arrival, since it had been exactly a week. They had left the Dark Forest in just enough time to get back.
Still, he expected to be the one waiting, not the other way around. This wasn't the opportunity he had hoped for.
"The remnant are outside the animal control part of our nature abilities, as well as outside the mental abilities of the mystics. They’re neither beast nor human. That being said, I can sense them. Their darkness. I would say there are twenty or so," Cassondra said.
The gover
nor took a deep breath, letting it out in a shaky sigh. "I don't have a very good feeling about this."
"Everything will be fine, Father," Nathaniel said. The governor looked at his son, who had a confident look on his face. "We have the best warriors in the Valley with us. Everything will be fine."
Unable to speak, and knowing he didn’t share his son’s confidence, the governor only managed a smile and curt nod before facing forward again.
As they approached, the remnant he had spoken with before stepped forward out of the group of beasts surrounding him. Holding up his hand, the governor signaled for everyone he traveled with to stay behind as he rode his horse a few paces farther before dismounting.
The governor nodded. "Good evening," he said, though he knew the greeting would be wasted on them.
"Well? Where is she?" the remnant asked, his words short and to the point.
The governor swallowed as he looked at the monster’s red eyes and hideous skin. It was covered in boils, sweat, and oil, as well as patches of dirt, filth, and what he could only imagine was blood. He only hoped the creature had killed a deer on the way, instead of the alternative.
"Okay," the governor began, "so, several things have happened since I last saw you. I rode to Arcadia in hopes of finding the truth, and I found it. Everything you said was true. Talia had taken over the city, and Scarlett had helped her. Unfortunately, shortly after my arrival a young woman Talia had tried to kill came back seeking revenge."
The governor paused, allowing those words to sink in. It would have been obvious to anyone else what he was saying, and he hoped it would be to the remnant as well. Unfortunately, that wasn’t quite the case.
The remnant’s blood-red eyes narrowed as he stared the governor down. "And?"
The governor took a deep breath and did his best to continue to look confident, though he knew he had blown any chance of that happening before he had even stepped down from the horse.
"The girl. She killed Talia. If it's any consolation, she took her head. She killed several of Talia’s followers, too. One of them was even ripped apart by her tiger."
There was a pause as the remnant took a step forward.
"Easy, beast," Cassondra spat the harsh words from close behind the governor. The druids had left their horses and came closer. "We mean no harm, but if we sense any dark intent we will take action."
The remnant leaned to the side, his eyes finding the dominant female several feet behind the governor. "I see you brought friends. Didn't trust me?" he asked, a dark smile on his face.
Standing downwind as he was, the governor got a whiff of his breath. It smelled of death and decay, since his teeth were rotted in several places and broken away in others. His gums were the color of blood, and were seeping what looked like a bloodied pus-like liquid down what was left of his teeth as his lips put pressure on them.
Stifling a gag, the governor said, "It seems you didn't trust me either."
"Get the bitch. That was all ya had to do." The remnant licked his cracked lips. "I traveled a long way for nothin’. Me and my brothers are hungry."
Doing his best not to show his fear, the governor said, "The ones behind me aren't just any people. They're druids of the Dark Forest. I wouldn't do anything, if I were you. I came here because we had a deal. Because when I make a deal, I keep it. That's the kind of man I am. I never promised you I would bring Talia back. In fact, I told you I didn't know if I could. What I did promise was information. And I delivered. Talia is dead. Scarlett runs the city. I can't promise Scarlett either, but I might be able to get the others to separate the mystic from the fight and deliver her to you. Might."
The remnant let out a deep belly laugh, his head falling back and his breath nearly choking the governor again. Almost as if a switch had been flipped, his head snapped back in position, all humor gone from his expression. "That was your last chance. You didn't deliver."
By the time the governor heard the sound of the axe cutting through the air, it was too late. One of the remnant behind the leader had thrown it upon hearing his leader’s words.
The governor's head whirled around just in time to see the axe cleave deeply into the chest of his horse, the animal crying out before falling to the ground, struggling and in pain.
From that moment on, everything moved so quickly he could scarcely make sense of it. Something wrapped around his entire body and yanked him backward. He looked down just in time to see vines unraveling after having placed him on the back of another horse.
He looked back up to see the leader of the remnant caught in vines before being thrown back several feet. Ryel and Cassondra dropped to the ground, laying hands on the horse as Clara began growing the grass long enough to tangle the feet of any remnant who were close enough.
The druids on the ground had been fast, not only healing the horse, but giving it back the energy that had been wasted in its struggle to fight the pain. The horse jumped to its feet, fleeing toward the Dark Forest.
He watched as another horse ran forward, Ryel and Cassondra mounting before thrusting their hands forward. Thick vines continued to burst from the ground, grabbing remnant limbs and pulling them to the ground.
Several remnant lost an arm, a leg, or both. All the governor could do was sit there in awe, his eyes wide and his jaw hanging open.
The druids never ceased to amaze him, their skill ever reminding him just how deadly they really were.
"Dad!"
The governor’s son grabbed his arm. Nathaniel’s horse was facing in the opposite direction of his own—the direction they needed to flee in. He blinked hard, bringing himself back to the present.
"We have to go. Now!” Nathaniel said.
"Go!" Cassondra shouted from in front of them.
Without warning, the horse responded to the druid’s order and spun, taking off in the direction they had come from. The governor rode silently beside his son for nearly a mile before they saw the horse that had been injured waiting ahead of them.
Without instructions, their horses slowed as well.
"What's going on?" Nathaniel asked. "Shouldn’t we continue?"
The governor shook his head. "They must have told the horses to go only this far and wait. I don't know, son. I don't understand how any of their magic works."
Nathaniel snorted. "Yeah, well, I'm starting to think they had it right all along. I've never seen anything like that before."
Only a few minutes later, the sound of hoofbeats echoed around them, and they saw the last horse, which was carrying both Ryel and Cassondra. Without any verbal communication, their horse stopped, Cassondra getting off and making her way to the beautiful animal the governor had ridden earlier.
"Is she gonna be okay?" the governor asked.
Cassondra smiled. "Are you kidding? She's got more energy right now than any of us. We left some pretty pissed-off remnant back there. We need to get out of here. Fast."
The governor sighed in relief. "You don't have to tell me twice. Did I mention how grateful I am that you strong-armed me into letting you come?"
She winked and smiled. "Maybe you can repay me after all this with a free trip to the city and a hot shower. Cathillian hasn't shut up about them since he's been back."
Without a word having been spoken, all the horses broke into a gallop. The governor, riding just behind her, smiled. After several paces he said, "I think that can be arranged. Well, provided I have a city to go back to after all this is said and done."
7
Though her excitement had gotten the upper hand, Arryn felt apprehension, too, as she said her goodbyes. Once again, she was forced to watch Elysia tear up as the Elder said goodbye to her son and the young woman she had raised.
Arryn could only smile and tell Elysia this trip would be different. It was only a short fact-finding trip. They certainly didn’t plan to be gone long, and waiting would have been a terrible mistake. With the dark druids gone, they were temporarily safer than they had been in a very long time.
A heavy sigh had escaped Elysia then, her eyes rolling as a tear fell down each cheek. “Fine. Whatever you say. I still don’t like it, and I still wish I could go with you.”
Arryn had just barely held back any evidence of her own worries about what traveling would bring, but she managed, knowing her strength and confidence were the only things holding Elysia together.
It had been two days since they had left the safety of the Dark Forest, and they were making much better time than expected. The weather had been warm enough at night, and in the early mornings that shivering hadn’t sapped the energy they had gained from sleep. The horses regained energy after only short stops and a quick burst of magic to pep them up.
With the druids refreshed by a few hours’ rest, their magic fully accessible and recharged, giving the equivalent of a magical jolt of kaffe to the horses was a breeze.
Arryn silently urged Snow forward, matching their pace to Samuel’s. “So, how long do you think we have?”
The rearick smiled. “Ah, lass, I’d say we’ll make it before nightfall. At least ta the mountains. The trip up’ll take some real effort fer the horses, but they’ll do all right.”
She nodded, a bit relieved to hear it. While she enjoyed going on trips, she didn’t much care for the unknown. She had never been south, so Craigston and the Heights were a mystery to her.
Like the druids of the Dark Forest, Arcadians had been taught to be wary of the mystics. After what she had learned about them, she couldn’t say she blamed anyone for being afraid of them.
She wondered if the city would turn on mystics altogether once they freed Arcadia from Scarlett. It wouldn’t be entirely unreasonable, especially if the Arcadians learned what had actually been done to them, but she hoped they wouldn’t shun an entire group of people based on the evil of a few.
That was a worry for another day.
As they traveled, the road that led from Craigston to Arcadia came into view. Arryn sighed in relief, knowing they were getting closer. She was about to mention as much to Samuel when he tightened his hands on the reins and kicked at the sides of his horse.
