“Sebastian,” he said with tired formality, “what brings you here?”
I glanced at Sky, who appeared nervous in her role, but didn’t hesitate.
“He is here on my behalf,” she recited from memory. “I am humbly requesting entrance into the dark forest.”
He scrutinized her with a chuckle. “You? Who are you, little one?”
She bristled, her anxiety quickly replaced by a fiery indignation. My awareness heightened as I anticipated a snarky response that would likely bring our visit to an abrupt and possibly violent end. Sebastian remained calm, seemingly more confident that she could contain her natural instinct.
She knows what’s at stake, I reminded myself, but could she control herself?
After a brief moment, Sky swallowed her pride and declared simply, “I am Skylar Brooks.”
“Skylar Brooks,” he repeated, testing the sound of her name. His absent gaze shifted to the valley below as he repeated her name several more times, no doubt rifling his memory to determine if she was a person of consequence, if she had something to offer.
A tense ripple passed through her jawline as she ignored the insult and gestured to Sebastian and me. “They will accompany me.”
“Perhaps he should go instead of you,” Liam said, flicking a glance at Sebastian. “The dark forest is not fit for someone like you.”
“Liam, I do believe that would be best,” Sebastian agreed. Judging by Sky’s indignant frown, she took his intervention as a personal failure, but he was simply being expedient. The elf had no intention of granting us access without extracting a higher price than Sky could offer.
A triumphant smile crossed Liam’s lips. “So you will be the one requesting entrance into the dark forest. May I ask why?”
Before he could answer, Sky blurted, “My friend, a human, was bitten by a Tod Schlaf.”
Liam accepted the news with a speculative look. No doubt he wondered how such a creature could be taken from his realm. Either one of his precious Makellos was a traitor, smuggling creatures from Elysian to sell on the black market, or an outsider had come and gone without detection. I wondered which bothered him the most.
He turned his attention back to Sebastian, repeating himself with an exaggerated, arrogant emphasis. “Then it is you who is actually asking for entrance.”
Sebastian answered with a slight nod.
“Excellent.” Liam whispered an order to an elf behind him, an unnecessary precaution as he knew full well that Sebastian and I could hear the instruction. Our word wasn’t going to be enough for this arrogant bastard. In the human world, formal agreements required meticulously written contracts and notarized signatures. In the supernatural world, word was bond. Even the vampires kept their word, when given, but Sebastian’s word wasn’t good enough for Liam. He required a formal contract. It was a direct insult. I glanced to Sebastian, noting the tight line of his shoulders, the steely look in his eyes as he glared at Liam.
Once his assistant disappeared behind the line of guards, Liam declared with a pompous superiority, “If I allow entrance, then you must acknowledge you are indebted to me.”
Sebastian’s lips spread into a thin line. “Of course.”
The assistant returned with a scroll, offering it to Sebastian, who made no move to accept it. “We usually use an honor system,” he said bitterly. “It is widely known that if you renege, there are severe consequences.”
Liam sneered. “The honor system among those that have proven to have very little? How trite. You will not be offended if I choose something a little more official.”
I did my best to hide my contempt, not wanting to give him any more satisfaction than necessary. Glancing at Sky, I saw that she understood the insult and was biting her tongue.
Begrudgingly, Sebastian accepted the scroll and read it carefully. “There is no way in hell I’m going to sign this. You do not think we have honor; however, no one I’ve ever been indebted to would dare ask these things, nor would I of someone else. You want this signed, then take these things out.” He gestured to several points on the scroll, then handed it back to Liam.
“You are requesting a favor of me and yet you make demands of what you are willing to do to fulfill the subsequent debt.”
Sebastian straightened, taking advantage of his height to glare down at Liam. “What you are requesting is beyond reason.” Amber sparks flashed in his eyes as he stepped close to the elf. “I will gain entrance. The only question now is whether it will be over the dead and badly injured bodies of your people or on more amicable terms. I would prefer on good terms. But the choice is up to you.”
Liam glared back. He couldn’t stop us, not with his toy guard. He’d have to call out half of Elysian to chase away a handful of were-animals, which would be an embarrassment for him. While he weighed his lack of options, I scanned the guard, watching for any slight shift of weight that would indicate the start of an attack.
After a long ponderous moment, Liam conceded, but the taste of it soured his expression. He scowled as he took back the scroll. “Save your energy for the forest, you will need it.” The offending lines promptly vanished as he ran his finger over them, whispering something in elvish. “Better?” he asked, returning the scroll to Sebastian.
After a brief read, he nodded.
Liam gestured and one of the soldiers produced a knife for Sebastian. A broad grin spread across his lips as he met Liam’s expectant gaze—enough to remind the elf that he was fully capable of the violence promised—then pricked his finger and signed the contract in his own blood.
Once finished, Liam cautiously accepted the scroll, wary of some unseen betrayal. “You do realize you will have more than just cross words to contend with if you ever default on this.”
Sebastian barely nodded at the insult.
“Very well, a guide will be by to escort you.” As he walked away, his soldiers fell in behind, forming dual lines as they followed him down the hill.
Sky and I shared a glance, each of us wondering what the terms were that Sebastian had agreed to. He remained inscrutable, his eyes narrowed and hard as the wait tried his patience. It was not a conversation to be had while we were in Elysian; there would be a time later to ask.
While Gideon and Abigail seemed locked in silent communication, their eyes fixed on each other, Sky seemed entranced by the view, and by the vibrant nature of the trees and fauna. As she reached out to touch one of the trees, perhaps to test if it were real, I heard the trotting of horses approaching.
Not horses, I realized, staring down the hill at the approaching small herd guided by a pair of bareback riders, but close enough. The riders appeared to be twins, a male and a female, though both appeared effeminate in that elven way. Like Liam, they were clothed straight out of a fashion magazine. The male was dressed in gray chino pants, and a white shirt with a pinstriped tie. His hair was short and stylish and apparently unbothered by the breeze or by gravity. The female wore light gray slacks, and a darker gray sweater. Her long auburn hair was pulled back in a French braid.
They brought their animals to a stop a few feet in front of us, and the female dismounted. She greeted our elves with a warm smile. “Abigail, Gideon.”
Abigail mirrored the guide’s smile, but Gideon remained aloof, disapproving.
The female guide gestured to the horselike creatures, inviting us to mount for the journey. I wasn’t an experienced rider, but the creatures seemed docile enough. The lack of saddles or bridles concerned me. Sky eyed her mount with trepidation.
“I don’t know how to ride,” she admitted.
“She can ride with me,” I said. Curiously, she ignored my offer, instead glancing about for an alternative. I scowled at her, irritated and surprised by the rebuke. If she thought Sebastian or the elves were better riders, then she was welcome to find out.
The male guide offered me a condescending smile. “She will be fine, they take very little skill.” He patted one of the creatures’ long necks as he spoke
to it in elvish. In response, the creature bent its front legs and bowed for Sky. Anxious but willing, she climbed onto the creature’s back and gripped its long mane. After another command from the guide, the creature rose back to its feet. Sky’s eyes widened as she shifted her weight, tightly clutching the mane until he gently touched her hand.
She nodded, willing herself to relax and release her grip.
The male guide turned to me with a raised eyebrow. Ignoring his unspoken challenge, I mounted my creature easily, firmly taking the mane in my hand and soothing the creature with a gentle pat on the side of its neck. It had been some time since I’d ridden, but the memory came back to me quickly. I drew my legs directly under my hips and turned my toes out so that my calves lightly rested on the creature’s side. Testing my control, I shifted my weight and gently squeezed my left calf against the animal. The creature responded as intended, turning left until I faced Sky and released the pressure.
As I trotted toward her, the guide instructed her, “You won’t need to steer. She is trained to follow us. If you’re not experienced, it’s best if you just go along for the ride.”
The others competently seated, the guides started off and we fell in behind them. Sky rode behind Abigail. I rode protectively behind Sky, close enough to intervene if she lost her balance.
Long before the forest came into view, I felt the darkness of it like a cold, stifling breeze. It was unmistakable in its contrast to the brightness of Elysian. As we approached the forest’s edge, I felt the strong vibration of the elven ward that held its denizens at bay, causing the hair on my arms and neck to rise. A glance to either side revealed the forest extended for miles, leading me to wonder how many dangerous creations had been abandoned there, and what would happen if the magic that imprisoned them suddenly disappeared. Despite the ward’s power, a hazy darkness penetrated to our side of the barrier, the faint echo of desperate fingers probing for something.
Just outside the ward, the female guide brought us to a halt, then dismounted. “This is as far as we go.” She turned her attention to Abigail, handing her a small scroll. “This will allow you entrance and exit. The words can only be spoken twice, don’t lose it or … well”—she smiled politely—“you know what will become of you.”
She whispered something to her creature as she stroked it, then abandoned it to join her brother. He reached down a hand and helped her mount behind him.
“My animal will guide you on your return,” she promised.
At the brother’s command, his creature turned sharply and trotted off, quickly accelerating to a gallop that rivaled the speed of a sports car.
The rest of us dismounted.
“You’re with me,” Sebastian informed Gideon, who nodded, his gaze transfixed on the gloomy forest. Sebastian turned to me next. “No matter how long I am in there, don’t come after me. Okay?”
“I will give you an hour,” I stated.
“Ethan,” he said firmly, “don’t come after me. Understand?”
I stared back at him, refusing to nod. There was no way I could simply walk away and leave Sebastian to whatever horrors lurked in those dark woods. And I wouldn’t leave without fulfilling our mission. If I had to ride to the elven city and physically beat every elf there into submission to obtain another key to the ward, I would. But Sebastian was giving me a direct order. To fail his command was a violation of pack law. Reluctantly, my expression grim, I nodded. With luck, I wouldn’t need to disobey him, but I would, if necessary. As much as I respected Sebastian’s leadership, some commands had to be broken, regardless of the consequences.
Gideon lightly kissed his sister’s forehead, then read from the scroll. Unlike his sister, he struggled with the language, but the magic worked. As with the door into Elysian, the earth beneath the barrier seemed to undulate before a narrow vertical tear appeared in the invisible barrier, wide enough for one person.
From the dark gloom on the other side, a fetid breath exhaled through the doorway and washed over me, carrying a whisper that beckoned to me as if I belonged there. My body seemed to betray me as it was inexplicably drawn to that gloom. I wavered, leaned back on my heels, resisting the urge to stride through the door. I glanced to Sebastian and Sky, expecting to see in them the same struggle, but they seemed at ease.
Gideon and Abigail made their parting while Sebastian prepared to enter the forest. Uncertain what was happening, I said nothing.
Sebastian entered first, wearing a determined look, followed by Gideon. The tear closed behind them, sucking air from around us with such force that we had to take several steps back to escape the pull. Once closed, the tear completely vanished. The force that called to me disappeared with it.
Facing the forest, I stood beside the location of the door and anxiously waited for their return.
The forest wanted me. I knew that, but I didn’t know why. Was it the dark elf magic? Was I another elven mistake to be claimed by the forest, to be held in protective custody for the remainder of my life? I squeezed and released my fists in a steady rhythm while I thought, until I remembered that I couldn’t afford the distraction. At any moment, Sebastian might face a danger that required him to retreat back to Elysian. I needed to be ready at a moment’s notice, should that door open and something dangerous follow him out of the forest.
At some point, I realized Sky was next to me, her breathing shallow and disjointed as she shared my anxiety. I regretted bringing her, putting her in danger. I should’ve never agreed for her to accompany us. But that wasn’t the extent of my guilt. I should’ve been the one to go into the forest. Sebastian had made his choice, and I’d had no choice but to accept it.
After what seemed an endless wait, I felt a rush of relief as the earth before us began to vibrate, signaling the ward was about to open. Uncertain what the circumstances of Sebastian’s return might be, I tensed in anticipation. But the ward didn’t open. Instead, the earth beneath the barrier began to bulge in sporadic ripples. I felt dark fingers reaching for me once more, this time with added urgency as if the forest were exerting every ounce of power available to escape the ward just to reach me. An oppressive pall of gloom engulfed me, attempting to bind me in despair as the power began pulling me toward the forest.
Stunned, I closed my eyes and the rest of the world disappeared, leaving me in a silent void. If the others were holding me back from the forest or carrying me away, I had no sense of anything but my own resistance as I rallied. My entire being was caught up in the fight against the dark power that pulled at me, squeezing oxygen from my lungs as I fought to breathe. Every muscle in my body trembled from the effort.
The power was too much. I couldn’t break its hold.
I called to my wolf, only vaguely aware of it somewhere in the distance, fighting furiously in an effort to reach me. I had a sense that the dark elf magic might help me, but I had neither the knowledge nor the skill to use it. My only hope was to escape beyond the reach of the forest. Given the amount of energy it was exerting to penetrate the ward, I doubted its reach extended more than a few feet.
Through the mental fog, I forced my attention to my feet and pressed my heels into the ground. The power of the forest draped over me like a dense, irresistible web as I slowly drew my right foot back, straining with the effort. With each forced step away from the forest, a small portion of my senses returned. The force holding me weakened, but the effort was exhausting, making me more vulnerable. Another step left my leg trembling. I didn’t know what had happened to Sky and Abigail, but without their intervention, I didn’t have the strength to escape the forest’s reach.
With my last step, I felt the firm press of a willow tree against my back. Groaning with the effort, I turned and wrapped my arms around the thick tree trunk and clambered around it to put the tree between me and the forest. Did it have the strength to rip the tree’s roots from the soil? It would have to, to take me.
The forest doubled its effort. The force that pulled me against the tree was shock
ing, but it was a last gasp. Failing to pry me or the tree loose, the forest finally relented. Its grip on me faded, and I collapsed to the ground in total exhaustion, panting for breath, but the pall of gloom remained, suffocating me. A dark, raspy voice whispered in my mind, beckoning me. I knew that if I stumbled to the forest, it would open the ward and embrace me. If I didn’t, it would kill me.
As I struggled for breath, a soft cool hand gently stroked my cheek. I knew Sky’s touch, but I couldn’t smell her. Forcing my eyes open, I barely saw her outline through a foggy haze before I found myself blind.
“What’s the matter?” she pleaded.
I tried once more to change, but my wolf remained suppressed. A cold came over me, despite the sweat that I felt running down my arms and my face. A superior were-animal could force my change, but I knew I wouldn’t survive long enough for Sebastian’s return.
“I need your help,” I gasped, struggling to produce each syllable.
She clasped my face between her palms. “What do you need?”
“Help me. Change.”
It was a gamble. Sky hadn’t even mastered her own ability to change, and her animal was inferior to mine. It shouldn’t work, but thanks to Maya, Sky wasn’t a normal were-animal. My life was in her hands, and I was asking the near impossible.
I fumbled at my clothes, but lacked the coordination to do more than brush fingers over fabric. Steady, sure hands arrived to help. Once the last of my clothes were removed, I relaxed against the tree, my limbs weak from lack of oxygen as my lungs barely sucked in air through the gloom.
I felt Sky’s warmth descend over me, hovering close, but not close enough. Even I needed contact to force a were-animal’s change. With a last, final effort, I leaned—or rather, fell—toward her, resting my head on her shoulder. My fingers slipped around her arm, but my grip was weak. Attempting to draw on her strength, I willed myself to change, but failed. Panic lurched in my body as I took my last breath. Death was imminent.
Midnight Shadows (Sky Brooks World: Ethan Book 3) Page 21
