Rachael looked around, trying to find something they could eat. Survival had been hard before but at least there had been some food here and there. Now, out in the wilds, she didn't know what to do. She was too small to hunt down a deer or a boar, even, and too inexperienced to make a bow or take any animal at home in these forests by surprise. Their only chance was to reach the next town, but she didn't know how to get there or how far away it was. Even if she did, it was a risk. She knew from gossip she had overheard that people like them weren't wanted anywhere. These woods were a complete mystery to her. What if they were miles away, walking in the wrong direction? They would starve long before they came across another town.
“Are you all right?” Cephy was still out of breath. Rachael was used to running away from men twice her size, but Cephy hadn’t lived on the streets for long. Neither of them had had a proper meal in a long time. The last real meal Rachael could remember was a loaf of bread Cephy's mother had left her a couple of weeks ago. Running for longer periods of time would be a challenge, if they had to do it again.
Rachael was determined not to have to run from anyone again for a while. Maybe they could reach a town far away from Blackrock, start over without anyone knowing that they were cursed, and live normal lives. Maybe a nice couple would even take pity on them and take them in as though they were their own.
Rachael sneered. She hadn't allowed herself to think like that in years. Dreams and wishful thinking had never got her anywhere, and the only real dreams she still had were out of her control and had got her into this position to begin with. Her curse wouldn't be useful, but Cephy could set fires. If they could find a small cave they could light a fire, and be warm for the first time in years. She wasn't as strong as the hunters she had seen but she had some strength in her arms, and she knew how to move without drawing attention to herself. Maybe she could hunt smaller prey.
Cephy still looked like she was on the run. Her eyes were bloodshot, her breathing hadn't improved, and she was restless, looking over her shoulder every other second.
“I'm fine. Erm...” Cephy looked at her feet, looking as lost as she had the first day Rachael had seen her.
“What is it?”
Her voice was barely audible, even in the dead silence of the sleeping woods. “Thank you for taking me with you.”
Rachael couldn't recall the last time anyone had thanked her. No longer remembering how she was supposed to react, she shrugged. “I couldn't leave you behind, could I?”
Cephy nodded. “You could! They almost nearly got you... They would have killed you if they had.” Rachael shivered at the plain statement. Was that what her dream had warned her about? Her in a prison cell, waiting for her own execution. Somehow, she had managed to evade that fate. That had to count for something.
Now they had a chance to start over, and she wouldn't leave Cephy behind. Rachael knew the young girl relied on her; she wouldn't become just another person who abandoned her. There were enough of those people in the world already, and neither of them needed another. They only had each other.
“Do you think you can walk?” Cephy had to be exhausted. Rachael herself didn't want to take another step, but if they stayed out in the open someone riding by could easily spot them. They stood out in their filthy rags amongst the white.
Cephy nodded, clinging on to Rachael like she was the only lifeline she needed.
“We should find a cave, maybe a hollow tree. It won't be good if we stay out here.”
“You mean like a hiding place?”
“Yes, like a hiding place.” Rachael let Cephy hang on to her hole-ridden clothes, but resisted the urge to hold the girl's hand. As much as she wanted to have a friend, it wouldn't do either of them any good if Rachael coddled her. What if they got separated? Cephy couldn't rely on Rachael any more than necessary, or she wouldn't make it on her own. What good would their escape have been then?
What good would it be if Rachael got attached, only for Cephy to die days later? People died all the time. Being sentimental about it might well cost Rachael her life, too. Cephy could have the comfort of holding her arm, but Rachael couldn't indulge in the same way. She would have to be strong for both of them.
“Come on, let's get going.”
The snow got deeper the further in they went. It had never been this high in Blackrock; the daily traffic of people, animals and carts had never allowed it to settle higher than to her toes. Rachael doubted they were making any progress towards the next town, but at least they were moving further away from the road, too. Now it covered her ankles, and she was worried she would stop feeling her toes. Cephy was shaking, but there was nothing Rachael could do about it. If they didn't find shelter soon they'd be in trouble, but there was no shelter to be had. There were no caves anywhere, and the trees stood too far apart to prevent the snow from reaching the ground. No matter where she looked, they were in the wide open.
“Look, over there.” With a tired finger Cephy pointed towards a tree to their right, its trunk hollowed out. “Could we hide there?”
Rachael couldn't believe her eyes. It seemed too good to be true. She could see from where they were standing that the ground inside the tree was a pale green, as though it were frozen solid. It was small, but it would be big enough for both of them and maybe even a small fire. They would have to keep an eye on it, but it would be better than this.
“Yes, that's perfect. Well done, Cephy.” The girl beamed up at her, showing Rachael the first smile she had seen in a while. They hurried over, sighing happily when they discovered that the inside of the tree was a little warmer than the outside had been. It wasn't a big difference but it was a difference, and to Rachael that was good enough until they could get a fire going.
“Can you make a fire?” Cephy nodded, her hands glowing with the promise of warm refuge. Rachael remembered the perfect control Cephy had over it. They wouldn't burn along with the tree unless Cephy wished it.
“This way!” Commander Videl pointed towards the small, slowly vanishing trail of footprints in the snow. It had just started to snow again, and it was getting heavier by the minute. If they didn't hurry the witches' trail would disappear completely.
Behind him his men followed suit, weapons drawn and ready to attack anyone or anything that stood in their way. Their hunt had begun. Nothing would stop them now as they did the Maker's will and brought the witches to justice.
The commander stopped abruptly, holding up one hand to signal his men to stop. His most trusted soldier rode up beside him, ready to take his orders.
“They're not far now, you can smell the stench. Off your horses!” Without wasting one moment his men dismounted, gathering around their commander. “You two! Get over there and drag them here. We have waited long enough.” The men he had pointed at saluted and made their way over to the tree, their hands on their weapons. The witches had lit a beacon leading him straight to their lair. Even from this far away he could see the soft glow of a fire lighting up the immediate area around the tree.
Commander Videl basked in the righteous feeling of victory. Those girls were nothing but another pair of the Dark One's spawn, and he had hunted them down. He and his men would bring them to the White City, maybe have a bit of fun along the way, and then they could rot in their cells until King Aeric gave the order to have them skinned and executed in the Market Square. On his recommendation, soft King Aeric would give the order. The young one would hang. They had been told that the Dark One himself had bestowed upon her his own fire to command at will. He would take no chances with a public burning. The older one was no danger to anyone. She would get the usual punishment. His mouth twisted into an expectant grin just thinking about it.
Rachael shifted in her spot so she could warm her side by the fire. Cephy had started it almost an hour ago, but it was still burning as hot as it had done when she had first lit the small pile of snow-covered branches. It hadn't spread even a little, contained to its small seemingl
y ever-lasting pile of twigs and kept alive by Cephy's will alone. If it hadn't been for her, Rachael wouldn't have stood a chance out here. Her toes tingled with new life and for the first time this winter she wasn't cold. She owed the girl.
“Tomorrow I will show you how to defend yourself, in case we get separated.”
Cephy's face fell. “I don't want to get separated. I want to stick with you.”
“I know, but we might not have a choice. We might have to split up, and I want you to be able to look after yourself if we do.” Cephy was lucky that she had taken her in. Left to herself she would have died in Blackrock, just like Rachael would have died out here without the fire. They needed each other, and for the first time in her life Rachael didn't mind being dependent on somebody else. Both of them knew what it was like to be on their own. She could trust Cephy, and in return she would look after her.
Thinking it over, Cephy nodded. “Can you show me how to hunt?”
Rachael frowned. “I'm not a hunter myself. I'll show you what I know, but it won't be enough to feed you properly. You'll need to find a town if we get separated. Find a couple, or maybe an old lady. They'll have no reason to be suspicious of you if you don't set fire to anything.”
“What if they are mean to me?”
Rachael paused. When people had been mean to her she had run away, or kicked them where it hurt when they had been men and had tried things, but setting fire to someone was not the same. She wanted Cephy to be brave enough to defend herself if it came to that, but setting someone on fire would kill them. It would only add to their problems.
“You can't burn someone just because they are mean to you. You can defend yourself if someone tries to hurt you, but don't use your fire unless there's no other way.”
Cephy nodded, looking unsure.
“Can I use it to hunt rabbits?”
“Only if no one is watching.” Starting a new life would be difficult enough for them as it was. Being careless, no matter how safe they felt, wasn't an option.
A shadow fell over the girl's face, causing the fire to flicker.
“Look a'that! Cornered like foxes!”
Rachael's heart stopped. There were two men standing in front of them, blocking the only exit. Men wearing the armor of the White City. She couldn't move her head to look at Cephy, somehow hoping that they hadn't spotted them yet, but she knew that Cephy was just as frozen in fear.
She didn't dare move. For the moment she had forgotten how. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to go in these wide open forests where these two men wouldn't find them. They likely hadn't come alone, either. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, remembering the merciless voice of their commander. One of these guards was stronger than both of them together—fighting them would be pointless. If the commander was nearby it was over.
The man who had spoken had the worst, most nasty grin Rachael had ever seen. Even those men who had tried to rape her in Blackrock hadn't looked as evil as those two men did now. “Like pretty lil' foxes! I say we take 'em back to the commander. He'll be happy to see their pretty faces unharmed. More fun for 'im.”
The bigger of the two reached out, grabbing hold of Rachael's arms. His grip was so tight it hurt, and when he jerked her up on to her feet her bones twisted painfully.
Cephy screamed, trying to duck out of reach from the other man's arms, but she wasn't fast enough and his arms closed around her. He carried her away from the tree as though she were nothing but a half-filled sack of flour. Following behind, the other dragged Rachael after him by her arm. She tried to get away, but it was no use. He was much taller than her, and even with his armour covering every part of his body she knew that he was much stronger than she was. Had she punched him right between his ribs he wouldn't have felt a thing. She tried to kick herself free but her legs only connected with fresh snow.
There was only one way to get out of this. “Cephy! Do it—what are you waiting for!” Her nightmare echoed in her mind. The pain, the hopelessness, the terror.
The veiled demons.
She refused to let him drag her to that place.
Cephy stopped screaming at the sound of Rachael's voice.
“Just do it!”
A nearby tree caught fire. The man carrying Cephy laughed, and brought her up closer to his face pulling her up by her hair. By the look on her face Rachael guessed that she could smell his breath.
“Was that supposed to hurt me, you little bitch? You ain't as dangerous as the commander told us!”
It was the last thing he said before his head caught on fire. With a scream he dropped Cephy, the smell of burning flesh filling the air. Rachael's captor tightened his grip on her arm, twisting her around as he turned towards his friend.
“Why you filthy little sh-” His hand let go of Rachael when his arm caught fire. Both men screamed in unison as they tried in vain to put out the flames. Rachael knew they would only stop burning if Cephy willed them to, and Cephy looked too terrified for any rational thought.
“Run!” Cephy didn't need to be told twice. Rachael tried not to gag as boiling blood stained the floor and the first man dropped into the snow, his head a charred bloody mess.
Too close to them Rachael heard the cries of more soldiers and that terrible voice of their commander as they took up their pursuit. The clanging of steel filled the air as they drew their swords, followed by the trampling of horse hooves. Rachael grabbed Cephy's hand and dashed off deeper into the woods, praying to whichever deity might listen that they would somehow make it out of this alive.
Chapter Twelve
Aeron poured herself a steaming cup of tea, inhaling the rich fragrance before taking the first sip. To think that after all these years, the Fox was within reach. And it was bringing her the Sparrow! She had lived a long life waiting for prophecy to catch up with her, to come to life, and now, finally, it was doing just that right outside her front door. How she had waited! Her mother had prepared her well, almost two-hundred years ago. She had waited patiently, but now that she was so close to getting what she wanted, she was excited, even thrilled.
Careful not to waste any of the aroma, she inhaled the scent of five different herbs and leaves. It was her favourite tea, fatal if not made properly, but so very useful when prepared by the right hands. Her hands. Her mother had taught her how, many years ago. It was the only thing she still had left of the woman, besides the dagger and her name. Aeron. The bringer of destruction. 'Maiden of Death', her mother had once called her. Aeron had revelled in it, had loved the power her mother had bestowed upon her. It was an important fate which she had been given, and now, finally, she was able to fulfil it. The first steps, vital precautions, she had already taken, but she couldn't be too careful. She had to succeed, no matter the cost. The sacrifices she had made on Kaethe had been small, but worth it. The Dark One shared her mind and soul – all she had to do now was wait for the right moment, and take it. Nothing was more important than her success in this.
Once again, in her mind, Aeron reminded herself of the words her mother had force-fed her until the day she had killed her. The prophecy she needed to stop if she were to succeed. The ancient words were beautiful. Stunning perfection. Instructions for her, so she would know what had to be done.
A smile played on her full lips. The wait was nearly at an end, now. Soon her Fox would lead the damned Sparrow right to her door, and not long after the world would die in a flawless explosion of horror and fire.
Struggling to catch her breath Rachael came to a stop, allowing herself to drop into the snow to steady her shaking legs. Cephy was right behind her, hiding her tears in Rachael's moth-eaten sleeves as they both inhaled the clear winter air. The screaming had stopped a while ago, the smell of burning flesh no longer carried on the breeze. Rachael hadn't seen them all die, but she knew that Cephy had panicked and had unleashed the merciless fire of the Dark Mists themselves amongst the soldiers. The last time she had dared to turn around even
the commander had been too preoccupied with his burning body to come after them. How long ago had that been? Her legs felt like they had been running for years. Her feet were too heavy to move another inch, and it was tempting to stay in the powdery snow and cool down until she could be sure that the madness had ended.
“Are the bad men gone?”
Still shaking from fear, Rachael risked a look behind her, back in the direction they had come from. The snow was undisturbed apart from the small indents their feet had made. Out here in the middle of winter it would have been easy to spot anyone who wasn't supposed to be there, even a White Guard dressed in their traditional white armour.
Rachael nodded. “Yes, they are. I think they are all dead.” She didn't know what to make of the girl who was now holding on to her middle, crying into her rags yet who had burnt down seasoned soldiers without trouble. She had never met anyone as fragile or scared as Cephy, or anyone as dangerous. The girl had unleashed unimaginable pain upon those men but had needed her permission all the same, despite her vast destructive power. Their screams were still ringing in her ears. No one who screamed like that in their last moments had died a peaceful death. They had been terrible people, but had they deserved that?
She reminded herself that, if Cephy hadn't done anything, they'd be on their way to her nightmare right now, tied up and helpless in the back of a cart. Better them than her. She had heard stories of men like these. The smile one of the guards had given her had forever burned itself into her memory. There was no denying it—she owed Cephy her life. As horrible a death as they had suffered, the soldiers hadn't left them with any other options.
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