Maybe what Grandmother had said was true, because I felt the humming of the land in my veins, as if it were a piece of me. All it took was asking the land to show me my magic? What a strange world I lived in.
My brow wrinkled in confusion when the steady hum was interrupted by a more erratic one. My heart jumped as a bunny hopped out of the bushes and onto the path before me, the moonlight just bright enough to make it out. My horse only sidestepped the rabbit as if to rub it in that I might have overreacted. The bunny took off, and the strange erratic hum disappeared. I soon realized that the more irregular hum was the bunny.
I closed my eyes and sensed many more soft, inconsistent hums, but when a hard hum rolled through me as though I were plucked instead of a fiddle, I froze. The hum didn’t have a harmless vibe to it; it was so rough it chattered my teeth and sent an icy chill down my spine.
My heart beat fast as every horror story I had ever been told came to mind. Stories Grandmother should have never told me . . .
I was imagining something dragging me off into the woods when the sound of heavy hooves hitting the ground pulled me out of my thoughts.
A horse and rider appeared on the trail before me. I was on a well-ridden trail, so it wasn’t odd seeing another rider.
No, the strange thing was seeing him slow down when he spotted me. A dark hood covered his eyes, and the moonlight only accentuated the black void of his face. A chill had a cold sweat covering my skin as we both stared at each other, unmoving.
His dark cloak blew in the breeze around him, and I swore I could see the heavy breaths of his horse. Not an ordinary thing in the warm Alger air.
I realized that he might have seen me in the same obscure way; I’d stopped my horse just as he had. Maybe this was one big misunderstanding. Or maybe I’d just tell myself that.
I inched my horse forward. I couldn’t be at a standstill any longer, or my heart would beat out of my chest.
A stronger breeze than normal blew my hood around my face and like a soft caress, it ran down my cheek. A voice vibrated inside my mind. “Run . . .”
Even without a shudder from the whisper running through my body, I would have known this was not right, because as I urged my horse forward in bravery, my gut twisted as its only way of warning me.
With an alarm ringing in my mind and no warning, I raced directly to the right and off the path. My hood flew off with the momentum. We swerved around the tight-knit trees. They were so close I could reach out and touch one on both sides. I heard the sounds of hooves crunching leaves and sticks, alerting me the rider was following.
I tightened my knees around my horse as we hopped over a stream in one fluid motion. I wasn’t an experienced rider, but with the sound of the rider behind me, fear of falling off was the last thing on my mind.
The break in the trees ahead announced the end of the forest, and I urged my horse faster until we made it out of the woods and into a valley.
The Red Forest was an ominous presence on the other side. The sun hadn’t risen, but with the rider closing distance behind me and the adrenalin coursing through my veins, I pushed my horse faster in its direction. We flew across the valley, hooves kicking up grass as they hit the ground forcefully. I squeezed my knees around my horse’s flank to keep me seated, and that only pushed him faster.
By the time I saw the outline of the dark red trees against the silver moonlight and how eerie they were in their stillness, it was too late to change my mind.
The cold chill my body felt magnified as I was fully enveloped in the Red Forest. I whipped my head around and slowed down as I noticed that the rider had stopped before the forest entrance.
I could hear my heartbeat drumming in my ears as I stared at him. My blood ran cold when he tilted his head at an unnatural angle on his neck, his cloak blowing in the wind. He grabbed his horse’s reins and headed east; I assumed he planned to go around the forest. It would take days. I knew that because of all the talk from grumbling travelers in Alger. I wasn’t even going to let my thoughts wander in the direction of why he wouldn’t enter the forest. I could only handle so much.
I turned back around, and immediately focused on the forest’s sounds and searched the land. It hummed softly, and I relaxed until I felt many dark erratic hums roll down my spine. My heart beat harder if even possible as I spun my horse in a circle. A cold sweat covered my skin in a blanket of fear when I saw one set of eyes peer at me from the bushes. They were red with only a tiny slit of black in the middle.
The rest began to appear, in the trees, and in the bushes all around me. I believed this was where I would die. I could feel a rush in my ears while fear hit me like a bucket of icy water.
For too long, I continued to spin in a terrifying dance. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end with the knowledge that I couldn’t get away without having any creatures behind me.
The only movement in the forest was the occasional slow blink of their eyes. With fear crawling into my chest, I thought about going back the way I had come. But there was at least one inhuman rider back there, and I doubted he was the only one.
The creatures hadn’t made any moves, and I swallowed hard while I made the decision that I couldn’t go backward. The terror was almost paralyzing but with my heart’s erratic beating and the feeling that something would jump me from behind, I continued down the path.
The eyes lingered on my skin, but there was no rustling of leaves, no sound at all. The forest was deathly silent besides for the sounds of my pounding heart and my horse’s hooves hitting the ground. We walked down the trail, the eyes so focused that I had the feeling if I ran they wouldn’t be able to stop themselves from chasing me.
My hands shook, and I dug them into my horse’s mane to ground me.
When the sun began to rise, the light shined through the dark forest and slimy thin arms and legs dragged themselves away from the path. I saw a bony hunched-over spine as one creature turned to look at me before parting.
Its teeth were sharp little points, and I shuddered as I imagined the possibility of them biting me. Its gray skin was thin and spotted with red scabs and scars. It was on all fours and its claws were sharp and as long as my fingers. Though, there was a depth of knowledge behind the inhuman slanted eyes. And I knew that there was too much intelligence in them for it to have been a mindless man-eating creature.
They made not a sound as they left, and I thought it defied all logic. But I was learning logic didn’t exist in this forest. As I saw the last one ramble away, I let out all my dread in one big breath.
I patted my horse’s neck, mainly to steady my trembling hands, and then I realized I hadn’t named him yet. I settled on ‘Gallant’ because he was the bravest horse I had ever met.
The sun shining over the horizon was a beautiful sight. I saw the forest in the light for the first time. Something I’d thought would never happen. I’d been sound asleep just hours ago, and now I was on the run for my life. It was almost unbelievable. Except this was too terrifying to be anything but real.
Rays of light shined onto the crimson leaves, making them appear covered with red dew. I watched the sunrise open the flowers on the vines clinging to the red trunks of the trees. The blooms were a darker shade than the vines; they were such a dark red they almost appeared black. Red leaves of every shade fell around me. I held my hand out to catch one and noted the stickiness left when I let it go. I rubbed my fingers against the thick liquid on my palm and grimaced when I realized it was blood.
I’d heard stories about the forest, but I thought that was just what they were—stories. When the Battle of Tjank took place after the sealing of the magic, there had been so many casualties of war in this forest that the ground imbibed on the blood like wine. The soldiers’ blood had mixed with the magic land and seeped into the plants, slithered up the trees, and took over the forest.
The ground had opened up, and the dead soldiers fell in. It was said that the creatures were the fallen dead soldiers, but nobody co
uld be certain. After what I had seen, I didn’t doubt that they were. I wondered why they had let me go and if anyone else had ever been so close to them and lived to tell about it.
I wiped my hand on my cloak as we stepped around a large red puddle I imagined was probably blood. As we progressed further into the forest, clouds began to block out the sun and a strong metallic smell hit my nose. I heard the sound of running water and stopped to dismount Gallant, my feet sinking into the ground, red liquid seeping onto my boots.
The trees creaked eerily as I walked him through the brush to the sound. A breeze picked up, and I shivered, not from the chill but from the strange way it brushed my skin. I walked into the clearing and stared blankly at the creek. The red liquid could be nothing other than blood. I should have known . . .
I sighed. “Sorry, Gallant.” I rubbed his nose. “We’ll have to find you some water when we get out of the forest.” My voice sounded gritty here, and I shivered. We were walking back to the path when a loud thunder clap hit my ears. I looked heavenward as streaks of red flew across the sky, and rain began to fall.
Even after seeing the forest, I was still astonished it was raining blood.
* * *
The thick liquid seeped through my cloak. A drop rolled down my cheek, and I pulled my hood further over my head. I was itchy everywhere as the blood dried on my skin. Gallant was no longer chestnut but red. Nausea rolled in my stomach at the sight of so much blood.
We had walked the trail for so long that I watched the sun crawl across the sky. I had trudged beside Gallant for as long as I could handle, slugging through puddles of blood, until I rode the rest of the way.
The rain had been a persistent skin-crawling annoyance the entire time. I hadn’t seen any travelers, but I could imagine why. If I had the choice, I would have gone around as well. The scent of metal was the only thing I could smell since the rain had begun, and my lungs were begging for some fresh air. When I determined I would never get out, I saw a break in the trees. I sped us into a trot, and we broke out of the Red Forest.
The blood rain stopped.
An empty valley stretched before us, the only things decorating it green hills and rocky areas. The sun warmed my skin, and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. I shuddered as I peered behind me and saw the menacing clouds above the Red Forest. Red was a color I never wanted to see again.
“Come on, Gallant. Let’s go find you some water and get far away from this place.”
We rode for a short time until we came across a lake. Woods surrounded the opposite side, and I walked Gallant into the trees for cover. As the lake water turned red from washing the blood off my body, I thought about the ugly truth.
Grandmother was right. It was undeniable now.
It was still hard for me to swallow, but even if I refused to believe it, that rider seemed to think I was the one who could find the seal, and that was all that mattered.
I had to get to Undaley.
After I rubbed Gallant down and changed my clothes, I looked at my map and tried to figure out where I was. I let my hair dry and munched on some jerky. I’d refused to eat in the forest as I would have been ingesting more blood than I preferred. My stomach was still a little unsettled.
If I was right, the map said I was a short ride from Cameron City.
Gallant and I lagged the last few miles. The threat of that rider hounded my mind, but my body was too fatigued to care. The sky was darkening when we reached the boisterous town. Wooden buildings and houses sat packed together in the small green valley. The glow of torches shone throughout, in anticipation of the night while soldiers in chainmail patrolled the streets.
The large wooden sign had words scrawled on it in red paint:
YOU CAN FIND ANYTHING IN CAMERON CITY!
I wasn’t sure if that was reassuring or not.
CHAPTER THREE
EMERALDS IN A MURDEROUS GAZE
My hood was low over my eyes as I entered the city, the darkening sky helping to hide my delicate face. Fear and doubt hosted their own show inside my head and charged me for every admission.
I relaxed when I noticed no one was paying me much mind as I blended in with the caravans rolling into town.
The castle was a colossal structure on the hill above the city. It was a menacing presence with the falling sun and the crows flying around one of its turrets. Gallant’s hooves clopped while we walked down the stone street. The smell of salted meats had my stomach growling for a warm meal. Vendors were trying to sell their wares, and prostitutes stood around brothel doors heckling possible patrons.
I passed a tavern, and a crash came from within—yelling ensued. Now that I was in the city, I had no plan on how to find an escort. I imagined they would hang around in the taverns, but I was uneasy at the thought of entering any.
I came across an inn and walked Gallant into the stables. I made sure the stable boy was taking care of him before I headed inside. The innkeeper took my money, his gray eyebrows rising as he appraised me. “What trouble do you bring around here?”
I frowned. “What makes you think I bring trouble?”
“What business does a woman have alone in the city? Seems like trouble to me,” he mused.
I rolled my eyes. I couldn’t even fool an old innkeeper. Darn you, Grandmother.
“Where can I find an escort for hire?”
He stroked his short beard. “Well, I know some hang out in the Smoky Tavern across the street, but I doubt any will take you on. They don’t like to deal with disgruntled husbands.”
I pushed my annoyance aside and ignored his comment. I was living in a man’s world. It had been so in Alger, and I didn’t expect any different anywhere else.
Later on, after I ate a warm meal, I found myself standing in front of the Smoky Tavern. I heard boisterous laughter through the wooden door, and I paused with my hand on the handle, reluctance holding me back.
“They won’t bite you, deary.” The female voice came from my right, and I turned to look at a prostitute, her red lipstick as flashy as her tight dress. Her eyes were black and cloudy, the one visible sign of Midnight Oil. Another person I couldn’t fool, and she was inebriated. Great.
“Well, maybe they will . . .” She smiled mysteriously as she looked me over. My stomach dropped, but I refused to let her comment sink in. Because if I did, I’d run back to Grandmother.
I wished I could forgo finding an escort, but I wasn’t stupid enough to believe I could get across Alyria alone. There were many brigands on the roads, and it was only good luck that I hadn’t run into any on the way here.
With shaking hands, I pulled open the wooden door and instantly coughed on the smoke clouding the air. The room was dim, only lit by a few wall sconces, which I was glad for as I made my way over to a table in the corner. Heads turned my way and looked me over as I sat down.
My hood concealed my face, and I hoped the room was dark enough so that no one noticed I was a woman. The only women allowed in a tavern were of the working variety. That was never a rule I would despise because I felt like a mouse in a lion’s den.
Some men were eating, some were drunk and bellowing with laughter, and some were grabbing at the maids as they walked by.
It felt like I were at the traveling menagerie that came through Alger once a year. I was supposed to trust one of these men to take me to Undaley?
A young boy ran through the room and knocked one of the men’s mugs out of his hand, pouring it all over him. The bearded man cursed and stood up, grabbing the boy by the scruff of his shirt. He lifted him off the ground and pressed him against the wall. My heart pounded as I watched him grab a knife out of the back of his pants and put it against the boy’s throat.
I jumped up with no other thoughts than to help the boy when a knife flew through the air and stuck into the wall inches from the bearded man’s head. Eyes shot to the corner of the room where a man sat in the darkened corner, and the voices took a dramatic fall.
The man dropped the boy
, who then raced off and out the back door. I let out a deep breath of relief and fell back into my chair before eyes came my way. The bearded man pulled the knife out of the wall and turned to glare at the man in the corner. The tavern was deathly quiet as we all watched him walk to the corner of the room.
My palms were sweaty, and I wiped them nervously on my pants. If a brawl broke out, I wasn’t in the best spot. Too far from the door. Who was I kidding? Too far from home.
The man stabbed the knife into the table while they both stared at each other. The darkened corner concealed the knife thrower’s face, but I could make out that he was leaning back in his chair. His relaxed posture told everyone in the room he was unconcerned with having to deal with the burly man.
The men didn’t say anything, but I believed a lot was being said with their eyes. A conversation only men could understand, but I think the gist was:
Bearded man: Don’t throw knives at me.
Knife thrower: You gonna make me?
The tavern was quiet as the bearded man walked away and sat down.
Apparently, not going to make him.
The nervous air dissipated as voices picked back up and the drinking continued. I came to the conclusion that whoever the man was in the corner, he was the one I wanted as an escort. Kind enough to save a child, and menacing enough that men didn’t want to fight him.
My stomach was in knots while I tried to work up the courage to go over there. I debated if I should just turn around and go home. But I was humoring myself—I couldn’t go home.
Just get it over with!
My boots carried me over to his table while my mind stayed behind, wanting to ask for the tallest mug of wine available. Just for a little liquid courage. Grandmother only let me have wine on special occasions. And the last time had been on Day of Selene, when I had drunk one too many cups and ended up starting the fire with kindling. It’d turned out to be Grandmother’s precious Night of the Elm branches. It had smoked us out of the cottage for the rest of the night. She hadn’t been so happy about that. Especially because I hadn’t been able to stop laughing.
A Girl Named Calamity Page 3
