Chapter Six

Salome

“Hey, time to get up.” Gareth shook me awake.

“It can’t be morning yet, I feel like I just fell asleep.” I groaned, wiping the sleep from my eyes.

“You know, you talk in your sleep.” He grinned, enjoying this far too much.

“Really? And what did I say?” I crawled from my blankets and began to roll them up.

“Well, I don’t want to brag, but you did mention how gorgeous I am, and how much you loved my kisses. And you might’ve mentioned something about Autumn.” He opened the front door and gasped, then turned to me, eyebrows raised. “You’re not going to believe this,” he said.

“What?” I grabbed my bundle from the floor and hurried outside after him. My breath caught in my throat. Last night when we’d come in, all the trees, leaves, and vines had been withered and brown. Today, the leaves were brightly colored in orange, yellow, and bright red hues reminding me of balls of fire. This is what Autumn was supposed to look like. But how did this happen?

“Holy crap…”

“This doesn’t seem possible without some sort of magic at work.” Gareth glanced around.

I wrapped my arms around my chest, as the chill of the morning air seeped through my dress. “This is crazy, right? I mean, have you ever seen anything like this happen?”

Gareth secured his bedroll to his horse. “Yes.”

“Seriously? When?”

“The seasons used to parade in like this at the Faerie Court when the Queen handed over reign for each kingdom when it was their quarter of the year to rule. But that hasn’t happened since Genissa died, hundreds of years ago. Other than Summer, all the other courts have been vacant and dead…their seasons never coming. But now—and yesterday, I can’t explain it.”

I climbed on top of Adaba, while Gareth shut the cottage up. My mind tried to grasp what was happening around us. Were the seasons truly coming back? Or was this just a trick? Maybe some ploy by Winter to call people back to their homes so they could attack them again?

Gareth chose a path that led further into Autumn. The trees were like torches against the gray-blue sky. All around us colors seemed to burst. We went up a slight incline, and there, standing taller than all the other landscape, was the ruins of a castle. As we passed by the gates, I noticed the maple leaves etched into the stone. In the distance, I caught the distinct sound of waves crashing against the shore.

Our horses followed an overgrown trail, which came out next to what looked like an old watchtower. The rocks were crumbling and covered in moss, but it was the view beyond that that took my breath away. There, below us, was the sea. Salt hung heavy in the air, and the sun and trees’ reflections cast a rainbow of color on top of the water.

Empty docks made of stone and rotting wood told the story of a time when many great ships came to this harbor. Even from here, I saw the remains of what must’ve been a huge fleet, now shattered to pieces against the rocks.

Stone stairs carved out of the side of the cliffs led down to the shoreline, but with the waves thrashing about, I knew it wouldn’t be safe. I shivered, tugging my cloak tighter against my body.

We rode away from the steep slope and through what looked like old training grounds. Medieval looking pells still stood, waiting for a soldier to come practice his sword or battle axe maneuvers. The more areas we went through, the sadder I became. So many people lost. And for what? Grisselle to increase her stronghold?

Even though Autumn was falling apart, I saw no signs of battle. Not that I wanted to see bones or blood or anything like that; it just felt as if everyone had up and left. A heaviness hung about my shoulders until we rode out of the kingdom into the outskirts.

“I don’t know how you spent the last couple hundred years dealing with stuff like this,” I said to Gareth as he came up alongside me.

“Trust me, it wasn’t easy. I had close friends at both the Spring and Autumn Courts. And I want to keep Summer from suffering a similar fate. But not a day goes by that I don’t remember their fall…” His shoulders slumped and he stared off at some unseen thing.

We traveled in silence for the next couple hours, both of us lost in our thoughts. At last, Gareth found a grassy area for us to stop. I fumbled off the back of Adaba and stretched my limbs. After all this horseback stuff, I might need a masseuse.

Gareth opened his mouth as if to speak then shut it as a loud crash sounded in the brush. He drew his sword and whipped around to face the forest. Adaba positioned himself next to me, his ears perked up.

“Wait here,” Gareth whispered.

“What’s wrong?”

He put a finger to his lips. My pulse thundered as I scanned the thicket. Branches snapped and the birds and wildlife went quiet. The ground quaked beneath me as if the earth had shivered.

“Mwwhoooa.” A loud growl broke the silence.

“Salome, back up.” Gareth took a stance next to a nearby oak tree.

Before I could move, a large creature the size of a small car barreled into the clearing. Its rock like skin was dingy and gray. Its mouth twisted, revealing pointed teeth. Orange eyes glowed when they came to rest on me. The creature stood at least seven or eight feet tall and wore only a loincloth made of fur, which was secured in place with a belt made of bones. Every time he moved, the bones clanked together like eerie chimes.

“Oh God.” My fingers tangled in Adaba’s mane.

“Get away from the troll, Salome.” Gareth rushed forward. He swung his blade in an arc, aiming for its knees. But the monster blocked him with a giant wooden club that could’ve easily been mistaken for a tree.

I took several steps toward the tree line. The troll charged at Gareth, knocking him down. Its mammoth-sized feet stomped at the ground, but Gareth managed to roll out of the way.

“Gareth,” I shrieked. Panic coursed through me like a rushing river. All I kept picturing was blood and him dying, which freaked me out even more.

Gareth kicked himself back onto his feet. The silver of his blade glinted as he swung it once more. This time the weapon connected with the backs of the troll’s legs, severing the tendons. The troll yelped in pain and collapsed into the ferns.

“Turn your head,” Gareth told me.

My throat thickened, and I buried my face against the horse’s side. Two more loud howls erupted, then all went silent.

“It’s okay, he’s dead now.”

I pulled away from Adaba and stared in horror at the giant head lying in the leaves, its lifeless eyes still glowed even in death. Thick black blood dripped from the foliage. I covered my mouth as nausea overtook me.

Gareth wiped his sword off and hurried to my side. He clutched me tight to his chest. “Shh…just close your eyes and count to ten.”

“I feel sick.”

“I know. Just don’t look at the body, okay? I need you to stay right next to Adaba while I scout out the woods.”

“Wait—you’re leaving me alone?” My voice quivered. I so didn’t want to be left with the severed body. Hell to the flipping no.

“Only for a moment.” He disappeared into the undergrowth, not giving me the chance to argue.

Several minutes passed before he reappeared, breathless.

“Are you all right?” I caught his arm. His skin was slick with sweat.

“Get on your horse.”

“What?”

“Salome, you have to go.”

I swallowed the rock-like lump in my throat. “By myself?”

“Yes—this troll was only a scout. The others aren’t too far out.”

No. This isn’t happening.

“Others? But you’ll be killed. I-I can’t leave you.”

Gareth turned to Adaba. “Take her to the Ruined Court and hide. If I’m not there in two days’ time, get her to Summer.”

Adaba whinnied and shook his mane as if he understood.

Gareth sheathed his sword and picked me up, his arms tightening around me. His lips crushed mine with urgency, as if he was taking his last breath. And I clung to him, absorbing his heat and his woodsy scent. When he pulled back, he set me atop my mount.

“Gareth, please…” Tears streamed down my cheeks. I reached for him, as if that’d really keep him from going anywhere.

He slid a dagger from beneath his tunic and slipped it into the belt of my gown. “Don’t be afraid to use this.”

“Please.”

“I love you, Salome.” He swatted Adaba’s flank, and the horse carried me into the woods.

As we rode away, I heard the distinct sound of heavy footsteps tromping through the brambles.

I jerked on Adaba’s reins. “Turn back. We can’t leave him.”

But the horse ignored my feeble attempts and galloped deeper into the forest. A sob raked through me as I realized that I might never see Gareth alive again.