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They were nearly to the lake that separated them from the Winter Palace before Sorin decided they would stop for the night. It had been weeks since the death of his father, and he felt as if they were not moving fast enough. But tension had been especially high today, and Shaye had spent the better part of the ride more reserved than before. They all needed to rest. The trip to see Atropani had shaken them all, and he had been full of concern for Shaye, until the moment on the road where her magic had brought the land back to life. It was as if a small seed of hope had been planted in her after that, and he did not want to push her too hard, afraid she would lose that seed.
His hope was that once she let her walls down, she would be able to tap into her magic more easily. They were only half a day's ride from the Winter Palace, and the closer they came, the worse the blight got. Fields turned brown and houses stood abandoned. Worst of all was the lingering sense of dread. He was not sure if that was from the blight itself or if he was just apprehensive about what was to come. Not to mention, he was not particularly looking forward to coming face to face with the other two Fates. If they looked anything like Atropani, he was without a doubt going to have nightmares.
At least he knew what they were to do now: find the Fates and ask them to take him to the place where his father had hidden Leto’s Stave. From there they would decide what came next. He knew it was a shit plan, but the most urgent matter was to find the relic and make sure it was still intact. Best case scenario, with Shaye so close to the magic of the Raven Wood, her powers would awaken enough for her to easily call on them.
He hoped instinct would kick in like it had earlier and she would know what she needed to do to repair the relic. Worst case, they could take it back to the Summer Palace and find a Sorcerer with more experience. At least then, it would be surrounded by the palace guard and his army, safe from the darkness Atropani feared so much. Time was of the essence here, they just had to get to the Stave.
They were settling in, roasting a thin rabbit Elijah had trapped earlier. Even the wildlife was withering away, thanks to the blight, unable to get food and nourishment from the dying land. They would have to think of something if they were going to stay fed up here. To come all this way just to starve would be rather embarrassing.
Shaye was practicing incantations from an old spell book Sorin had brought. He knew she was trying her best; they were simple spells, the kind they used to teach to children. This will work, it must. He had to keep reminding himself of that. Now that a piece of her magic had been stirred up inside of her, she seemed much more optimistic while practicing. At the very least, she was not cursing as much while she worked.
“How about a break?” He smiled down at her.
“What do you have in mind?” She looked relieved when he offered her his hand.
“Just an evening stroll with the most beautiful creature here.” He winked at her, as she put her arm through his.
“Ha, are you sure? Because Bron is awfully pretty.”
“That oaf doesn’t hold a candle to you, milady.” They ventured away from the camp and down to a small, steady stream. It was beautiful in the evening light, he wondered if the blight had yet touched it. It was difficult to see his land, the country he loved with all his heart, being torn from the inside out.
Shaye looked thoughtful and he wondered if she was thinking the same things as him. He knew she was not ready to admit it, but they were alike in a lot of ways, and in another life, they could have been close friends.
“What do you say we take our minds off of things... Try to have some fun?”
She eyed him suspiciously. “What sort of fun?”
“The youthful sort.” He began to unbutton his trousers.
“Sorin! I would advise you to put those back on immediately, before you catch more than a chill.” She jokingly shoved him.
“It’s an innocent swim, that’s all.” He removed his shirt and reveled in the cool breeze.
Shaye, to his surprise, took his lead, removing her boots. Moments later they stood, only in their undergarments, grinning ear to ear at one another. Shaye was the first to brave the water, Sorin following in a splash that took the breath from him. The water was much colder than he had expected.
They paddled further into the stream; it was shallow, as Sorin found when he dove down under the water. When he came back up for air, Shaye was close to him. He splashed at her, making her squeal.
Sorin floated onto his back, trying to appear casual. He laughed at a bit of seaweed on her face. She touched her hair self-consciously, “What is it?”
He laughed again as she struggled to find whatever it was that was so amusing. “Sorin, what is so funny?”
He paddled over to her, pulling the seaweed from her cheek, and wiping away the mud it had left behind with his thumb. She allowed his hand to linger there. He was trying to ignore the urge to kiss her. He wanted to know what it would be like, just for a moment, to be normal with her. To be a man and a woman who could enjoy time together, who could come to love one another.
Instead, he pulled his hand away and asked, “So tell me, Shaye Wistari, is there some tall, dark, and handsome man waiting for you back home? Or on that ship of yours, perhaps?”
She scoffed at the insinuation, “Please. If you smelled the men on that ship then you wouldn’t even be asking that question.”
He was comforted by her answer, though he knew he had no right to be.
“And you? King Sorin, I’m sure you have courtiers lining up by the dozens back in the Summer Palace. Just awaiting your heroic return home, ready to lift their skirts at your call.” She raised an eyebrow at him.
“If you talked to the girls at the Summer Palace, then you would not be asking me that question. A dull bunch, the lot of ‘em.” He watched for her reaction but saw none, to his disappointment. Sorin remained close to her. “As a matter of fact, I think the palace could use more women like you. Bold women who long for a better world, not a better dress.”
“I never did like being at court. Not that I spent much time there, but I found it to be stuffy and the people to be pompous. Like everyone was constantly putting on some grand show. It always looked exhausting to me. I did everything I could to avoid being there. My friend and I would spend hours outside of the palace walls, going on epic quests that he had planned for us.” She twirled a leaf that had fallen into the water, watching it spin around in the steady stream. Sorin couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“Who would have guessed you’d really go on those great quests. First in the East, and now here.” He floated on his back once more, looking up at the sky through the bare branches.
“Yes, who knew.”
After they tired from their swim, they returned to shore, shivering as they put their clothes back on. The sky had grown darker, though there was enough light for them to find their way back to camp. Shaye was teasing him some more about his life at court when they approached the clearing.
He could sense that something was wrong as the hair on his arms stood on end. It was too quiet. He went on high alert, especially once he noticed the birds in the trees had gone silent. Years of hunting told him that silence like this signaled an approaching predator.
Before he could share his concern with the others, a hiss cut in from behind a tree up ahead. Elijah was standing guard, but did not see the creature until it was too late. He was slammed into a tree, crumpling to the ground with a troubling thud. The men barely had time to react before the monster was on them. Sorin and Anik unsheathed their swords, while Bron stepped in between Shaye and the horrifying creature. Sorin gave him a nod; no matter what, Bron was to keep Shaye safe.
Elijah still wasn’t moving, and panic flooded Sorin’s senses as he took in the terrifying snake-like creature standing before them. Black scales made up the long, serpentine body; but most horrifying was the human face it had: it was a Naga. The horses danced around, ready to bolt from where they were tied.
“Long way from home, King Sssorin.” It taunted him with a voice that did not sound quite human. Sorin froze. “That’sss right, youngling, I know who you are. And I know what you have come for.” The Naga sneered at him.
“Well in that case, if you wouldn’t mind pointing us in the right direction, we’ll be on our way.” Sorin stepped to the side, drawing the creature away from Bron and Shaye. If he could get it to turn its back to them, then Bron would have an opening to run it through with his sword. The Orc had been full of brute strength; but if the books were correct, then the challenge here would be the Naga’s speed.
“It iss not yoursss to take. You would usse it for your own gain. Humansss. You are all alike.” The Naga snapped its venomous, inhuman teeth in warning. It was startling to see something so grotesque with such a human likeness.
“I don’t want to fight you or any other creatures from the Raven Wood. But I will protect the people who cannot protect themselves. If I must fight you to do so, then I will.” Sorin wielded his sword, ready to defend himself and the others.
The Naga sniffed the air, turning its snake-like eyes to Shaye. “Interessting. I haven’t sseen your kind in more than a decade.” Sorin felt fury surge through him as Shaye stiffened under the Naga’s attention.
“She is of no concern to you.” Sorin needed the beast to focus on him.
“She iss a traitor if she iss here helping you. There are ssome who would pay a fine sssum for her. Perhapss a trade iss in order. The Druid in exchange for what you sseek.” The Naga was bobbing side to side, and Sorin feared the agility it likely possessed.
“Out of the question.” Sorin was surprised by the Naga’s offer. It occurred to him that the Naga’s interest in her was perhaps a sign that they had been on the right track by bringing her with them. If she was powerful enough to warrant such a bounty, then she must be a threat to whatever darkness was causing the blight.
With the Naga’s attention on Sorin again, Bron took his opening and lunged for the creature, just missing its scaled body as it slithered out of the way. They were going to have to be smart about this if they were going to make it out of here in one piece.
The Naga snapped around, as quick as a rattlesnake, tearing through Bron’s gauntlet with its razor-sharp teeth. Blood began to seep through, and Sorin desperately tried to remember if the Naga’s bite was venomous. He wished he had paid closer attention to the books he had read on them.
Bron let out a thunderous cry, swinging the massive sword toward the Naga. Sorin could not understand why it wasn’t backing down. Naga were territorial, and right now it was nowhere near its nest in the Raven Wood. If it was protecting the relic, then they must be headed in the right direction; or, they were, at the very least, on the right track to finding it.
Before it could attack again, Sorin and Anik lunged. Just as Sorin swung his sword to make contact, the Naga was snatched up. Sorin stumbled as his sword hit the air. It screeched as it was pulled out of sight and into the trees. Sorin heard a loud crash in the distant forest, then silence followed as the men looked around, on guard for another attack.
Sorin looked around wildly for Shaye, finding that she was no longer where Bron had left her. She was beside Elijah, who was standing on unsteady feet untying the horses, and doing their best to calm them. Everyone was silent as they waited for the Naga to strike again.
Instead of a hiss from the snake-like monster, a giggle came from the tree. “Do you see the looks on their faces? I will admit that was quite enjoyable. Naga can be such bullies.”
The men stepped back; Elijah was leaning on Shaye while Bron removed the gauntlet from his arm to inspect the damage. In front of them, a petite creature jumped down from the tree, barely making a sound as her small bare feet hit the dirt. She was like something from the ancient stories of Forest Dwellers that his grandmother had told him. Her skin was a soft shade of green, with eyes the color of moss and she stood no taller than Shaye’s shoulder. Her hair was entangled with vines, making it difficult to distinguish where her hair ended and the vines began. Sorin had never seen anything, or anyone, like her. Then again, today seemed to be a day of firsts. He had never tangled with a Naga either.
“Who are you talking to?” He looked around for whoever she had been speaking to in the trees. She was a curious creature, staring at them with her head tilted to the side as if they were the magical Forest Dweller who had just appeared from the treetops.
“The trees, silly. They were happy to help you with your little pest problem. Naga talk a lot but they don’t usually bother anyone unless provoked.” The small girl paused and gave a little frown, “Did you?”
“Provoke it? No, we... we’re just here to get something that belonged to my father.” Sorin thought she looked relatively harmless, but after the week he’d had, he did not want to take any chances.
“We know all about that, don’t we?” Again, she was speaking as if someone was standing beside her. Sorin noticed that a swarm of moths were fluttering around her. He wondered if she was talking to them or to herself.
It was getting darker, and they were wasting time they could not afford. He felt a sense of urgency now that word had spread about their presence, and he worried that they would have more company soon. With two of his men injured, he needed to find them cover, and fast.
“We appreciate your... and the tree’s, help, but we really have to be going.” He grabbed Shaye by the elbow and backed them away from the Forest Dweller slowly. He realized with a start that it was true the Raven Wood’s magical creatures were venturing away from their homes and heading further south. The fact that she or the Naga had been able to cross the threshold at the forest’s edge confirmed what they had suspected. The Stave was no longer working. This was bad.
“But your friend is hurt. I can help with that. I am quite gifted with healing. I am well known for it within my clan. May I?” Before any of them could answer her, she steered Bron to a nearby tree stump. He looked at her in protest, but she was insistent.
Shaye leaned into Sorin; she and Elijah had untied the horses and she handed him a set of reins. “Maybe we should give her a chance. He can’t travel like this. Especially if more creatures come. We need him ready to fight.” Shaye was surprisingly calm and collected after what had just happened.
“You’re right.” He turned to the dweller, who was poking and prodding at Bron’s armor in fascination. To her he said, “You can help; but could I ask one more thing of you...?”
“Mavka! I am Mavka of the highland clan.” Something made her giggle as she pulled a muddy-looking salve out of the pack slung around her back. Sorin vaguely remembered the books he had read on the Raven Wood’s clans. They were made up of seven groups of Forest Dwellers. The Dwellers were an ancient people who kept to the trees. They relied heavily on nature and secrecy, secluding themselves from the rest of society.
Mavka held Bron’s strong arm in her dainty hands. “It’s a good thing I’m here; those Naga bites can lead to nasty infections.” She got to work on him, applying the stinking paste to his wound and wrapping it in leaves. Bron wrinkled his nose in disgust, but did as she directed him.
Sorin continued, trying to capture her attention again, “Mavka, how do the creatures know about us and why we’re here?”
“The trees have been talking.” She giggled again, and the moths danced wildly around her. “They say you’ve come to set things right. They say it is a debt you owe to the land. My father has been frantically awaiting your arrival.” She finished with Bron, releasing him. Then she stood, and twirled around, dancing to the rhythm of the moths around her. She motioned for Elijah to sit next, eyeing him for visible injuries from the hit he took.
“Mavka...” Sorin cleared his throat, stepping carefully towards her like she was a doe in the wood that would be spooked off at any moment. “Do you know where the relic is?”
She stopped, suddenly growing serious. The giggling ceased and the moths around her seemed to retreat to the shadows. “First you must answer us, young King. Are you here to settle your debts?” She was smiling, but there was a venom behind those words.
“I am here to stop this blight that is affecting the crops. It is my duty to the people of Asterion.”
Anger flashed across Mavka’s delicate, pointed face. He had said the wrong thing.
“And what of us? The magical creatures here in the North that your father has kept isolated and alone. To be subjected to Nefari rule.”
Nefari? That word was familiar to Sorin. He knew it from the history books. The Nefari were an ancient group of rogue Magi who had been so hungry for power that they had tapped into dark magic. Sacrifices and bloodlettings were their power source. But they had been gone for almost a decade... Sorin had not even considered the possibility of rogue Magi being responsible for what was happening in the North. Things had been quiet for so long; his father had gotten too comfortable. It had been careless of him to not keep patrols on the border.
The Nefari could be the reason the Stave was not working anymore. They could be the darkness that Atropani warned them about. That would also explain the blight and the fog on the sea; something like these required powerful magic and malice. If he was right, then they did not stand a chance. Even with Shaye tapping into her powers, there was no way she would be able to defend them against an organized and experienced group of dark Magi.
Mavka flinched, her eyes were suddenly wild with fear. In a hushed tone she said, “Run.”
Sorin felt it before he saw it; it was like living dread. Looking behind them, he saw a dark fog creeping across the foliage, slow but sure in its intent. It was headed for the clearing where they stood defenseless. The horses had sensed it first; Finn nudged Shaye, nearly knocking her off her feet. Sorin steadied her and watched as the horses took off without them. They ran in the direction that Mavka had gone. Finn reared up, pulling from Shaye’s grasp to join the other horses. On instinct, Sorin grabbed onto Shaye’s hand. Her fingers gripped him, familiar under his own calloused ones. And they ran.
They followed Mavka through the tree lines, and Sorin realized they were on the outskirts of Lake Brenmar. He caught glimpses of the sparkling water through the trees. Shaye was panting behind him, and every so often she would stumble. He held tight to her, refusing to let the fog catch up to them. Bron and Anik were to the right of him, but Elijah was struggling to keep up. His wounds from the Naga must have been worse than they had thought. Sorin cursed the horses for bolting.
Bron must have realized it at the same time; he fell back, intent on reaching Elijah before the fog. Elijah fell, a sickening crunch coming from his ankle. Before Bron could reach him, the black mist engulfed him completely. Almost as if devouring him. There was a scream and then silence. Elijah was gone.
“Bron, we can’t outrun it! We need cover.” As desperately as he wanted to go back for his friend, they had to keep pushing forward if they wanted to stay alive.
Mavka yelled from ahead, “There is only one place that can offer that! It’s just ahead!” He could have sworn she was slowing her pace so they would not lose sight of her and where she was going. He was grateful for it. The moon’s light was shining bright, but it was still difficult to navigate the uneven ground beneath their feet.
Sorin saw the cover she meant. The Winter Palace. He hadn’t realized they had been so close to it, but there it was. Its grand, white, stone walls loomed over the lake, shining like a beacon for them in the night.
“It’s too far!” Shaye shouted from beside him. Her face was flushed, and he was surprised to see more anger than fear there. Before he could respond, she pulled her hand away from his. He scrambled to grab her, but it was too late.
Shaye faced the fog. It moved as if it were a living creature, and Sorin saw it hesitate at her presence. In fact, it coiled away from her. A hideous scream sounded from inside of it, an inhuman sound that would haunt his dreams for years to come.
The way the fog stopped before her, it was as if it was willing to obey her. His mind had to be playing tricks, but he swore it was acting as if it recognized her.
Shaye stood firmly in place. “I am done running. Do you hear me? I am done.” The ground beneath their feet shuddered in response to her proclamation. The earth heeded her call, trembling in defiance of the fog that was not welcome there. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the black fog vanished, leaving no trace of its existence. Only the sound of Sorin’s heartbeat thudding in his ears remained, along with the darkness of night.
Shaye turned toward them; tears were streaming down her face, but the defiant look in her eyes still lingered. He was not sure how, but she had just reclaimed her power.