“Are you sure we should enter?” Heidel asked as we stood on a hill overlooking the unicorns’ forest. Fan’twar and two other dragons waited behind Kull, Heidel, and me. It had taken us half a day to fly to the unicorns’ forest. During the flight, I’d nodded off a few times. But now, standing on the edge of the forest—with the vision of a decomposing hand fresh in my mind—adrenaline made my heart race.
“You must enter,” Fan’twar said behind us. “We must know the fate of the unicorns.”
The trees swayed slightly, causing their limbs to creak.
Kull crossed his arms. “I am still unsure as to how this will help us find the fairies’ stone.”
“We know that the fairies’ stone has been stolen,” Fan’twar replied, “and it is likely that the unicorns’ stone has also been stolen.”
“If we find out who took the unicorns’ stone,” I said, “we may find our thief.”
Kull eyed the forest, his expression dark and brooding. “I do not like this place. It feels wrong.”
“I agree,” Fan’twar answered. “The forest is not usually a foreboding place, but now, I suspect that with the stone’s power unable to absorb the negative energy, it is becoming a place of darkness.”
As if to emphasize his point, the tree limbs creaked in a stiff breeze. Something else moved, rustling the leaves nearby, though I couldn’t tell what had caused the noise.
“How do we find the stone’s location—assuming it’s still there?” I asked.
Fan’twar waved his claw, and green mist gathered over his open palm. A scroll formed, and he gave it to me.
“A map?” I asked.
“Yes.”
I quickly gave the rolled parchment to Kull. “Here,” I told him. “I’m lousy with directions.”
A hint of a smile crossed his face but quickly disappeared.
I turned back to my stepfather. “Isn’t there any way you could come with us? It would be easier than trying to find our way with a map.”
“I cannot. I must give heed to the unicorns’ wishes, for that is how I maintain peace on Faythander—through respect. This is a quest you must accomplish without me. Search out the stone. If it is gone, which I suspect it is, then search for any clues as to its whereabouts. Return quickly, for this path you take is one of grave danger. When you have learned the truth of what has happened, meet us here and we shall return you to the dragons’ caves. And…” Fan’twar exhaled a great sigh, causing steam to rise from his nostrils. “Take care, young one,” he said quietly. “You must not linger too long in this forest.”
“I understand.”
He nodded. The dragons backed away, then took flight. I watched as they disappeared, anxiety making my stomach churn. Fan’twar’s golden scales reflected a stray sunbeam as it pierced through the low-lying clouds, and then his form faded as he flew away from the forest.
The broad expanse of woods spread below us, an impenetrable fortress of leaves and limbs. It was impossible to tell what lay inside.
Heidel gathered her cloak, her face growing pale. “Do you think the rumors are true?” she asked.
“Rumors?” I asked.
“Yes. Now that we’re here, I am reminded of the stories I heard when I was younger.”
“I am not familiar with those stories,” Kull said.
“No, you wouldn’t have known of them,” Heidel answered. “They weren’t told by the Wults, but by the goblins.”
A stiff breeze pulled at the dark strands of her hair as her voice drifted back to another time. “It was said that a witch lived in this forest—one who had hidden here in order to evade the burnings during the elven inquisitions. She was said to drain the blood of anyone who crossed her path.”
The swaying trees stirred in the valley below us, creaking as the branches caught the wind.
“Couldn’t you have warned us of this sooner?” Kull asked.
Heidel shrugged. “It was merely a goblin superstition.”
“But what do you think?” I asked. “Do you believe a witch hides in these woods?”
She shrugged. “I suppose we’ll find out.”
Without another word, she made her way down the hill, and we followed, approaching the edge of the tree line. As we stepped into the woods, the shadows blocked out the sunlight, making the air grow chilly. I pulled my cloak tighter as goose bumps formed on my skin.
Our booted footsteps were muffled by the damp leaves covering the ground. Old, thick trees, their trunks covered in carpet-like moss, grew along our path. Their gnarled trunks and crooked branches seemed to grow at unnatural angles, some branches sweeping the ground and growing in a dense jumble that made one tree indistinguishable from the next. Even the rocks and tree stumps were covered in the same verdant moss.
Kull inspected the map as we walked. When we stopped for a brief break, he opened the map for us to see.
“There should be a trail not far from here that will lead us to an elder tree grove, which should provide good shelter. I believe we should do our best to make it to the grove before nightfall. From there, we will follow a river. It looks as if the river breaks off, and so we will have to follow one of these streams.” He ran his finger over the parchment, then looked up. “The map does not give the exact location of the stone. How are we to find it?”
“That’s probably because the location is hidden,” I answered. “However, I saw the place in a vision in Fan’twar’s chambers. The stone had been floating over a small pool of water. Is there anything like that on the map?”
He studied the map, then shook his head. “I see nothing.”
“Then we have no choice but to follow the map,” Heidel said, “and hope that we come across it.”
Kull sighed. “This forest is exceedingly large. We may be wandering for quite some time.”
“My magic can help,” I said. “I’m sure I can come up with some sort of spell that will draw us to the right place.”
“Very well,” Kull said, “but I think it unwise to travel this forest in the darkness. We are not sure what lurks here. Making it to the elder grove should be our first priority.”
He rolled up the map, and we continued walking. Soon, we found a narrow, winding trail that snaked through the trees. Patches of sunlight filtered through the branches and painted glowing splotches on the forest floor. The air was still, without the slightest hint of a breeze. A rich, earthy scent filled the woods. On occasion, something would move in the trees, although I never saw what caused the noises.
As noon approached, we found a small clearing with a few felled logs, then got ready to eat our lunch. The Wults had come prepared, with dried meat, nuts, and salted maepepper leaves rolled and filled with something that tasted similar to corn mash.
“I’ve never tasted anything like this,” I said as I tried the leaves.
“My sister Eugrid makes them,” Kull said. “When she’s feeling up to it, she prepares hundreds before we go off to battles or on expeditions. She means to keep us fat even while we travel.”
“They’re very good.”
“If you say so,” Heidel answered. “But you’ve not eaten as many as we have. After time, they lose their appeal.”
“Don’t tell my sister,” Kull said, “but there have been times when the bog-beasts have been unusually well fed.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Is that so?”
“It is.”
Our eyes locked, making my heart give a small flutter, and I couldn’t seem to pull away from his gaze. Old memories surfaced, images of times I’d hoped to forget. I heard his voice in my mind—something he’d said to me once, a long time ago.
We are not meant to be apart, Olive. I will always find you. No matter how far we become separated, I will always return for you.
The food lost its appeal as I forced myself to chew and swallow the bite. Kull turned away to scan the edge of the clearing, his crystal eyes seeming intent as he searched for potential threats.
His words kept replaying in my head, and I knew I needed to get away from him as soon as possible.
I stood abruptly, leaving my half-eaten meal behind. Neither Wult spoke as I walked out of the clearing and made my way through the forest, stopping near a huge felled tree. Feeling a sudden chill in the air, I crossed my arms, trying my best to clear my head as I stared at the fallen tree. A poisonous vine crisscrossed its crumbling exterior, but in a few areas, the bark had fallen away, revealing a pristine white log beneath—an uncanny reminder of the feelings I still had for him. Not gone, but hidden away.
I cursed myself for making this expedition with Kull. I should have refused to come. It was too soon, and some memories were too hard to forget—old scars that had been reopened. Perhaps it was true that time healed all wounds, but I would never find closure as long as I stayed near him.
Tears tried to push free, but I clenched my fists and forced them back. Focusing on things I could never have would only bring heartache, so I closed my eyes and envisioned our mission instead. Find where the starstone had been located. Find the one responsible for taking it. I took solace in knowing that once the quest was over, I would never have to see him again.
By the time I finally made it back to the Wults, they’d already packed up the food and wore their packs. Heidel handed my pack to me, and I took it from her.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, not meeting Kull’s eyes. “I wasn’t feeling well. Should we continue?”
“If you’re not feeling well,” Heidel said, “then there’s no need to continue. We can wait.”
“No, I’m all right. A bit of a headache, but I’m better.”
“You’re sure?” Heidel asked.
“Yes.”
She turned to Kull. “Very well. Brother, lead the way.”
Without speaking, he turned, and we followed him back to the trail.
The midday sun began its descent toward the horizon as the path took us deeper into the forest. As the sunlight began to fade, the forest grew quieter. The sounds of birdsong and scampering animals became less frequent, while the shadows grew darker under the tree canopy.
Kull pulled his knife free, and Heidel did the same.
“You know,” Heidel said, “if this is the unicorns’ forest, why have we not seen a single unicorn?”
“They may not look like what we expect,” I answered. “If their stone is missing, it is said they will turn into dark creatures.”
Kull eyed me. “What do these dark creatures look like?”
“I have no idea, although I’m afraid you may have already encountered one.”
“You speak of the creature that attacked me in Earth Kingdom?”
“Yes. I don’t know for sure, but Fan’twar said the hair you found came from a unicorn.”
“The creature that attacked me was no unicorn.”
Heidel gripped her knife tighter. “But could it have been a unicorn transformed?”
“It’s a possibility. If that’s so, then the same creatures would be here in this forest, wouldn’t they?”
“Yes. If the stone is in fact missing, and if they have been transformed, then the same type of creature that attacked you would be here now.”
“I don’t like this,” Heidel said. “It nearly killed my brother. What would these creatures do to us?”
“I don’t think we should worry too much. Kull was alone. He would have been an easy target. With the three of us together, we should be safe enough.”
“I disagree,” Kull said. “You weren’t there when the creature attacked me. It did so with calculated intelligence and waited until I was distracted. It attacked my life’s vein, then retreated. It meant to kill me.”
Waning sunlight dappled the ground in patches of dark gold. Evening would arrive soon. I wanted to argue with Kull but found I had no proof that what he said was false. No matter how we looked at it, we were in grave danger in this forest.
“Look over there,” Kull said, pointing to a grove of silver trees up ahead. “I think we’ve found the elder tree grove.”
We stepped into the dale, where squat trees grew in an area cleared of bushes and briars. Deep plum-colored leaves covered the ground and muffled the sound of our footsteps. Some of the trees had large openings cut into their bark, exposing the hollow center, and others were too small, only large enough for one person to crouch inside. We approached a tree not much taller than the others, but its base was wide enough to fit a small car inside. Glossy purple leaves grew from its branches, fluttering gently in the breeze. Unlike the other trees, its trunk remained intact.
“It’s big enough,” I said, “but how will we cut through the bark? There were a few elder trees growing in the dragons’ forest, and once, I spent an entire summer trying to break through the bark. I failed miserably. Of course, that may have been because I was using a kitchen knife.”
Kull pulled his sword free. Bloodbane gleamed in the light cast by the setting sun. He whipped the sword through the air so fast it made it made a swish, and then he cut a precise gash through the tree bark, from the top of the hollow area straight to the ground. Cutting the rest of the bark away took him only a few minutes, and soon we stood before an open, domed tree.
“Well,” I said, “that’s certainly more efficient than using a kitchen knife.”
Kull gave me a slight grin—the one that long ago would have made me weak in the knees. Now it shouldn’t have affected me, but it did. My pulse quickened, and I swallowed and looked away, not wanting to meet his gaze.
“We should find something to cover the opening,” I said, trying to keep my mind distracted.
“I agree,” Heidel said. “There were some vines I spotted that we could use, and we can gather leaves and bits of broken bark.”
“We’ll also need a fire,” Kull said. “There’s a chill in the air already. Tonight will only grow colder.”
“But won’t a fire draw the creatures to us?” I asked.
“I don’t believe so. If anything, I’m hopeful it will keep them away.”
We started the process of gathering leaves and vines while Kull collected wood for the fire. I enjoyed the work as it helped keep my mind off other things. The unicorns’ forest wasn’t as grandiose as the dragons’ forest, but its rich, dark colors and abundance of foliage and greenery held a simple beauty of its own. However, there was also an emptiness to it, a void that called to my magical senses—something unnatural and disturbing. I assumed it was because the starstone was missing, but was there something more at play that we didn’t yet understand? Was the story of the witch just a tale born of fear? Or was there some truth to it?
I recalled the vision I’d seen in Fan’twar’s caves, of the hand encircling the unicorns’ gemstone. What sort of creature did the hand belong to? Was it a unicorn transformed? If so, how did the creature transform before the stone was taken?
Those were questions I hoped to answer soon, but for now, I focused on the task at hand.
Heidel walked toward me holding a makeshift door. She’d created an arched wooden structure out of willow-type branches. The latticework was half-filled with wide purple leaves.
“That’s impressive,” I said. “You must have experience making things like this.”
“All Wults are instructed in survival.”
I showed her the pile of twigs and leaves I’d collected. “Will any of these be of use?”
“Yes,” she answered, “this should be enough to finish.” She gathered my pile and began threading the larger leaves through the woven sticks.
“May I help?” I asked.
“No need,” she answered. “This is easier to do with one person.”
I scanned the woods, trying to find something to keep me occupied. Kull knelt near the elder tree where he’d cleared the ground of leaves as he prepared to make a fire. With nothing better to do, I sat on a log and watched as he arranged the sticks in a teepee formation. The larger logs he’d stacked to the side, and I decided to arrange them in size. As I picked up a smaller stick, Kull eyed me.
“What are you doing?”
“Ordering them by size.”
“There is no need for that.”
“There isn’t?”
“No, I’ve already organized them how I want them.”
“Oh.” I returned the stick to the pile and resumed my seat on the downed tree.
After placing the kindling, Kull pulled two flint rocks from his pack and struck them together. After several attempts, sparks formed but failed to ignite the kindling. Owing to the humidity in the forest, getting a spark to ignite the damp wood would be a tedious process.
“I can use my magic to start the fire,” I offered.
“There’s no need.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, I am sure,” he said, angrily striking the stones together. “I have started fires hundreds of times before, and when I am able to concentrate, I will start this one as well. If you’ve nothing better to do, you might as well go refill our water flasks.”
I raised an eyebrow. “If I’ve nothing better to do?”
“We need water for our evening meal. This task should be intuitive. Plus, putting water into empty skins is one chore you could do without being instructed, correct?”
My anger surfaced. “Excuse me? I am not one of your subjects to be commanded.”
“No, you are not. I should not have to command you at all. I’m merely confused as to why you are not already at the river refilling our water skins.”
“Have you considered asking before jumping down my throat? And you might want to consider saying please.”
“If it will get you away from my fire, then fine. Please. Will that do?”
I balled my fists. I didn’t realize how much anger I harbored toward him until that moment. Magic pulsed hot and strong through my body. It started in my chest and then pooled into my clenched hands. Bright streamers of light flowed around my arms, sticking to my skin like tendrils of spiderweb.
As much as I wanted to see him writhe in pain and agony and suffer a horrible death, I stopped myself. Opening my hands, I pulled the magic back inside myself, back to that knot in my chest where I locked my emotions.
Snatching the water skins off the ground, I turned away from Kull without saying another word. As much as I wanted to hurt him—and I really, really wanted to hurt him—that amount of energy, coupled with my emotions, would kill him. In three seconds.
Flat.