Noc
After shadow traveling through the Kitska Forest, Gaige and I came to a halt in a small, secluded clearing. What had felt like merely a few minutes to us would’ve taken hours on foot, and I glanced around to get a grip on my bearings. Though try as I might, it was damn near impossible. There was nothing but dying grass beneath our feet and the same scene of gloomy, gnarled trees no matter where I looked.
“What are we doing here?” Slipping my hands into the pockets of my trousers, I glanced at Gaige. “We need to be getting back. Kost and Leena might already be waiting for us.”
“This will only take a moment.” He took a few steps into the clearing until he was at its epicenter. “After my…tiff with Kost, I went for a walk in the woods. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts I hadn’t realized how much time had passed—or how far I’d traveled.” He gestured wide to the forest and sent a river of shadows outward. They slunk across the floor and disappeared into the haunted wood.
A hair-raising howl sounded from the surrounding forest, and the trees began to tremble. The pinesco pods dangling from their limbs jittered in a frenzy, their strange pattern like wild eyes darting left and right. More terrifying calls joined the first until there was a cacophony of screeching, unsettling cries all vying for attention.
“What did you do?” My gaze roved along the edge of the clearing. I doubted monsters could hurt us in this form, but I wasn’t keen to test the theory. No one had been brazen enough to willingly put themselves in striking distance of a Kitska creature before.
“I’d like you to meet Boo.” Cupping his hands before him, he summoned a swirling shadow in his palms. With a quiet whisper directed solely at the thin tendril, he said, “Bring him to me.”
The shadow soared through the air like a bolt of lightning, cutting through the woods until it disappeared from view. Not a moment later, a loud roar shook the trees.
A dominating creature rushed into the clearing, knocking aside errant branches and vines to come to a lumbering halt before Gaige. Glowing red eyes glowered at us through his bone helm, and a fine mist curled outward from his open maw.
My throat dried. “The Gigloam.” Spittle dripped from the beast’s fangs as he let out a threatening growl, and I took an involuntary step back. “Is this the same one as before?”
“Yes. The one Yazmin provoked the day I died.” Curling his fingers, Gaige beckoned to the beast. “Come on. It’s all right.” Inching his muzzle toward Gaige, the beast inhaled deeply. He let out a disappointed chuff before suddenly poking him with one of his massive, stag-like antlers. My breath froze. But Gaige’s form merely wavered and re-formed once the antler was removed.
“None of that.” Gaige gave Boo a stern look. “It’s me, I promise.”
At that, the beast fell onto his haunches and let out a groan.
It took me a moment to find my words. “You charmed him? But how? I thought Charmers couldn’t tame Kitska monsters.”
Gaige shook his head. “I wouldn’t say ‘charmed.’ These beasts are different. I have earned his trust, though.” He gave Boo a pat on the nose, though his hand fell clean through the creature’s snout. Gaige frowned, but shook it off. “He didn’t take to me at first. Gave me his fair share of wounds. Fortunately, I heal pretty quickly, thanks to you.”
With an incredulous look, I stepped closer. “Are there others?”
“Oh, yes.” Gaige turned and gave a flippant wave to the trees. Outlined figures of foreign beasts appeared, but none were brave enough to enter the clearing with Boo. “Some are more trusting than others. You see, my whole predicament—me being undead—got me thinking. It’s basically the same for these beasts, right?
“They died during the First War, and they were cursed for some reason to live again in this wood rather than return to the earth. My theory is that Zane didn’t know the extent of his power when he founded Cruor, and his presence here caused the beasts to rise again.” He strolled toward the forest line, and a few beasts dared to extend their snouts and sniff at his shadows. He paused before each one and offered them a soft word before moving to the next. “That same power resides in me now, too. It corrupted my Charmer’s lure. Because when I tried calling to them, all that happened was this.”
Shadows swirled around him in a turbulent vortex and then shot outward like they had when we’d first come to the clearing. As they snaked through the surrounding woods, a cacophony of bestial calls rose above the treetops.
“They’re drawn to me because we’re the same. My shadows are my lure now.”
“That’s incredible.” I held the back of my hand outward to Boo, and he gave it a good sniff. He let out a disinterested huff before sinking to the ground and closing his eyes.
Gaige came back around to us. “It took time, and I couldn’t just leave them without seeing it through. They’ve been on edge for centuries, Noc. Can you imagine?” His pleading eyes found mine. My face fell. For these beasts, living in the Kitska Forest without any purpose or direction or love had to feel like being consumed by the shadow realm—lost without any way to get back to the life they once knew.
“So they’ll find peace now?” I crouched before the bear beast, all at once wishing I could solidify my hand and run my fingers through his fur. When was the last time he’d been stroked? Loved? My heart twisted. I’d once locked myself away in a prison of my own making, away from human contact and emotions, just to protect those around me. These creatures had been suffering a fate far worse than that—and for longer.
“I don’t know.” He clasped his hands together. “At least I can give them something to hold onto. And the Kitska Forest is vast—there are many more out there still roaming.” Sighing, he tipped his head to the sky. “The good news is, I think they’d be willing to help us fight in this war. They gave their lives for their masters, only to be cursed to this wood. I’d say they’d love to see balance restored to our world.”
Standing, I tilted my chin in his direction. Gaige had never given up on our mission, not even in death. Even when he was struggling to come to grips with his new reality, he found a way to hold on. To find purpose in these beasts and keep moving forward. And now, we had an army of Rhynelanders with a mage as their captain, a band of assassins, a troop of Lendrian soldiers headed by a powerful Sentinel, the Charmers of Hireath, and the beasts of Kitska Forest on our side. We were an army of scattered peoples and creatures, but together we would present a force strong enough to take down a kingdom.
The hope I’d been feeling earlier at the sight of Madeline and her men grew, and I let a slow smile claim my lips. “Gaige, we just might have a chance at this.”
He grinned. “I know. Now all we need is for Leena and Kost to return.” His smile faltered as his words registered. Kost. Leena. Their names tempered our excitement, and my shoulders tensed. We still didn’t know if they were okay.
“Let’s go.” Turning on my heels, I waved at him over my shoulder. He was right—we needed Leena and Kost. And as much hope as had built in the past few hours, I knew that if anything had happened to them, everything I felt right now in this moment would die. I needed them in my life like these Kitska beasts needed Gaige. They were everything to me, the reason I pushed forward, the reason I tried to be something better than I was.
Allowing the shadows to devour me whole, I sped through our world and rushed back to Hireath where my body was waiting. Gaige appeared in Leena’s quarters only a minute after me, and together we reentered our bodies. The feeling of silk sheets beneath my fingertips hit first, followed by the soft down of the pillow against my head. Once all my senses returned, I swung my feet over the side of the bed and stood up.
Gaige sat up on the couch and tenderly rubbed one of his temples. “Why does my body feel so…strange? Heavy?”
“You’ll get used to it. After a few more successful projections, you won’t even notice the difference when your consciousness returns to your physical being.” Extending my hand, I helped him up off the couch. He wobbled for a moment, then straightened.
“Now what?”
“Let’s see if Leena and Kost have returned. Then, we’ll check on our forces and make sure they’ve begun preparations to march.” I let go of his hand and crossed the room, pushing open the double doors into the keep’s hallway. We descended to the ground floor side by side, our booted feet thudding against the stone floor in unison. Charmers rushed all around us, barely offering nods or hurried apologies if they bumped into one another—a good sign things were moving along as I’d instructed. When we exited the keep into the surrounding gardens, we stepped into a world of flurry.
Not only Charmers, but Rhynelanders and assassins rushed from one end of the clearing to the other, breaking down camp and barking orders at one another. A litany of beast realm doors groaning open and closed was the backdrop to it all. Beasts helped carry trunks and crates as Charmers joined in, organizing belongings under the watchful gazes of Kaori and Raven. They stood on the outskirts of it all and helped direct where they could, though Ozias and Calem had a good handle on our brethren and Isla’s forces were as orderly as Lendria’s Sentinels.
“There you are,” Raven said the moment we approached, a slight scowl on her face. “Skipping out on hard labor?”
“You caught me,” Gaige said. “Any news of Leena or Kost?”
Kaori trailed the mercury veins on her wrist. “No. Nothing yet.”
My stomach knotted several times over. They should’ve been back by now. While we hadn’t set an exact time frame, hours had passed since their departure. Every minute that dragged by was an opportunity for Varek or Yazmin to find them.
Assuming they’d even made it to Wilheim to begin with.
I winced, unwilling to consider that outcome. “They’ll be back.”
“Yes.” Gaige’s face was ashen. “They can handle themselves.”
Raven swallowed audibly. “Well, we’ll be ready to move when they return.”
“Good. Lendrian troops are waiting for us at Midnight Jester to join our cause, thanks to Kost.” Even saying his name brought about a wave of panic. Shifting from one foot to the other, I scoured the assassins in search of Calem and Ozias. Maybe they’d heard something.
“Oh?” Raven’s brows arched. “That’s wonderful.”
“Enough men to turn things in our favor?” Kaori asked. She glanced at the Charmers rushing around us. We’d been surprised by how many had come to our side and pledged to fight in the war. But there were still those who couldn’t take up arms or who simply didn’t have the beasts to do so.
“Certainly more than I expected, but only a small fraction of Varek’s army.” I rolled my neck from side to side, stretching the tight muscles coiled there. “Have either of you seen Calem or Ozias?”
“They’re with Isla, helping her soldiers pack,” Raven said.
“Got it. Thanks.” I was making a move toward my brethren when a sparking, white portal crackled to life before us. The air surged with energy, and the hairs along my arms stood on end. Two figures stepped out of the glowing abyss, followed by a Telesávra, and the portal immediately disappeared. Kost. Leena. My heart soared at the sight of them. Beside me, Gaige visibly sagged as anxiety fled his frame. He let out a huge breath, uttering a soft “thank the goddess,” and tipped his head skyward.
I rushed toward them, my hurried gait eating away at the distance between us in no time. “You’re okay. You’re both okay.”
A bit harried but otherwise unharmed, Leena took one look at me and flew into my open arms. “We’re fine.”
I held her tight for a moment and dipped my head to the crook of her shoulder. The faint aroma of lilac and vanilla teased my nose, soothing my frayed nerves. After a long, steadying breath, I craned my neck upward and spied Kost. Only when I yanked him into our hug did the last of my fear ebb away.
He broke away, a faint blush touching the tops of his ears. “Honestly, did you think we couldn’t handle this?”
“It was never a question of your skill.” Gaige approached slowly, as if fighting the urge to rush over like I had. “It was dangerous. We’re glad you’re alive.” Raven and Kaori nodded their agreement as they joined our side.
Kost shifted uncomfortably, but his gaze held none of the anger or frustration it had this morning. Instead, there was a rare softness to his expression as he regarded Gaige. “Yes. Well, we were successful.”
Leena nodded as she gripped my hands. “We found them.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“Can we have everyone gather in the throne room? All the Charmers deserve to know what we found.” Something dark clouded her eyes, and she flexed her hands.
“I’ll gather everyone immediately.” Kaori left without another word, snagging attendants as she went and urging everyone to head for the keep.
Leena watched her leave. “It worked, though. We can get to my parents, and Kost made it there with me.”
Kost righted his glasses before giving an affirmative nod. “It was a touch uncomfortable on my part, traveling through the beast realm door, but manageable.”
“A touch?” Gaige’s brow quirked upward.
“More than a touch,” Leena corrected. “But once I used my magic while we were traveling, it shielded us from some of the…discomfort. If I do that from the beginning next time, I think we’ll fare better.”
“I still can’t believe any of this was even possible.” Raven let out a low whistle. “What about Yazmin? Varek?”
Leena stiffened against me. “She was there, but we escaped before she could find us.” Slipping out of my embrace, she crouched before her Telesávra. He let out a happy croon and then rammed his head into her extended hand. “This little guy did wonderfully. I can’t thank you enough, Raven, for gifting him to me.”
“You’re welcome,” she said.
Leena lifted her chin and tracked the flurry of activity around us. “Did something happen?”
“In a sense. We’ve gained more troops. We need to leave right after you address everyone in order to meet up with them,” I said.
“More troops?” Kost asked.
I nodded, tilting my head his direction. “Thanks to you. A Sentinel has abandoned her post with Varek and brought her soldiers in search of the true heir to Wilheim. They’re waiting for us at Midnight Jester.”
“I’ll make it quick then.” Leena stood, sending her Telesávra home and pivoting toward the throne room. “Have the Rhynelanders and Cruor join, too.”
Gaige and Raven didn’t hesitate to follow the Crown’s orders, and they each took off—Gaige in the direction of the assassins, and Raven toward the captain of Rhyne’s tent.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Hazel eyes resolute, Leena gripped her bestiary. “I will be once we win this war.”
And with that, we set off toward the throne room so Leena could share the horrors of what she’d found in our country’s capital—and how we planned to stop them.