Chapter 15
Aknock came at her door the next evening.
Zara smiled softly at her when Anelize opened it to let her in, noticing that she was holding a bundle of clothes in her arms.
“I thought it a good idea to bring these to you. Where you’ll be going it won’t be exactly prudent to wear skirts that can easily be caught,” Zara said as she set the clothes down on the bed.
“Thank you,” Anelize murmured, walking to the bed to pick up a wool tunic and undershirt. She eyed the knitted scarf, black cloak, leather pants. All meant to ward off the cold. All entirely new to her.
“You’ll get used to the pants,” Zara said when she followed her gaze. “I find they are much more comfortable than heavy skirts.”
Anelize quickly changed out of her dress and donned the clothes she’d been given.
Finding that it would take some getting used to when the leggings became like a second skin around her legs and thighs.
The heat, however, was trapped within them almost instantly, and based on where they were headed tonight, she couldn’t say she hated it.
Zara stepped forward as she reached for the scarf and slid it over her shoulders, slowly wrapping it around her.
Anelize held perfectly still, somewhat taken aback by the kind gesture and the affection in the woman’s gaze as she regarded her.
Living with Magda had taken any sort of affection she might have felt before, now leaving her stunned as a result when the most fleeting touches of kindness were directed at her.
Zara’s voice was soft as she said, “I heard about what happened in the stables with Adan.”
Anelize blew out a breath. “It would seem everyone heard it. I don’t believe it would be wise if we continued.
Perhaps someone else should take up the responsibility of teaching me.
I’m quite certain Adan’s dislike is wholly justified.
I am practically useless when it comes down to what a nevit can do. ”
“None of that,” Zara said as she finished adjusting the scarf and settled it over her shoulder.
It was a soft dark red fabric, reminding her of the color of blood.
“Adan and Idris have a torrid past full of much loss. They each have their ways of coming to terms with what happened to them as young boys. Aeric as well. Idris is kind and loves to make light of situations, for it’s the only way he knows—I think it is because he’d rather do so than admit when he’s truly hurting.
Whereas Adan’s hurt is used as a shield, one that is ruthless and impenetrable.
He will never let anyone use it against him, nor should he. ”
Curiosity got the best of her as she followed Zara to the door, asking before she could think better of it, “And what of Aeric?”
Zara paused before glancing over her shoulder. “I don’t believe Aeric’s pain has come to an end. That may be the most difficult reality he has yet to accept.”
Before Anelize could ask what Zara meant, she opened the door and led her down the hall. The sound of voices speaking in hushed tones below reached her as they turned to make their way down the stairs.
Idris and Adan both stood leaning against the wooden pillars by the door, their arms crossed as they spoke to each other.
Henry had also decided to accompany them tonight, his worry palpable.
Aeric stood beside them, wearing dark leathers beneath his black cloak and a sword sheathed at his side.
They all wore weapons, she realized. If that wasn’t a bad omen for where they were about to venture to, she didn’t know what was.
When the men heard them descending the stairs, they all looked to her.
Idris blew out a whistle which made her falter a step, shooting him a confused glance. Adan pushed off the pillar with his usual scowl and looked away, as if the mere sight of her was fury inducing.
Aeric watched her closely, his eyes roving over her from head to toe. Not in a salacious manner as she’d seen many men do before, but in a look of appraisal. Admiration, maybe?
When she reached the last step, he asked, “Are you ready?”
Anelize nodded once. Still not quite sure herself but knowing that if this was the one way she would be able to reach a connection to her people, to understand where she had come from before, then it had to be done.
Aeric watched her for a long moment, as if trying to prove to himself that what she said was truth, before he nodded. “Good. Let’s go.”
The Forest of the Dead was a barren wasteland of shadows and snow.
The black oak trees surrounding them seemed to watch with silent eyes as Anelize and the others stepped past the tree line.
They all seemed to whisper amongst themselves, their branches encased in sheer crystals of ice crackling all around.
Thick roots protruded from beneath the earth and blankets of snow, making it easy to miss and trip over if she wasn’t careful.
Moonlight poured over them, painted them all in a hue of pale blue. Still, her vision was compromised in the darkness, making it difficult to see exactly where she was going. She told herself it was merely because of the late hour but...she knew better.
“Stay close to me.” The shadows of the jagged branches around them painted Aeric’s face as she looked to him. “Don’t need you getting lost here. The forest knows how to play its tricks.”
Pushing her pride away, she nodded. Not keen on losing her way here of all places.
None of them spoke, as if they were all afraid the forest would indeed hear them and decide to keep them in its dark labyrinth forever.
They slowly made their way down the barely visible path before them.
There were no footsteps to follow coming or going.
There was nothing at all that could indicate there had ever been a living soul residing within the forest.
They continued walking, until something pulled on her hair and she tensed.
Turning around, she found that a few strands had been caught by a low hanging branch.
Immediately sensing that she’d stopped walking, Aeric turned and noticed what had been the cause of bringing her to a halt.
He grinned as he stepped toward her, watching her struggle to untangle her hair from a thorned branch, muttering under her breath.
She glared at him. “What?”
“Nothing.” He chuckled as he reached for the branch and began pulling the strands away one by one, only tugging every now and then when a few grew stuck to the ice. “I merely find your battles quite amusing.”
“Amusing…” She scoffed as she watched him free her hair, running his fingers over the strands before dropping them.
He eyed the tresses before humming and tugging on the leather strap he’d been using to tie his hair back. Letting the black strands fall around his face.
“A problem.”
“What is?”
“When you have to fight for your life or run, it is important to limit the number of ways you can get caught. Greedy hands can easily see your hair and reach for it; take the advantage you’ve set out before them to go in for the kill.
” She frowned when he stepped forward and handed her the leather strap. “Here.”
“No one is going to grab my hair here.” She scoffed as she turned toward the group as the twins, and Henry continued pushing through the bramble and branches. The farther away they grew, the harder it was to see them.
When she made to follow, a gentle tug on her hair made her head fall back, a gasp leaving her lips. Forced to crane her neck up, she found herself staring up into amused eyes as Aeric stood over her. His fist loosely wrapped around her hair.
“No one?” he challenged.
She made to elbow him again only for his hand to catch her this time, pulling her until her back was flush with his chest. Aeric clicked his tongue before he drawled, “Behave.”
When she felt him suddenly sink his fingers into her hair, she tensed, and through gritted teeth, asked, “What are you doing?”
“Keeping a rather stubborn woman from getting herself killed.” He mused as she felt the familiar sense that he was sectioning her hair. He began weaving the strands over each other, creating a braid.
“You know how to braid hair?” Anelize asked.
Aeric was silent for a moment then he said, “My sister had long hair. My mother was quite insistent I learn how to do it whenever she was too busy working in the fields.”
She blinked.
Aeric had a sister, too.
Anelize was almost too afraid to ask what had happened to his family, when he said, “They lay here in this forest. As they all do. The only times I come here is when I need to feel…closer to them.”
“You said the last time you came here you were a boy.”
“Yes.” She felt him pull her now neatly done braid over her shoulder before he stepped in front of her and said, “I hardly think I am deserving of feeling anything at all after all I’ve done.”
“Aeric…”
“Let’s go. It isn’t far now,” he said, clearly done with this conversation. The shadows along his face having nothing to do with the moonlight pouring over the forest.
The longer they traveled, the more she felt her mind was playing tricks on her.
Shadows dancing in her vision creating figures that were not there, the trees appearing to shift at the mere sound of their presence as if they held a life of their own, the sound of twigs snapping.
Eventually, they encountered a fallen tree that was blocking the path.
The twins vaulted over it easily with Henry climbing up to turn and reach a hand down toward her.
She took it, feeling the warmth of his large hand sink into her as he helped her down.
As they walked side by side, he said, “If you do not wish to venture any farther, you can always change your mind, Anya.”
“You never talked about the Vedrans' village with me in detail before, neither did my father. Why?”