Chapter 22 The Woods Are Scary At Night
Chapter twenty-two
The Woods Are Scary At Night.
Percy Flores
When we reached the trails behind Witching Command, Ana stopped us.
“Do you think it’s wise for us to stick to the paths?” I asked.
“I don’t even know which way is east,” Ana told me.
“The sun rises in the east and sets in the west,” I told her and pointed us in the opposite direction of the setting sun.
“We should stay off the trails,” Ana said. “Someone is going to come looking for us, and if we’re on the trail, we’ll be easier to find.”
“We’re going to be okay,” I told her as we stepped off the trail and began walking into the trees. “Do you think the Royal forces will win?” I asked her.
“No,” Ana answered, “The New Foundation is prepared for this type of situation; there are a thousand armed and trained soldiers on base. They can’t be a large enough force to truly challenge The New Foundation, otherwise they never would have reached the base before they were prepared,” she explained, “It has to be a small group, well equipped but small.”
“Why do you think they’ve chosen to attack then?” I asked.
Ana shrugged. “Maybe just to show them they could. I don’t know,” she said, turning to me with concern. “You’re cold,” she stated.
It was only then that I noticed that I was. I had only worn my fleece and had taken it off to use for Kat.
“I’ll be okay,” I told her.
“Percy, don’t be stubborn,” she said as she took off her jacket and handed it to me.
“Now you’re going to be cold,” I complained. She was left in just her fleece. The jacket was lightweight and warm enough, but once the sun had set, the temperature would drop significantly, and we’d both be cold.
“We can huddle together, share our body heat, start a fire or something,” she said as she marched on into the forest.
“We can’t start a fire; that will show anyone searching for us where we are,” I said.
“Then, cuddling for our lives it is,” she replied with a laugh.
I smiled.
“Yeah, we should find somewhere to stop for the night. When the sun sets, we’ll risk losing our way and getting lost in the dark if we keep walking,” I said.
“But we still need to be far enough into this forest that we’re not found. They’re going to notice we’re missing soon. I can’t hear any fighting anymore, can you?” she asked.
It was only then that I realised that it had fallen silent.
“No,” I said.
“Let’s get moving before it’s completely dark,” she encouraged. “If we’re doing this, I’m not allowing myself to get found out here with you,” she said.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Ana turned to look at me, “Don’t act like you don’t know how important you are around here,” she said in a frustrated tone, “If we’re found out here, you’ll be fine, but treason is punishable with death, and I love you, Percy, but I’m not dying out here for you,” she said, “so get a move on.”
“Treason?” I asked, rushing to keep up with her.
“They take loyalty seriously within The New Foundation,” she answered.
“Seriously enough to execute people who try to leave?” I asked, truly shocked.
“Yes, Percy. It’s a military,” she said and huffed with exertion, “The only good thing is that I’m already beginning to warm up,” she continued in frustration.
“Ana,” I said, frustrated at her frustration with me.
“What, Percy?” she asked, her hands angrily flaring at her sides.
“What’s your problem?” I asked.
“You, obviously,” she replied.
“I didn’t ask to be here,” I told her.
“No, but we are because of you. I was always going to end up in this situation, no matter what I did,” she complained.
“That doesn’t make any sense. You joined The New Foundation, not me,” I told her.
“I know! It was stupid. I should have turned around and gone home the moment they wanted to cut my hair. But I didn’t.
And it wouldn’t have made a difference. You were always going to be taken, and one way or another, I was going to be dragged into everything.
She’d have come for me, demanded I find you.
I’d have still ended up here in this forest,” she ranted.
“You’d have been better off never meeting me then,” I told her angrily.
We walked in silence until the sun fell below the treetops behind us, and we sat down heavily against a large tree to protect us from a chill wind.
“I’m sorry,” she said as darkness fully descended.
“You’re just cold and want to steal my body heat,” I said, jokingly, trying to lighten the mood. I hated fighting with Ana.
“Are you warm?” she asked.
I lifted my arm, and she shuffled into the side of me.
“Are you still angry with me?” I asked.
“No,” she sighed, “I’m sorry. I’m scared. I don’t want to die,” she continued in a voice so low I struggled to hear her over the sound of the wind.
“You’re not going to die,” I told her.
“I don’t think Kat thought she was going to die when she got out of bed this morning,” she said.
We were silent again.
“Did you know her well?” she asked me.
“Only for the past week. I liked her,” I answered.
“I only met her today, when she came looking for you,” Ana told me. “Do you think she knew? I mean, it happened so fast, do you think she was aware that she was dying?” she asked softly.
“I think that we all know, in some way, when our light is dimming. I think it’s fast for us, the living, but for the dead, they know, and they wait for Hermes, and they hope they are given the rites for Charon,” I told her.
“I wish I believed in the Gods,” Ana whispered.
“What do you believe instead?” I asked.
Ana shrugged.
“I don’t know. I think we made up the Gods to help us understand things we don’t understand. I think there might be nothing at all.”
“How can you think there’s nothing? What about our souls?” I asked, “Something of us has to exist after.”
“I know that you know that I know,” she said, and looked panicked, like such a vague and confusing acknowledgement would result in her immediate death from the blood oath that Selene had made her swear.
“I know you know,” I told her, and laughed a little at how silly it all sounded. The stars above us were beautiful, but I struggled to see my hand in front of my face. “You can’t have a soul match without a soul,” I told her quietly.
“I hope you’re right. But I don’t know. And I’m scared of learning which it is,” she said and leaned heavier into me. I thought for a moment before I responded.
“I think if there’s nothing, you have nothing to fear. You’ll just be here and then… nothing. There would be no self to experience the nothing. You imagine nothing as if you might experience it. But you wouldn’t. And if there's something, well, just don’t anger the Gods,” I told her.
“I know you’re trying to help, but it’s not really working… still, thanks,” she said. “It’s getting colder now,” she added.
It had become colder; the wind had changed direction and was now beginning to hit us.
“Maybe I can help with that,” I said, and placed my hand against the tree behind us, finding its roots and encouraging them to grow upward toward us, until they burst through the frozen earth.
It took a lot of effort and concentration, but I managed to encourage the roots to grow around us, creating a shelter that blocked out the wind.
I searched blindly behind me with my hands until I felt what I was searching for: moss.
Ana giggled as moss grew beneath us and buffered us from the cold ground.
“It’s heating up in here already. Flores' magic is the most impressive,” she praised.
“Is that a thank you?” I laughed.
“Thank you,” she said.
“It’s not just Flores, I mean, I thought I was of Flores' magic, but my mother having been a dual user, I’m not sure.
I’ve always been able to bring plants back so long as there was something left.
I remember in the summer I did it in front of Mable, and she said that what I had done required Aqua magic.
I didn’t really think much of it. I had been told that my mother’s gift was for aquatic plant life, and I thought that explained it.
Anyway, I think I can use Aqua magic too, at least in some way.
Maybe it has something to do with my novel ability as well,” I explained.
“I think you’re right,” she agreed, and after a long silence added, “I think I have to dump Harris.”
“Why?” I asked.
“I thought we were in love, but now I don’t know,” she said sadly.
“Has something happened?” They seemed happy, or at least Ana seemed happy when she was talking about him.
“Other than him encouraging me to join an actual war?” she asked, “No, not really.” She laughed.
“It’s just, the more I think about it, I kind of destroyed my life for a boy that I don’t even know that well.
I’ve been here for weeks, and he’s spent barely any time with me.
He’s always chasing after Dylan like a lost puppy.
He’s not even that interested in me,” she revealed, “Honestly, I wonder if all he’s ever been interested in is my friendship with you. ”
“Ana, you’re amazing, you’re smart, and funny, and cute. If any boy can’t see and appreciate that, then he is clearly intellectually challenged. You’ve not ruined your life,” I told her.
“I cut my hair,” she stated as if it were some proof that things were irreversibly bad.
“Hair grows back. You suit it,” I said.
“No, I don’t,” she said forcefully. “Don’t lie to me, I’ve not got the bone structure to pull it off.”
I laughed.
“Yeah, laugh at the bald woman,” she said jokingly.
“You’re hardly bald. Anyway, your hair will grow back, you haven’t ruined anything,” I told her.
“Until I get home and Lady Syngeneia has me hanged,” she said, sadly.
“For what?” I asked.
“House Syngeneia is fiercely loyal to Borealis,” Ana explained, “We don’t break our alliances. When she finds out that someone like me ran away and joined The New Foundation, I’m as good as dead.”
“I’ll ask Selene to make it clear to your House that you’re her friend. Lady Syngeneia isn’t going to kill a friend of the Princess, is she?” Selene wouldn’t let anything bad like that happen to my best friend.
“You have a lot of faith in her,” Ana said.
“I know her. Everything’s going to be okay. We’ll meet who Arvid has sent for us tomorrow evening, and we’ll be back home, both of us, soon,” I said positively.
“Soon,” Ana agreed.
We stayed in silence, long enough that I drifted to sleep, hoping we wouldn’t be found.