Chapter 7 #2
“Kohrye, but I don’t know where exactly.
Just follow me.” I don’t wait for them to call upon their dark horses.
I summon Cirrus and head over to the portal we just used.
Travelling between Kohrye and Ryetoh is impossible, we have no choice but to make our way back to The Shade.
I don’t wait for anyone else to catch up before landing at the door in the library portal and jumping back so I go straight to Heyl; demon land.
I don’t have to wait more than a few minutes before my brothers come charging in and stand beside me.
At record speeds, we follow the bond’s GPS north until we reach the territory of the monsters in the center east of the dark lands.
Earlier, I wasn’t thrilled about Sage being in the land of the spirits, but here? With the monsters? The dread of what could happen to her with the amount of unscrupulous souls that reside here makes my skin crawl.
I slow down as the bond feels confused, taking me one way then the other. Fuck.
We’re somewhere on the western side of Mita, the DrakeThorne mountain range that surrounds the Fireborne land standing tall above the deep-green, watery valleys of the monster territory.
The land is somber, feeling like it’s night time all through the hours, giving off a sense of dread and mystery with every step we take.
I follow my guiding light and we all head to the east where the forests are like enticing omens promising tales of danger and death. Think Hansel and Gretel written by Stephen King and directed by Tim Burton. Yeah, great fiction, but do not recommend in real life.
“I fucking hate the Knell Forest. Nothing good ever happens in the Knell.” Slash makes a big show of a full body shiver, then slides his sword out of his scabbard to hold it firm in his grip by his side.
We all follow suit, ready to defend ourselves if the need should arise. In monster land, it usually does.
By the time we reach the forest, we’re on high alert from the constant noises of slithering animals and the tiny scratchings of insects alerting their kyn of our presence. It’s not surprising. After all, demons do the same when visitors step foot on Heyl.
A faint gasp followed by a whimper has us all turning at once, like an army that has trained together for years instead of never. We’re acting on instincts, not training.
“What was that? It doesn’t sound menacing.” Pierce, ever the optimist, speaks just over my shoulder.
“I don’t know but it’s close.” I take a tentative step toward the sound, hoping to get a visual, but the forest is thick and the flooring is high with its almost black straw-like grass.
The sound comes again, but this time it’s almost child-like, the higher pitch and the hiccupping that follows piques my curiosity.
“Who’s there? We mean you no harm.” Unless you took my chosen, in which case, you’ll suffer greatly in a matter of minutes.
Slash snorts and I kick him in the shin. Fucker.
Narrowing my eyes and concentrating on where I pinpoint the noises, I see a small foot protruding from behind one of the trees. I signal everyone to put their weapons down because I have a feeling we are not in any danger.
“Look, we’re not here to hurt you.” I put my bow down as I kneel, knowing that if needs be, it’ll be in my hand and firing an arrow before the threat can register my first movement.
I wait a few beats and to my surprise, movement comes from where the small foot was showing.
A small gorgon child appears, shaking, with his hands gripping the clothes at his waist, kneading like his anxiety is through the roof.
In no world do we want to harm a child, and in unison, we all put our weapons away as the gorgon pulls up his hood to hide his tiny snakes.
Nobody needs to turn into stone right now, so we do appreciate his thoughtfulness.
“Child, where are your parents?” It’s Elysia’s turn to speak but her question just accentuates the young gorgon’s tears of despair.
Fuck, this can’t be good.
“Are you lost?” Pierce is next with the question, but he’s more intelligent about it because it’s much easier to answer when you can either shake your head or nod.
One shake of the head tells us no, which means the whereabouts of his parents is no doubt disturbing.
The child’s head turns toward the thickest part of the forest, one hand rising with his index finger pointing west and into the unknown.
“Is that where your parents are?” When I speak, it’s soft, calm, but I’m feeling anything but those two emotions.
The child nods. It’s sharp and short, and as I get nearer to him, I see the tears streaming down his face.
“Fenrir.”
I freeze, my body going taut at the news, and my bond chooses that exact moment to jerk me in the exact direction of the boy’s pointed finger.
Fenrirs aren’t common and they aren’t known for making decisions. Mostly, they’re used as guards, which means someone else is behind whatever the fuck is going on.
Pierce takes the gorgon child in his arms, making sure the snakes stay hidden, then they all follow my lead as I take them—I hope—to my chosen, once and for all.
What we find are two parents and a baby slaughtered.
My bond is aching with the need to pull me deeper into the forest, and although I feel for the kid, I don’t have time to mourn for him so I keep going.
Just as I step on a branch that cracks right under my foot, my entire body freezes when a blood curdling scream shakes the very foundation of the entire forest.
“Motherfucker!”