stopped at the tree the rope was tied around.
We squinted through the dark, trying to locate them.
“Father!” I shouted.
But a warm palm pressed against my mouth.
King Athon’s nostrils flared in aggravation. He dropped his hand and pointed to the side—silent. The shifter king unsheathed his sword and stalked past me, keeping me behind him.
The limbs were broken where we headed.
I pulled my own sword from my scabbard.
The gentle sprinkle turned into a steady pouring from the sky.
Soon, we would lose any light to see by.
King Athon stopped in his tracks. He jerked his free hand behind him and grabbed my arm. He pulled us both down flat on our stomachs underneath the mist, holding completely still.
I gripped my sword tight and held my breath.
Dark wings flapped over our heads. Large wings. Redbirds with black wings—the size of me—flew low in the Blood Forest, their yellow eyes glinting in the few remaining rays of sunlight and their sharp red talons ready to grab their prey.
The beasts kept circling and searching near us but seemed unable to find us where we hid in the mist. The mammoth birds eventually lost interest and flew to the north with cries of fury screeching the air and shaking the trees—back in the direction of the mountain of High Pointe.
“We won’t make it back to the camp in time. We need to find shelter,” King Athon whispered. He jumped to his feet with the grace of a tiger and looked from side to side. “We don’t have much time before the blackout happens.”
“What about the others?” I asked quickly, getting to my own feet. “We can’t leave them.”
“If we cannot see to find them, we cannot help them right now.” King Athon marched straight ahead toward the mountain, the rain pelting us hard now. “We must hurry. Come on.”
I pulled one boot in front of the other, the ground thick with mud and bits of leaves mixed in from the downpour. Each step was harder as the mud coated my boots and suctioned my feet to the ground. I grunted and heaved forward, scanning the area on either side for anything suitable for shelter.
“I get the big one,” King Athon stated out of nowhere. “I won’t be able to fit under the other one.”
“What are you talking about?” I hissed. “I can’t see anything in front of me thanks to your Fae damned big ass.”
King Athon turned and used his sword to point. “Two mushrooms. They will work for tonight against the rain.”
I evaluated them in the darkness. “The second one is tiny. I don’t even know if I’ll fit under it.”
They were abnormal colossal mushrooms, but it would still be cramped. I would have to lie flat on my back to even get underneath it.
King Athon snorted. “You’ll fit.”
“This is not fair,” I grumbled and pointed my sword to the larger one. “That would be much more comfortable for me. You can find something else to sleep under.”
“Where?” he asked dryly. “Can you see anything else right now? Fairy, can you even see past the mushrooms? We need to get over there before we get lost.”
“I—”
“Shut up, elf,” King Athon snapped, stopping my argument. He grabbed my right bicep and started dragging me. “You will be quiet and appreciate the fact we found anything.”
“I don’t like this. It isn’t going to end well.”
He shoved me toward the small mushroom. “Get under there quickly. It gets cold fast, and it’ll be even worse with the rain.”
I grumbled under my breath but quickly took my blanket out of my bag and wrapped it around me—absently shoving my sword into my bag as an afterthought. It was muddy by the time I squeezed underneath, but it was warmer, and rain no longer hit me, the edge of the mushroom tipping downward far from my body. I wiggled to the center and pulled my bag next to me by my head to help keep it warm.
It was going to be a Fae damned long night.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Confession of a princess:
If I could draw, I would use miraculous colors. I would paint everything I have seen so far in the Blood Forest. There have been a few moments in my life that I have cherished and wished I had a painting to remember it by. My time here will be one of them, despite the horrors. I would draw it all if only I had the talent.
I hope I never forget how the Blood Forest comes alive when you open your