Page 94 of A Lick of Flame

She nods. “Okay.” Maya walks down to the edge of the water. I can see that her mind is in turmoil. Worry for her courses through me.

How can this be happening? I’m sure it has never happened before, but I could be wrong. Perhaps it is impossible to break a tether with a human.

No!

I can’t think this way.

“We’re coming with you,” Xander says, pulling me out of my head.

“No, you don’t have to—” I start to say.

“We insist. We want to.” Xander glances at Thesha, who nods. “You would have safety in numbers. It’s why we came in the first place. We’re here to offer our services. We’re in this together, Orion.”

“In short, I have a hefty bounty on my head issued by Snow. Every group of mercenaries, every misfit, and every fae will be looking for me,” I tell them. “They’re looking for a fae and a woman traveling alone, so having the two of you with us would help put them off the scent, but it will be dangerous for the two of you. I’m not going to sugarcoat it.”

“And having two extra swords won’t harm your odds, either.”

I nod. “You’re right about that.”

It isn’t long before we have mounted up and are riding in the opposite direction to the one we left in earlier. It’s a path that takes us deeper into the forest. We ride in a line for a long time. Xander takes the lead, and I the rear.

Once we break free of the trees, we set out at a pace that is as fast as we dare. We don’t want to push the horses too hard.

We are all mildly winded by the time we reach the next densely treed area.

“This is it,” I say. “This is Windsar Forest.”

The trees are sparser. The feel is different. It’s darker somehow, with more of an ominous air. The trees are enormous, with wide trunks and branches that reach high. It feels ancient, untouched, and mysterious. I can feel the power of the land in the air.

“If I were a witch, I would live here,” Thesha says, giving a visible shiver.

“The two of you can wait here,” I say.

“Not a chance,” Xander tells me. “You’re stuck with us. We’re not leaving you to face this witch alone.”

“Thank you,” Maya says. “All of you.”

“We’re going to fix this, love,” I tell her.

“I know.” She looks away, but not before I see the fear in her eyes.

I will fix it. I vow it.

The forest gets denser and denser until we are forced to dismount and lead our horses into the heart of the forest, their hooves crunching softly on the fallen twigs and leaves.

“Are you sure this is the right way?” Xander asks.

I nod. “We’re headed for the oldest tree in all of the realm. It is at the heart of this forest and is unmistakable when you see it. I’ve only been here once, but I can recall it well.”

The air around us is alive with whispers and the sound of rustling, even though there is no sign of life apart from our own. No birds or insects, certainly no animals. Not that I have seen any. Nor is there even the slightest breath of wind. It is disconcerting, to say the least. Our horses are on alert, with their heads held high and their ears pricked.

“I don’t like it here,” Thesha says, speaking for all of us.

“It isn’t much farther,” I say, even though I am not certain. I don’t remember it being too far. I pray that I am right.

My heart is pounding with apprehension; I hope that the witch can help us. For the life of me, I can’t remember her name, which is a pity, since witches have big egos. She won’t like that I have forgotten.

As we walk deeper, the shadows grow longer, and I realize that evening is drawing near. I don’t want to be here when the sun sets.

---