Page 74 of What did you do?

When the pits opened, it was silent aside from the crumble of the dirt and roots caving in on themselves. Even the birds of the forest were annoyingly quiet when it happened. No squawking and flying off—they just watched from the trees.

I nearly plummeted into a small pit before I fell backward, throwing my weight behind me as hard as possible. I rolled away from it, panting as I pressed against the nearest tree.

Fuck, that was close. Maybe Eli was right, and I shouldn’t be out here.

The pit closed slowly. The ground sealed over with fresh, spongey moss as if it had never happened at all.

Holy hell, they closed. Did that mean if you fell, you were eaten up by the forest dirt?

A tree nearby creaked loud and long. Several in the distance groaned and creaked almost as if in answer.

I peered around the other side of the tree that I leaned against. My fingers touched the dark, textured bark. It was beautiful, but not a tree I recognized. I would ask Eli if I could go through the castle library. I desperately wanted to learn more about nature in these realms. For all I knew, I was about to climb up a creature right now.

I pulled myself up the lowest branch, feeling the stretch and pull of my unused muscles. I continued to climb until I was able to look out and see a good distance.

Pits of all different sizes pocked the moss-carpeted floor, exactly where I had been about to run. I never would have seen them.

A low growl and a yip echoed through the trees again. My eyes finally found a large hole at the edge of my vision. Dirt and rocks crumbled along the inside edge. Something was unsuccessfully attempting to climb out.

Tarani.

I cracked off a small stick from the branch I was crouched under and held my hand out, my pointer finger following the direction of the pit with Tarani. Firmly, I pressed the small stick’s round end onto the top of my hand until indents were left in the same pattern of the pits I could see along the forest floor. It would serve as a pit map, but it would only remain accurate if I was fast and made it before any closed or more opened.

Shimmying down the rough bark, I was incredibly thankful I had worn leggings under my sundress as I dropped to the ground and pointed my finger in the direction of the pit. Myconfidence increased as I dodged several pits and successfully made it to the large hole at the end of my hand map. Sweat dripped down my back as I skidded to a stop just at the edge of the hole and dropped to my knees.

The pit was shaped like a cone, the top wide and spacious, but as the pit deepened, it grew narrower, until the pointed base of the steep hole came into view, nearly a quarter the size of the opening.

“Tarani!” I called as I peered over the edge of the pit.

Deep, deep down, in the very small base of the pit was the most beautiful red fox desperately trying to climb up the dirt wall of the pit and falling back with a yelp.

“Oh my god.” My eyes caught movement at the opposite side of the base.

A humungous grizzly bear was crouched, watching Tarani climb and fall.

“Tarani!” I shouted again, causing both the bear and Tarani to look up. “What are you doing? Shift into your fae form and use your wings to fly out!” I yelled, wondering why she hadn’t done it already.

I glanced around the sky. Surely Eli could hear us? He could fly down and get her out easily.

Snarls and growls rose from the pit, drawing my attention back down. Tarani had fallen too close to the bear’s area and it had gone for her.

“He looks like he might be an adolescent. Just give him space!” I shouted. This was not going to end well for her. Black bears were excellent climbers, shy, and generally quick to retreat when threatened. But this wasn’t a black bear.

Tarani was in the pit with what looked like a massive grizzly. They were notgood climbers and were incrediblyaggressive when threatened. Unless she pulled out some serious powers soon, she wasn’t going to make it out alive.

“Shift, damn it!” I screamed at her. I don’t even know why I cared. I didn’t want to like her. One more fucked part of the plan.

She looked up, and I saw the fear and pleading in her eyes. Was she unable to shift for some reason?

She hit the opposite wall with a soft thud as the bear slashed at her with his long claws. Her fox form slid down the dirt wall to lay in a lifeless heap on the ground.

“Tarani!” I bellowed. “Get away from her now!” I snarled at the bear.

To my surprise, it looked up at me. Its brown eyes were filled with sorrow as he hunkered down once again, on the opposite side of Tarani.

“Eli! We’re over here!” I screamed into the forest, cupping my hands around my mouth like a megaphone.

Just leave. Go back to the castle, I thought.This is retribution being served up on a silver fucking platter.

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