Fae Prophecy (The Fae Prophecy Series Book 1) Page 5

  Resting my head on my arms, I closed my eyes. One traitorous tear escaped and dripped down onto the sleeping bag. I sobbed quietly.

  Something furry rubbed against me and then settled down beside me. I shied away, and when I looked, I saw the light grey wolf lying calmly next to me, his eyes closed.

  My heart jumped into my throat. My legs propelled me upwards in one fluid motion. I shot into the corner, screaming, clawing at the wood.

  The hut spun around me, and the air shimmered before my eyes. The wolf changed, and then Thomas came towards me, clutching a blanket to his naked body.

  “Dana, I’m sorry, calm down.”

  “Stay away,” I screamed.

  “Okay, okay.” He held up a hand and backed away.

  My heart hammered, and had I not been holding on to the walls of the hut, I would have fallen over.

  “Dana, what’s going on?” the shifter asked.

  I concentrated on my breathing, keeping my eyes on his face.

  “What do you want,” I hissed.

  “You seemed upset. I thought I could comfort you.” He wrapped the blanket around him.

  “Why would you do that?” I squeaked, trembling.

  “Dana, I’m sorry, okay?” He backed away some more. “I just wanted to help.”

  “Leave me alone.”

  The shifter’s amber eyes darkened, and I pressed my back harder against the wall. He then turned, silently walked across the small room and out the door.

  My body could take no more. I moaned as my knees connected noisily with the wooden floorboards, and then I braced myself as the stab through my head sent me tumbling back onto the sleeping bag.

  I lay there, shivering, tears spilling from my eyes.

  My cousin’s face swam in my vision. The daughter of my father’s sister, we were raised as sisters. She had been everything to me until a pack of shifters brutally tore her apart and devoured her flesh.

  I sobbed.

  Why did I have to meet a shifter? So much had already gone wrong. Why this?

  I startled awake and stared at the darkness around me. My eyes adjusted to the little light the moon brought to the cabin.

  Thomas sat leaning against the far wall, looking at me apprehensively.

  “I shouldn’t have fallen asleep.” I sat up. Less woozy. “This is your place.”

  “You needed the rest. Whatever happened to you, it must have been hard.” His eyes creased into a gentle smile. “I am going outside while you get ready. The sun will be up soon; then we can be on our way.”

  Thomas didn’t wait for me to respond. He took his bag and left, leaving me to do whatever it is that girls do in the mornings.

  I dug in the rucksack and cringed at my meagre possessions. What I wouldn’t give for a toothbrush and toothpaste right now. Instead, I took out the comb.

  It took a little while to undo the tight bun Alyssa had tied the morning before, but once my hair was free, it cascaded in red waves down my back.

  With determined strokes, I pulled the comb through it, only hesitating around the area where I had hit my head. It already wasn’t as tender as it was last night.

  I knew I’d look like a poodle once I finished brushing it, but if I didn’t, it would knot. Taking the hair clip I stole from the councillor’s daughter, I tied up the mess that was my hair as best I could.

  Still feeling dirty, I took the water flask out of my bag, and in the corner of the hut, poured some water over my hands to wash them and then to wash my face.

  I also washed all my cuts and scratches, most of which had already crusted over. Just the one on the arm still stung, and it bled once I cleaned it.

  Then, I climbed down the ladder to look for Thomas. I didn’t have to go far, for he waited for me underneath the hut.

  His eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open when he saw me.

  “What?”

  “Freckle much? And, boy, I knew you had red hair, but wow!”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’ll just pack my things, then we can go,” he said and scaled the ladder, leaving me to glare after him.

  The light within the forest strengthened, letting me know the sun had risen, even if we couldn’t see it. I was glad for it, for standing there alone I suddenly did not feel safe.

  I backed up against the ladder and scanned the forest around me. I had given no thought to wild animals when I first stepped into the woods.

  Fae had a good relationship with animals and were seldom attacked by them. So, where did this sudden fear come from? Fear of more shifters, perhaps?

  I startled when Thomas came down the ladder.

  “Ready, Freckles?”

  “Don’t call me that. And, I can find my own way,” I replied, seething at his dig about my freckles.

  “Then, why did you wait for me?”

  I glared at him.

  “Let’s go,” he said.

  Thomas showed me a way to the forest road without incurring more scratches by going through the bushes. Once on the road, we walked at a fast and steady pace.

  The shifter regaled me with stories all through the morning. None were personal, which I noted, but all were highly entertaining. Often, I had to remind myself that he was, indeed, a shifter, and I could not let my guard down.

  Still, he was funny, and he sure made travelling a lot easier, even if I did not know where I was going. He also made no more jokes about freckles or red hair.

  Thomas had shown me on the map how far the next town was and by when we would reach it.

  Clover Hill was the closest town to Draeguard. Although it fell under the protection of Draeguard, it did not benefit from its protective spell, which made Draeguard invisible from the outside world.

  The people of Clover Hill were a mix of trading folk who, several generations ago, built the community as a means to connect Draeguard to the cities further west.

  If I remembered correctly, several species of legendaries called Clover Hill their home, from dwarves and common fae, to satyrs and pixies.

  “How far west is the place you’re going?” My curiosity finally won out, and I shot him a quick look to see if I overstepped my boundaries.

  He didn’t even flinch. “Past Silverlakes, but I hitch a ride with someone from Oaktown. Do you want to come along?”

  There it was. My heart raced. Was he trying to lure me into a trap?

  “No, I’ll make my own way from Clover Hill, thanks.”

  The words came out of my mouth, for they made sense, but my gut said I shouldn’t have spoken them. I grimaced at the idiocy of it.

  “Suit yourself. We should be there soon. Just over that rise.” Thomas pointed.

  Up ahead, the light through the trees strengthened, and not long after, we could see the edge of the forest. The path carried on through a field of tall standing grasses.

  At the entrance to the forest stood a cart drawn by a grey pony. An assortment of goods filled the cart, but we couldn’t see any people. Thomas hesitated, and we moved off the path into the trees.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “We don’t know who it is,” he replied. “Let’s wait first to see.”

  I didn’t think people who collected random items with a pony would be a threat, but then I hadn’t been outside the castle walls alone before.

  We moved forward through the trees, coming closer to the stationary cart. Voices and the sound of chopping wood drifted through the trees as we neared. When the chopping stopped, we halted and hid behind a tree.

  Laden with firewood strapped into bundles, four people appeared walking along a narrow trail towards the waiting cart. They looked like ordinary folk, and I was going to say as much to Thomas when he grabbed me by my arm to pull me back.

  “What?”

  “Shh, we cannot be seen. Come.”

  “Why not?”

  “Didn’t you see?” His eyes were incredulous as he looked at me. “They are bounty hunters.”

  Chapter 6

  “B
ounty Hunters?” I said, louder than I meant to.

  “Shh,” he urged me again and pulled me further into the forest, away from the people.

  “No.” I yanked my arm free of his grip and planted my feet firmly in the mulchy soil. “They are common fae,” I blurted. “That’s different from fae as in that they cannot do magic. They are harmless.”

  “Harmless?” He looked at me as if I was stupid. “Did you not see their cart? Where do you think they got all that? What do you think they would do with a nice white pelt or pretty red witch’s hair?”

  Hairs rose along my arms as understanding dawned. Here I’d been thinking this whole time not to make friends with Thomas because he was a shifter because centuries ago, the races used to be at war. And, well, my personal reasons.

  I hadn’t realised how relevant this hatred still was today and cursed my sheltered life within the palace. Bounty hunters. My stomach heaved.

  Then, I frowned. What did he think I was? Red witch’s hair?

  “Hey, where are you going? I didn’t mean to frighten you.” He followed.

  “Just stay away, okay?”

  “What’s wrong now, Freckles?”

  “Don’t call me that.” I turned and ran.

  The backpack bounced on my back as I sprinted through the trees.

  I could hear Thomas running after me.

  I was athletic, fast, and strong, but Thomas was faster. He caught up with me without trouble and stopped me before I could get far.

  “Dana, what got into you? I was just trying to protect you.”

  I shrugged out of his grip a second time. “You cannot protect me. I need to leave.”

  “And go where? To them?” He motioned with his chin toward the edge of the forest.

  “What’s it to you?”

  “Nothing, I suppose.” His shoulders slumped.

  “Good. I’m leaving.” I turned to go.

  “Wait.” His voice cracked on the single word, and I stopped.

  “What?” I sighed.

  “Come with me, rather.”

  “We travelled far enough together. Thank you for your help.”

  “Fine, but don’t blame me if those hunters catch you,” he spat.

  “They won’t hurt me.” I lifted my chin.

  He sighed. “Are you so naive? Why do you think that?”

  “Because I am fae, Thomas, like them.”

  He laughed. “No, not completely. They’ll scalp you for the witch part in you. They want your hair.”

  Witch. There was that word again. I knew I wasn’t, but doubt gnawed its way up my spine.

  “I am Dana of Silverstalk, Princess of Draeguard, Stronghold of the Fae Outreach.”

  Silence. Thomas stared at me, mouth agape. Slowly, he shook his head. “Princess? Royalty? Huh. But, you glowed with magic. Blue. From your hands. That’s like witches’ magic.”

  “I am fae, Thomas. I have been all my life.” To prove it, I reached out with my left arm and commanded one of the vines from a tree to grow towards me. It elongated and then twirled elegantly around my splayed fingers.

  Thomas’ eyes narrowed dangerously. “A witch could do that.”

  “I don’t know anything about witches, but fae magic is earthbound.”

  I saw the shift in Thomas’ eyes as he began to accept that I was fae. I thought I saw hurt in his eyes, but then they went cold, and I thought I must have imagined it.

  “So what,” his mouth pulled down into a sneer, “did you just make friends with me so you could take me back to your people? Be the hero? Oh, look, I caught a shifter. Look at your princess now.”

  I took a step back. The corners of Thomas’ mouth had turned down, and he looked at me with narrowed eyes. Did he think because I was royalty I’d turn him in because he was a shifter?

  “It was you that attacked me, remember?” My voice rose in pitch, and the heat rose along my throat and into my cheeks. “I would have carried on my way had you not chased me.”

  “Yeah? Then, how did you find me? Only someone with special powers would have been able to see me where I was hiding. I had to chase you to make sure you weren’t an enemy.”

  “Urgh, so all of this has been a lie, then? This whole time you probably had ulterior motives about me, which is why you wanted me to come with you. Where were you going to drag me off to? Some witches’ cult?”

  I realised I had been shouting when there were noises behind us, and two bounty hunters came through the trees to investigate the goings-on.

  Thomas didn’t hesitate. Without another glance, he turned and disappeared into the forest. The men called to me as they neared, but then my nerves failed me.

  Running into the opposite direction that Thomas went, I disappeared between the trees and carried on running until my tired legs could carry me no longer.

  I plopped down on a fallen log and stared out across the vast field that spread from the forest to my right, with the town in the distance. My run had carried me to the southern edge of Clover Hill.

  With the light fading, I knew I didn’t have much time before it would be completely dark, and then I would be alone in this forest with who knew what roamed between these trees.

  I shuddered and forced myself to stand. My best chance would probably be to spend the night within the town, so I put on my green hood and stepped out across the field.

  There was no road from here to the town, and I walked through nettles and thorns, even waded through a shallow river. Mosquitoes swarmed over the meadow, making a feast out of me.

  By the time I reached Clover Hill, it was dark, and orange light poured from windows and a few flickering street lights. If I could find an empty barn for the night that would already be enough.

  Keeping to the shadows, I crept along the edge of town. There were a few people around, but they went about their business and did not see me slinking about.

  I could not tell what race they were in the dark, and I had no inclination to find out. Whatever I had expected to find outside of the walls of Draeguard, it had not been this animosity.

  Although not a big town, Clover Hill turned out to be more populous than I expected. Most people were closing shop, hurrying home, or in general concluding their business for the day, but others only started.

  I came across two people that exchanged money in a dark alley, a man threatening another with a knife, and someone purchasing something the other kept well hidden beneath a cloth, but I could see a glow beneath it.

  Down a quiet street at the edge of town, an elderly satyress swept her porch, her apron bound around her waist, covering most of her hairy legs.

  Warm light streamed out her open house door, and the aroma of food cooking on the stove drove me closer.

  “Good evening. Excuse the intrusion.” I approached the porch.

  The broom ceased its motion. “What do you want?”

  “I am Princess Dana of Draeguard, and I was wondering if I could share your meal tonight.”

  The satyress laughed out loud, then lifted her broom to swipe it at me.

  “Beat it, you lying street rat. I know what the princess looks like, and you aren’t it.”

  With my faith in people shaken, I hid around the corner of the house in the dark.

  Opposite, a large, dark building emitted inviting smells of hay and horses.

  After my literal ‘brush’ with death, I approached the dim light of the open door of the barn with caution.

  The laughter of children drifted over, mixed with the occasional snort of a horse. A male and female adult voice conversed softly.

  I dared to peek around the corner. The large stable contained at least ten horses. A man busied himself cleaning a stall, while the woman brushed a horse. The children played in the passage between the row of stalls.

  It looked inviting, and I could see the people were common fae, yet I still hesitated. This town was everything Draeguard was not, and I did not belong here.

  Maybe I had grown up too sheltered, but I did
not feel safe here. I’d take my chances with the beasts in the forest, for they were more likely to be negotiated with than the people of Clover Hill.

  I was about to leave when something touched my leg. Two grey cats rubbed themselves against me, purring.

  I frowned at them, trying to shoo them away, but they persisted. Backing away slowly, I tried not to fall over them. “Go away,” I whispered.

  Suddenly, I heard footsteps. When I looked up, I saw the children running over to me.

  “Will you play with us?”

  “Please?”

  “No,” I whispered at them, still trying to rid myself of the cats.

  “Please, please, we have toys,” the older one said.

  “Really, I was just leaving.” I made to turn when the mother called to me.

  “The stable is warm during the night, and we have extra food. The children won’t bite, I promise, and we use our brooms for cleaning, only.”

  Chagrined, I turned back, fire in my cheeks. “Thank you, Ma’am.”

  “Now can we play?” the smaller of the boys asked.

  “Uhm.” The children dragged me off into the warm light of the stable, but I was acutely aware of the couple’s pitying looks. I wondered what kind of state I was in.

  Followed by the cats, I was taken to a corner of the stable where the children had played. They were soon fighting over whose toys to play with first.

  The mother smiled indulgently at them when she brought me some bread and something cooked and hot. It tasted like potatoes and vegetables.

  “We live above,” she pointed with her finger at the ceiling, “but don’t have extra room. My husband will prepare a stall for you to sleep in with fresh straw and blankets. It’s not much, but you’ll be comfortable.”

  “I appreciate your help. Thank you.”

  “You are welcome, dear.”

  The woman walked away without asking questions. I wondered if homeless people often came through here. I did appreciate their kindness, even if I didn’t trust the situation completely. It was the children, and the cats, that put me more at ease.

  I had just finished my meal and returned the bowl when a man dressed in a long black cloak came in, leading two big Gypsy horses. He had a scowl on his face, enhancing his hooked nose, and I shrank away into the shadows, not wanting to be seen by him.