Silence shrouds the forest

Previously: Bracing for an attack, Mira instead is confronted by her old familiar nemesis, Connell Malak, and is surprised to find that her new companions not only know the man but are willing to follow him into the darkness. Where? She's about to find out...

I couldn't help but recall that frenzied trip up the hillside so long ago. This was nearly the same: the pounding fear, the uncertainty, the snap of thorny twigs sent hurling toward my flesh by an uncaring leader. The forest sped by in a blur. I stumbled, my foot caught in a root and nearly fell. Nobody else seemed to be having this much difficulty. Was I truly that clumsy? As clumsy as my father always told me I was?

I thought about stopping and letting whatever mad mission this was continue without me, but I faced two fears: first, I didn't want to be left alone in the forest--even this close to the city. I was not exactly helpless, but the darkness is always embraced by all manner of creatures that cannot stand the light of day. I would rather not test my short blade against them. Second, Malak was now leading this exhibition. I recalled the woefully inaccurate map and his signature, with proud loops and artistic curls at the bottom of it. No matter who these men were, they deserved a better fate than to follow one such as he.

Cursing, I rubbed another fresh welt and ducked under a different, thicker branch. My eyes had grown accustomed to the gloom and I saw three of my companions moving with stealthy haste in the same direction. Merrick's bulk was easy to pick out, as was Seymuhr's squat form. Malak would be the one directly ahead and between those two, picking his steps as carefully as could be under the circumstances.

I caught up with Merrick first.

"I don't like this," I hissed. "We should not be following this man into anything. He's not only shown a remarkable propensity for providing false information...he's signed his name to it!"

He shot me a quizzical look. I didn't care to expound. "I'll tell you later. Trust me when I say that is reputation among my circle is suspect at best. His reputation among any outside his own mind is suspect, now that I puzzle over it."

Merrick grunted, nodded and surprised me. "I know," he said. "I have my reasons. For now, you ask me to trust you. I ask you to trust me. I'll explain myself when we reach our objective."

"Our objective?" I pointed toward the fading shapes of Malak and Seymuhr. "If we follow him into the night, there's no tell where we'll end up—or if we'll be able to find our way back!" I felt under my shirt, where my traveling stone hung protected in its soft pouch. I, at least, could escape, and perhaps take two companions with me. I had never tried to summon anything so large—because I never had the need. I was usually alone.

"Of that, you need not fear," he said. "Our stout companions will protect us, and I am adept at finding my way in the wilderness—as you must be, yourself. Surely, you didn't find your way into the city by accident?"

It had been nearly an accident, but Merrick was right. I had more than a rudimentary knowledge of the area surrounding the town, because I had spent some time recently mapping it out. In fact, now that I had a better sense of my surroundings and at least a fair idea of the direction we were heading, I had a pretty good guess at where we were going--and why Merrick thought it prudent to mention the words 'stout' and 'protect' in the same sentence.

"Hold!" I hissed again. "We're moving north, toward the hills? I've heard tales of Hustyn settlements..." Hustyn. Others called them giants, but none called them friend. They barely tolerated their own kind.

"Aye," Merrick agreed. "That tale has been told, but none have verified it. I fear another, deeper evil at work, as well. That is my objective. Our objective—and if you tarry any longer, we'll be late to the slaughter!"

He pushed me away and hurried off. I hesitated, then followed. My legs felt like they belonged to someone else and were attached to yet another's feet. If I was clumsy before, I lurched like a drunken cripple now. Five of us, heading toward a settlement of giants? That was a slaughter I wanted to be late to.