Desperate Forest Page 7

  We reached the stream and knelt to fill our buckets.

  “That sounds awful.” Gianna shook her head. “I hate being stuck inside. Granted, a castle is probably a little more exciting than a cottage, but I wouldn’t stand for being anyone’s prisoner.” I smiled at her confidence, envisioning her taking down my uncle with one shot of her bow and arrow.

  Gianna’s tone brightened. “When we get to Galesmore, you’ll love it. There are so many exciting shops and people who can cook all sorts of things. I hear there’s a man who can carve anyone’s likeness into a tree branch and—”

  Gianna gasped and dropped her bucket. She stood up, stepping slightly in front of me.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked her, but she wasn’t looking at me. Her stare was fixed several feet ahead of us where the largest wolf I’d ever seen stood snarling, ready to pounce.

  “Don’t move,” Gianna whispered, slowly reaching behind her back for her bow and arrow.

  Dread filled my heart. I knew it would take more than one shot to stop this beast.

  The wolf inclined its head, baring sharp teeth as if sizing up which one of us it would devour first. I could see blood stains around its mouth and dirt caked in its sharp claws. My heart pounded loudly in my chest.

  Gianna released her bowstring, and an arrow landed in the wolf’s left shoulder. The animal yelped but seemed undeterred. Instead, it howled angrily and sprang at us.

  We both screamed, and I covered my face with my arms, expecting to feel teeth and claws ripping into my skin. Instead, I heard a guttural bay and slick slicing sound as another arrow tore clean through the wolf’s side. It howled pitifully and retreated thirty yards away, where it collapsed with a thud.

  Jay called our names as he raced toward us, bow in hand.

  I was so shocked, the sound of his voice barely registered as I looked up at Gianna, unable to believe we were both still alive.

  She strode toward the monster, then bent down and pulled out her arrow. My stomach turned as I watched blood gush from the animal, but Gianna didn’t seem fazed. Jay stopped beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked.

  “Not a scratch,” she said with a weary smile and thanked him, then wiped the blood off her arrow in the grass.

  Jay nodded and made his way to me, then knelt beside me.

  “And you?” He placed a gentle hand on my elbow, his tone soft with concern.

  “I’m okay . . . thank you.” I mentally cringed over how my voice trembled in residual fear. I wished I were more like Gianna, who’d already recovered enough to place her arrow back in her quiver and stand steadily on her feet.

  As I eased myself off the ground on shaky legs, Jay brought his other hand to my waist to support me. When I looked up, I saw apprehension in his eyes.

  His hold on me was firm and comforting. I clung to him, but then I remembered how he had lied to me. I released myself from his grasp.

  “I’m fine, really.” I pushed him away.

  “Glad to hear it,” he said, turning rigid. I thought I saw hurt flash in his eyes, but when I regarded him again, he looked indifferent.

  Jay turned and hoisted both of our water buckets in his hands. “Come on, we should get back to camp and eat before Macie’s dinner attracts any more wolves.” He frowned. “There’s always something to be on the lookout for in this forest.”

  ✽✽✽

  As we all gathered around the campfire, the others eating generous amounts of venison, I found my appetite had disappeared. I nibbled at my food while Gianna animatedly relayed the story of the wolf to everyone in detail.

  I couldn’t help but smile at how lively she looked as she shared our harrowing experience. Clearly, she was meant for a life of adventure. No wonder she’d been brave enough to start out on her own for Galesmore after her father was taken as a soldier. I couldn’t imagine she would ever back down from a challenge.

  Me? I started my journey only because I was facing the threat of death. And now after our ordeal, I wanted nothing more than to curl up in my tent, away from everyone.

  Every so often, across the flickering campfire, I caught Jay’s intense gaze upon me. But when I did, he quickly looked away.

  I shifted in my seat, then noticed Laurel switching her hostile stare between Jay and me, as if assessing us.

  Exhausted from the day’s events—and not at all appreciative of the scrutinizing looks I was receiving from my fellow traveling companions—I announced I was tired and ready to turn in for the evening.

  “Sleep well,” Gavin said as I stood up. I smiled and thanked him.

  I wrapped my arms around myself as I left the light and warmth of the fire, then entered the small tent I was sharing with Gianna.

  After I lay down under my blanket, my eyes grew heavy as sleep promised to overtake me. My thoughts drifted over the events of the day until they settled on Jay, and how he had saved Gianna and me from being attacked by the wolf.

  The way he’d held me and the worry in his eyes had seemed genuine—like he truly cared about me.

  But then I remembered what Gavin told me today, and how Jay had lied to me. That, along with his secretiveness, was reason enough not to trust him.

  Just as I drifted off to sleep, I found myself thinking, quite unwittingly, that when Jay held me that evening, it was the safest I’d felt in days.

  ✽✽✽

  I was running blindly through the forest. Branches whipped around me, scratching my skin and tearing my dress, but in my fear, I didn’t care.

  I didn’t dare turn around, but I could hear the menacing growl and thundering stride of a wolf behind me.

  I had no idea where I was going. I knew it was only a matter of time before the wolf caught me and killed me.

  For all my effort to save my kingdom—and myself—it seemed I had failed. I would be killed before I ever made it to Marcsnovia.

  Marcsnovia, I thought desperately. I’d been so close.

  Suddenly, I found myself in a ballroom with hundreds of glimmering candles all around. I wore a dazzling blue ballgown, encrusted with diamonds, and my hair was piled elegantly on my head. A man stood in the corner, his back to me. In his hand, he held a single red rose.

  “Darius!” I called, rushing over to him. When he turned to face me, I saw it wasn’t Darius but Jay.

  Stunned, I took a step back, but Jay held his hand out to me.

  “Dance with me?” He flashed a simple smile, but I could sense a challenge in his gaze.

  Hesitantly, I put my hand in his, and he placed his arm around me.

  “You really are too trusting, Princess,” he said with a mocking grin as we moved around the room.

  “I don’t understand.” I looked into his dark eyes. “What are you doing in Marcsnovia?”

  Jay spun me, letting me go as I twirled outward, my skirt shimmering majestically. He pulled me in close again.

  “Finishing what I started, of course.” He gave an evil laugh, as the rose in his hand turned into a dagger, dripping with blood.

  ✽✽✽

  I awoke with a start, my heart pounding. Drenched in sweat, I sat up and gasped for air.

  “What’s wrong?” Gianna asked, her voice hazy with sleep as she rolled over next to me.

  I looked around the dark tent, trying to calm myself with deep breaths as I remembered where I was.

  “Nothing,” I said. “Just a bad dream.”

  Through a small space between the flap of our tent, I saw Jay sitting by the dying fire. Eyes down, he looked deep in thought, absentmindedly twirling a knife in his hand.

  “Are you sure?” Gianna asked.

  “Yes, I’m fine,” I said, turning over so I could no longer see Jay. My heartbeat steadied, but I couldn’t get the image of him holding the knife—in reality and my nightmare—out of my head.

  Why did I dream that?

  I felt incredibly confused. Yes, I was angry Jay had lied to me, and I certainly thought he was hidi
ng something, but in my dream, he seemed completely malevolent.

  I tried to tell myself my nightmare was a bizarre culmination of my stressful day and nothing more. But as I struggled to fall back asleep, I wondered if my subconscious knew something about Jay I didn’t, and the dream was really a warning.

  Chapter 12

  The next morning, I dragged myself into the cool air and discovered I was the last to awake.

  “’Bout time you were gettin’ yourself up, dear,” Macie said, scooping me a bowl of porridge. “I was just about to scrape this pot clean m’self.”

  I took the bowl from her gratefully, my stomach aching for food after the measly dinner I had last night.

  Jay sat on a fallen log a few feet away, sharpening arrows with Gavin. He shot me a playful smile. “What’s the matter, Princess? Looks like you could use some more beauty sleep.”

  Gianna stood close by, tightening the string of her bow. “Be quiet, Jay. She was having nightmares last night.”

  “Nightmares?” Jay furrowed his brow. “About the wolf?”

  “Something like that,” I muttered, not about to share the details of my odd dream with him.

  “Cheer up, Princess.” Jay grinned. “That wolf’s going to be our dinner tonight. You’re in for a real treat.”

  My stomach turned at the thought, but I simply wrinkled my nose and ignored him. I certainly wasn’t in the mood for his jokes this morning.

  Because I saw Jay by the fire last night when I awoke, it must have been his turn to keep watch. How could a man who’d gotten so little sleep himself be so bright with humor this early in the morning?

  Just when I thought he couldn’t get any more annoying.

  However, seeing him now with the sunlight reflecting off his brown hair, his eyes creased in a smile, it was hard to believe he was the same man who seemed so frightening in my dream.

  Gavin looked between Jay and me, perhaps sensing my uneasiness. “I’ve never seen a wolf as big as the one that attacked last night. But then again, the same thing goes for all the other creatures I’ve seen in this forest . . . I’m certainly grateful Jay got there when he did so no one was hurt.”

  I couldn’t help but smile at Gavin. He truly was a born leader, always trying to keep the peace.

  “Yes, Gianna and I were very lucky,” I said, handing my bowl back to Macie now that I’d finished my breakfast.

  I didn’t say anything else as I packed our tent up for the day. After all, I had already thanked Jay once.

  ✽✽✽

  The forest seemed especially ominous today. We were navigating a particularly dense patch of trees and underbrush, so we all rode single file, Jay and I in front.

  As usual, I had my arms wrapped around Jay’s waist, and I found my mind straying to the odd dream I had about him last night.

  I kept picturing how malicious he had looked holding the dagger, so different from the easy, jesting way he’d been this morning.

  Which is the real Jay?

  I quickly dismissed the thought. It made no difference to me.

  Recalling my dream made me feel quite unsettled. Perhaps it was simply the eeriness of the forest, especially the area we were riding through now. The trees were so heavy with leaves, it almost felt like night. Branches creaked around us, and a shiver ran up my spine as a wolf howled far away.

  Amon let out a loud, pitiful whine, rearing back on his hind legs. Jay and I both yelled in surprise.

  “Woah! Amon, easy!” Jay struggled to steady him.

  I clung to Jay, but Amon’s thrashing caused me to lose my grip, and I was thrown from the horse.

  I landed roughly on the ground. Jarring pain shot through my left arm as it twisted upon impact, taking the brunt of my fall.

  A commotion broke out as the others attempted to steady their horses. I rolled up against the nearest tree, afraid I would be trampled.

  Jay continued to try to calm Amon while the stallion kicked and protested. I was amazed Jay managed to stay on him.

  From my spot on the forest floor, I saw what had caused the horse so much fright. A large black snake was poised in front of Amon, hissing dangerously, mere feet away from me.

  “There’s a snake!” I reached behind me with my uninjured hand for anything I could use as a weapon. My hand closed around a rock, which I immediately threw at the venomous creature, hitting its body.

  The snake recoiled and hissed sharply, but my blow hadn’t been enough to stop it. Instead, it turned from Amon and slithered toward me. I searched frantically for another rock but felt nothing.

  A large saddle bag flew past me. It landed on the snake and pinned it to the ground.

  Suddenly, Gianna was next to me, pulling me up as the snake struggled violently.

  Gavin raced over with his sword and delivered the final blow to the serpent, slicing it clean in half. Within seconds, it ceased to move.

  “Is everyone all right?” Gavin called out, looking around the group.

  Murmurs and nods confirming everyone’s safety rang out. No one else had been thrown. Jay had somehow stayed on his horse through the entire ordeal and was now speaking soothingly in Amon’s ear.

  Gavin turned to me and Gianna, handing her the saddlebag she’d thrown. “Quick thinking. Garmonia snakes are extremely dangerous. Their venom can kill you in a day.” He regarded my left arm, which I had clutched to my chest. “You’re hurt. Let me see.”

  I flinched at the sharp pain that ran up my arm as I held it out to him. Gavin lightly pressed his fingers into my forearm and directed me to move my wrist.

  Jay came up beside us and peered at it as well. “It doesn’t look broken, but it’s already swollen.”

  Gavin nodded. “Get Laurel.”

  When Jay returned with Laurel, she examined my arm and said, “You’re right, it’s not broken but severely sprained.” She looked at me harshly, as if I were somehow to blame for my injury. “You’ll want to avoid putting pressure on it for a while. I’ll wrap it to help with the swelling. When we make camp later, I can make a balm to speed healing and help the pain.”

  Laurel began wrapping my wrist with large strips of fabric while the group spread out, tending to their horses.

  “How did you learn so much about healing?” I asked to ease the tension, remembering our last awkward encounter.

  “My sister taught me.”

  “Oh. Was she as gifted as you?”

  “She was much better than me,” Laurel said with a small hint of pride. “Everyone in the village respected her. Some people even said she had powers, but she was just extremely clever.”

  “Where is she now?”

  “She died.”

  “I’m sorry.” My heart sank for her, knowing what it meant to lose a loved one. An emptiness grew inside you that could never be filled. Perhaps that was why Laurel was so cold. “I lost my father. It was the hardest thing I ever had to face.”

  Laurel stopped wrapping to glare at me. “Don't compare my pain to yours. You’ve never known hardship—you’ve lived in luxury. When I lost my sister, I lost everything. My only family, my home, my future—everything. You may have lost your father, but you had your comfortable life to make up for it. Your suffering is nothing compared to mine!”

  I was taken aback by her words, anger and frustration welling up inside me. “You think comfort and riches make up for a life devoid of love? My life was handed over to someone who wants me dead. I don’t imagine I know your pain, but don’t think you know mine!”

  Laurel opened her mouth to reply just as Jay walked up.

  “How much longer?” He looked carefully between us, and I knew he’d overheard our conversation. “We don’t want to stay in this part of the woods too long.”

  Laurel gave the bandage one final tug and stood up. “I’m finished.” She quickly strode away before I even had a chance to thank her.

  Jay called out to everyone to remount. I slowly moved my hand to test it. The pressure of the bandages helped ease my pain,
but I had no idea how I would hold on while riding.

  As if reading my mind, Jay inclined his head toward Amon. “You’ll need to ride in front.”

  I nodded, realizing that would be the most practical.

  “Here,” Jay said, as I prepared to mount. “Let me help.” He grabbed my left arm above the elbow to avoid my injury and eased me up.

  I thanked him as I adjusted myself, holding onto the front of the saddle with my right hand.

  Jay mounted easily behind me, his arms encircling me as he grabbed the reins.

  Although this was by far the most efficient way for us to ride with my injury, I felt uncomfortable about the way I was wrapped between his arms. Heat rose in my face as I recalled the way I’d woken up in his embrace the morning before.

  We rode in silence, and I was relieved when the thick woods lessened to reveal sunlight peeking through the trees again.

  “Are you all right?” Jay’s deep voice broke the silence.

  “It’s just a sprain,” I said. “Nothing to worry about.”

  “I didn’t mean your hand. It seems like something’s bothering you.”

  I didn’t say anything for a while, unsure how to reply. I decided I would be honest, even if he wasn’t willing to be.

  I sighed. “Why did you lie to me? Why did you tell me you were from Fernshire? Gavin said you came from Marcsnovia.”

  As I said the words, I realized the reason I was so angry was that I was fearful of what the truth might mean. That he was so secretive because he had something to do with King Charles’s death or was protecting Thaddeus.

  “I am from Fernshire,” Jay said. “Originally, I mean—that’s where I was born. I lived there until I was twelve, then I went to work in Marcsnovia.”

  “What did you do there?” I asked, expecting another lie or vague diversion.

  “I was a stable hand at the palace.”

  “Oh . . .” I pondered this for a moment, about to ask more questions, but Jay spoke before I could.

  “I remember you,” he said.