I paused only for a breath, chest heaving, panic clawing at my throat as I tried to make sense of my surroundings.
Everything felt wrong. The forest I’d called home had become an unfamiliar maze.
I was completely and utterly lost.
Hopelessness hit me like a wave, and I dropped to my knees, sobbing uncontrollably as everything fell apart. My cries were relentless, each one tearing through me. My shoulders sagged, and my chest ached with the weight of my grief. I didn’t know where I was or where I should go.
Were my parents actually dead? What if someone thought I was involved? I needed help. Who could I turn to?
A deafening crack of thunder rang out as dark clouds churned overhead. A raindrop struck my forehead, then another, and within seconds, the sky opened in a heavy downpour.
The rain came fast. The trees weren’t thick enough to keep me dry, and I was already soaked from the creek. The temperature dropped, and the wind began to whip through the branches. I shivered, teeth clenched, knowing I had to find shelter.
Was there anywhere to take cover? Should I try to go back home? But how? I had no idea where I was or how far I’d run.
The thoughts tumbled in my mind as lightning split the sky. For a moment, the woods lit up, and in that brief flash, I saw the outline of a cottage in the distance.
Without thinking, I ran toward it, praying it was real.
Praying it had walls, a roof, and enough shelter to hide me from the storm.
As I neared, my steps slowed. The cottage looked unfamiliar, nothing like the ones I’d grown up around. It stood crooked and still,half-swallowed by the woods and forgotten by time. The storm howled, but even through the rain, I hesitated.
Was this place safe?
If skirtsfolk lived here, catching them off guard might only make things worse. I knew how I must have looked. Drenched, scratched, half-wild. Would they show me kindness? Or would fear twist me into something dangerous in their eyes?
I knew how deeply the people of Brier Len feared devil-blood. My mother never let me answer the door after dark because of it.
A sharp caw pierced the silence.
A black blur streaked past, close enough to make me flinch. I stumbled back as another raven swept by, its wing nearly grazing my cheek. Lightning cracked overhead, illuminating two more circling above me, their cries slicing through the air.
Then came a low rumble of thunder, and suddenly, a dozen ravens burst into view. They spiraled together in a dense, endless mass.
The flock closed in, one raven at a time, their caws drowning out my voice. Thunder rolled overhead, heavy enough to shake the ground beneath me. My legs gave out, and I collapsed into the mud, its cold grip soaking my hands and knees.
In the next flash of lightning, the largest raven loomed before me, unblinking, and its head cocked in curiosity.
A strange power radiated from it, stopping me cold. Even in the chaos, I could tell this was no ordinary raven. A mix of fear and envy twisted in my gut, drawn by something I couldn’t explain. Its sharp eyes locked onto mine, holding me in place. Time slowed, and an eerie silence fell over the forest. Everything else faded, even the sound of my own breathing.
The raven’s stare rooted me in place. My arms dropped, my body froze, and everything went black.
When my vision finally came to, I sank to my knees and gasped.
8
The world was bathedin silver light.
I rose slowly, taking in the forest around me, stunned by its beauty. How had I never seen Brier Len like this? I’d wandered these woods all my life, thought I knew every tree and turn, but I was wrong. If this was the forest’s true form, I never wanted to look away.
The silence was heavy, but not empty. Something strange lingered in the air. The kind of stillness that felt like a breath held just beneath the surface.
Only the sound of my heartbeat kept me company as I stepped forward, drawn by a soft pull I couldn’t name. Along the edge of the path, wildflowers were just beginning to bloom, petals still curled in sleep. I knelt and picked one, turning it gently between my fingers.
When I brought it to my nose, a soft, sweet scent bloomed in the air around me.
The aroma was so inviting I couldn’t resist plucking a pink petal and placing it on my tongue. Its flavor was soft, barely there, and it melted almost instantly. I laughed quietly and picked a few more as I wandered further down the path.
