Ayla wore a nondescript expression, tapping a long thin finger against her chin. “I can’t get past the mist. No one can, remember. You somehow can, which makes it your duty to slay him.”
“I can’t.”
“And why not? I don’t know if you know, but every day that he continues to live, someone will die. Thatgirl will be dead in a fortnight, and you decided to give the monster humanity.”
“I can’t. He said he is not—”
“That man is dangerous. He will kill you and suck you dry—you know this. He is the enemy.”
“And what if he is not?” I argued, striding forward to meet her dead on. “Since I got here, I have been told what is right and what is wrong. No different from my life back home. I’ll ask again, how do you know he is responsible for these deaths?”
“Get out.” Ayla finished.
“What?”
Cold eyes steered toward the door, and Ayla had transformed into a different person right there. The softness hardened to stone. She was no longer the kind, patient woman I had come to know but of someone with an unknown vendetta.
“I said get out. Until he kills you or you kill him.”
“Ayla...” I strode forward, clutching her hand in mind to find it cold and detached.
When an eerie chill spread through my body, I jumped back, staring at the space between us with Ayla, unmoved at what I had witnessed.
“Go. I believe it’s best that we finish our discussion for today.”
I did what she asked and walked out to the fading winter’s light.
My mind tore itself in two on the familiar walk back, the light nearly gone, and the road below me faded under thick trees. Silas had given me his word that he wasn’t involved with the matters of the town folks, and Ayla’s outburst had me even more confused. Who was I to trust on who it was killing people?
If it truly was not Silas, then who was targeting these people?
Who wanted the little girl dead?
These questions pounded at my skull. I did not notice the change in the path, enveloping the dense forest. The fog became thicker, wrapping itself around my heels. Night was fast approaching and the path difficult to see.
I tripped over a branch, falling onto the dirt. “Great. Absolutely wonderful.” I stood, wiping the dirt and snow from my trousers.
Valeria.
I froze, glancing up at the trees, fading into the night with the fog lapping at its stripped trunks. Long limbs stretched toward the twilight, creating shapes and shadows, making my skin crawl. The forest whispered back, giggling among themselves as if conversing with the ominous winds.
In front of me, down the long stretch of the path, stood a wispy shadow similar to the ones hidden in the castle depths. Unlike the children of darkness, the shadow’s wiry grin revealed a set of jagged yellow knives.
Valeria, foolish child. You should have killed him when you had the chance.
The black mass darted forward, swiping past me. Stinging pain laced up my arm. I placed my hand to my shoulder, the slick metallic smell flooding my senses, pulse racing at the sight of bright crimson.
Blood dripped from my palm and from the wound on my shoulder. Behind me, an army of shadows rolled over one another, their masses mingled with each other as a pack of wolves excited by the scent of fresh meat.
I bolted down the path, rustling behind me and around me. Chased by death, I ran hard. With my limbs on fire, the shadows sliced into flesh, leaving a blood trail to follow. There was no escape. The harder I ran, the more the shadows slashed into me. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks, the pain mounting, and my limbs became jelly, threatening to fall from under me. I slammed against a boulder, blood sputtering to my lips.
Come now. We just want a play thing. You don’t mind, do you?
I slinked to the ground, my vision swimming. The shadows converged into one singular mass and sprang forward to pierce.
“You don’t stop, do you?” a voice said.
Silas’s pained face winced with blood seeping from the corner of his lips. His stone-hard body covered mine. The scent of blood, thick and nauseating, seeped from blades of wispy shadows pierced through his back. Red-coated silvery tips splattered againstpristine white cloth and dripped silently onto the ground and into me.
