I jerk my gaze to his. “My family is my business.”
“Briar,” Larkin whispers.
“I’m sorry. I just need to know more,” I say, louder than intended, startling Myah.
“Hush.” Larkin raises his hand, placing his finger to his mouth. “Right fucking now.”
“Why?” I snap.
Larkin’s gaze turns to mine, and his eyes are filled with worry. “Because we aren’t alone.”
I quickly snap my mouth shut and glance around.
The forest surrounding us has transformed, and even though the sun shines above, darkness looms as we move deeper into the woods and farther from the heart of the kingdom. The trees have lost their vibrant green hue, the grass is parched, and I no longer hear the soothing melodies of the birds. The trees now appear as if they are rooted in decaying soil, and long, thin fingers have replaced the once-full branches. Only silence exists here, and as much as I want to ignore it, the invisible tattoo on my shoulder begins to pulse.
Larkin motions for me to fall behind him, and we continue forward.
The path becomes narrow, and I often have to dodge limbs that extend onto the path—as if the trees are desperate to pull us toward the forest on both sides. He glances behind him, checking to see if I’m keeping up, and I throw a quick thumbs-up in his direction. My eyes shift from left to right, and an uncomfortable tingle starts in my fingertips.
This is it.
Silas said to listen to my body’s reactions.
Larkin raises another hand, signaling me to stop. I pull on the reins, bringing Myah to a halt. Even she senses something lurking around us, and her ears lay flat. I lean forward, brushing her mane, trying to give her any comfort I can in this moment.
Larkin swiftly swings a leg over Atlas and dismounts him gracefully, landing on the dirt with a thud. I quickly do the same and move to Myah’s nose, wrapping my arm around her gently.
“Shh,” I whisper. “You’re okay, girl.”
Larkin scans the surroundings.
His dark eyes sweep across the dense forest, and I look in the opposite direction to cover every pocket of shadows. He draws his sword, but I keep my axes tightly secured, placing my hand on one of the throats over my head, just in case.
“We will leave the horses here.” Larkin points to the last bloomed tree. “Ten steps ahead of us is where the wards end, so they will be safe. We won’t be long.”
I give him a worried glance and rest my forehead against Myah’s nose. “You’ll be okay, sweet girl. I won’t be long.”
We carefully guide them to the nearby tree and tie their reins with enough slack so they can enjoy their rest. I watch Larkin lean into Atlas and whisper something. The horse flicks his ears in response, and Larkin leaves his hand pressed against the beast for as long as he can. I walk next to him and offer a soft smile.
“Once we pass that final tree, I need you to listen when I say something and react if I tell you to without a second thought.”
I nod, letting the unease fill me.
“It’s a two-mile walk from here, so it shouldn’t take us too long,” he orders. “Be careful what you speak of once we pass through the wards. Malachi has spies everywhere.”
“The Travelers?”
He nods. “And crows.”
I cringe at the thought of the invisible creatures that Malachi controls, but I’m thankful for the protection tattoo—even if it does cause me a constant dull ache.
“Larkin,” I say to get his attention. “Can the invisible creatures show themselves?”
He nods. “Yes.”
“Have you seen one?”
His face turns to stone. “Few people have. But, yes, I unfortunately have.”
