Over my shoulder, a cute, chubby flying baby smirked, hovering closer with tears in his eyes.
My mind stilled.
Cherub?As in . . . those plump angels on Valentine’s cards?
It was the same winged child from earlier! My god, I wasn’t insane! Wait, or was I?
The pounding in my head was a nail through my temple.But slowly, I remembered.
The blood. My foster mom. It felt like an anaconda coiled around my chest.
The man stiffened, looking down at me. There was a sadness behind his eyes, and he gently pressed me closer.
“You’ve gone through a lot tonight. I know this is confusing, but I promise I’ll explain everything soon. Right now, you need rest.”
Those blue eyes studied my face. The corner of his mouth slightly pulled up as if recognizing something I couldn’t see.
“I’m David, by the way.”
A million questions overwhelmed the tip of my tongue, but all I could manage was a quiet. “Thank you.”My eyes darted as slowly as my thickening mind. “Oh, and I’m Carwynn.”
David looked like he was holding back a smile. “I know,” he said, shooting a nod at the Cherub.
The cherub’s roly-poly wrist wiped at his eyes. In a flash—it fluttered up to my face, planting a wet kiss on my forehead, before flitting away.
It brought a giddy smile to my lips even through the soreness.So cute.
“I’m so sorry, love.” David paused, a shadow falling over his face. “For everything.”
I didn’t understand any of it. And at the moment, I didn’t care. I was too exhausted in every way.
His steady pace was lulling me to sleep.
His voice hushed as we trekked through the forest.
“Rest. We have a ways to go.”
My heavy eyelids won the fight.
Cool ground roseto meet me. I forced my eyes open.
We must’ve been deep within the forest. The trees were thickly packed together.
What was this place?
I sat on long, smooth grass. It was the forest but in an unusual, open area. A grove of trees circled us.
There were strange carvings on the trees. Ofholidays?
Disoriented, I got to my knees, and looked around.
The first tree to my left looked like a great yew with eerily twisted branches, skeletal arms reaching out. On the trunk was a simple carving of a pumpkin, horrifying skeletal face included. I immediately paled.
Next, a beautiful cherry blossom in full bloom. Strawberry-kissed flower petals danced in the air. A stunning, red-knotted heart etched at the base with a golden archer’s bow. It seemed off. The symbol lookedsinged. Like it was struck by lightning and burned.
A large sycamore followed, lush green leaves, dangling yellow flowers. An elaborate pastel egg in a multitude of colors marked into the trunk.
Then, a gorgeous oak with rich emerald leaves and an intricate green shamrock carved with entwining lines.
