Riona winked at Emry. He smiled in return, grabbing her books as he passed. Riona followed behind him, leaving Drystan slumped over the table.
Drystan groaned, refusing to lift his head. “Give it a few hours. Maybe it’ll sort itself out,” he muttered. Then louder, “Mason, get up.”
“After you, princess,” Mason mumbled. Ignoring the banter, Nethran continued. “Sorcha, you’ll patrol the woods near the Hollow. Take someone with you. Drystan or Riona. The rest of you will cover the surrounding areas.”
Sorcha nodded. “I’ll take Riona, sir. She needs more field time.”
Riona grinned, barely containing her excitement.
She shot Sorcha a quick smile.
The Circle dispersed, but Sorcha lingered, drawn by an odd pull toward the shelves. She groaned and stretched, rolling her shoulders to ease the tension.
Reaching for the books she had gathered, she began returning them to their places, her fingers hesitating on the last one. It was the book that had shifted at her touch, its pages alive with changing text before Eirin had arrived. The moment his presence settled beside her, the words disappeared. Now, she opened it again, but the pages remained stubbornly still. Footsteps murmured in the background as the others said their goodnights, their voices fading toward the doors.
Sorcha flipped through the pages again, finding nothing. With a sigh, she closed it firmly. As she turned, a movement at the edge of her vision caught her eye: a shadow reaching for the shelf. Instinctively, she spun around, but the aisle was empty, devoid of anything but scrolls. Expecting to find that everything was still in its rightful place, she turned back, only to find the book was gone. She shoved through the stack, pushing pages and tomes aside and searching under the desk and beneath the shelves. There was no sign that the book had ever been there.
Then, slow, creeping footsteps echoed behind her, followed by a scrape that dragged along the wooden shelves, eerily like nails raking against them. The footsteps stopped just beyond the nearest shelf. Carefully, she crept toward the shelves, peering through the gaps in the books, searching for hands, feet, or eyes – anything. Only shifting shadows met her gaze. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her temple, causing her to jolt back and knock her head against the corner of the shelf. The sudden ache blurred hervision for a moment. The footsteps had stopped, and breathing curled around her ears.
No, she wouldn’t entertain this tonight; whatever it was, it could keep its shadows. “Goodnight,” she whispered, not waiting for a response. Turning on her heel, she strode toward the front doors, resisting the urge to look over her shoulder.
Outside, the crisp night air hit her, and she exhaled loudly, tapping her feet on the cobblestones. Pulling her cloak tighter, she began walking through the empty streets, her thoughts tangled with the strange encounter in the library.
Chapter 9
Into the Mist
Sorcha awoke and hastened to gather her things as she threw on yesterday’s pants and a shirt she recovered from the depths of her dresser. She was practically sprinting towards the tavern.
Drystan was the first to notice her arrival, flashing that ever annoying grin.
“Looks like you’re off to the Hollow,” he teased. “Don’t get lost in all that haze. If you do, call for me. I’m great at rescuing damsels in distress.”
Sorcha rolled her eyes as she strode toward their usual table.“Good thingI’m not a damsel.But I’ll let you know if the woods need rescuing.”
Across the room, Riona’s voice sang over the conversations.“Drystan, stop flirting and eat something before you collapse.”
Riona had already perfectly retied her snowy braid, making sure every strand was in place, as she sat. Her eyes followed Sorcha as she approached.
“About time,” Riona remarked, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. “I was starting to think I’d have to eat alone.”
Sliding into the seat across from her, Sorcha let the warm smell of bread and herbal tea soothe her nerves. The spread was simple, fresh butter, honeyed fruit, and steaming cups of tea.
“So,” Riona said, “we’re heading into the Hollow.” Sorcha’s hand hovered over her tea for a brief moment. The name alone stirred unease. The Hollow wasn’t just another part of the woods—it was old, untouched, a place even seasoned trackers hesitated to tread.
“Not exactly how I pictured starting the day,” Riona added, her tone light.
Sorcha leaned back, forcing a wry smile.“You mean you didn’t wake up hoping to wander into a cursed forest covered in unnatural mist?”
After breakfast, Commander Nethran summoned them to Skyfall Waters. A new recruit wearing an eager smile, delivered the message before darting off to the horse stalls. The Circle then gathered together, collecting their cloaks and weapons, and headed toward the square.
The morning air was crisp, and sunlight warm as they gathered beneath the towering falls.
Nethran stood tall, speaking sternly, “Here are your assignments,” he announced, holding a journal aloft. “Remember, I need your reports at the end of each shift.” He then split them into groups, assigning each to different forest regions. Mason and Emry were tasked with tracking creatures and cleaning up any carcasses, meticulously noting their locations. Rhosyn and Drystan were to collect forest samples and document any observed changes. Eirin was to interview hunters, take their statements, and record details about regions and towns. Sorcha and Riona wereassigned to patrol the outer edges of the hollow, where they inevitably had to venture. As they began loading the horses, Mason and Emry approached.
Mason handed Sorcha the reins as she mounted. “Try not to hog all the excitement, alright?”
“What? And wait for you to catch up? Not likely,” she retorted.
