She nodded and stepped back, her eyes fixed on the Orb of Caith in my hand.
"It’ll lead you down the right path. Remember that."
I nodded. My mind was numb. I could no longer feel fear, only cold resignation and a latent rage I could barely contain.
"Go now, before the guards notice your absence."
I gave Kristan one last heartfelt hug and, without another word, pushed onward, sprinting down the narrow corridor, farther and farther from the great hall. The Orb of Caith pulsed in my hand, guiding me to the right place—wherever that might be.
???
As soon as I slipped out of the castle through a side door, I went down the stone-carved steps and headed toward the old gardens; once imposing, now it was a maze of vines and parasitic plants devouring what little remained.
Cool air filled my lungs and steadied my pace. My feet, huge and bare, sank into the soft, damp ground from the summer rains. The earth gave way under my weight, and, to my irritation, mud oozed up between my toes, cold and slick.
With my High Fae body, that would never have happened. I used to move like a breeze over a lake. Now, trapped in this massive, clumsy body, I was far too heavy. Every step was an uncoordinated stumble. To make matters worse, the torn dress tangled between my legs, the sleeves squeezed my arms until they nearly cut off circulation, and the corset crushed my chest like a fist.
I had the urge to rip it all off and walk through the forest naked.
I tripped over a loose stone and stubbed my pinky toe so hard I nearly saw stars. A growl—deep, low, and feral—escaped my lips before I could stop myself.
I clapped a hand over my mouth, startled, and realized that my skin color and height weren’t the only things that had changed. Two sharp fangs had appeared from my upper lip. I touched one with my finger and recoiled as a sharp pain shot through the skin.
By the Goddess… I had fangs.
My eyes burned, and my throat tightened; my body seemed to rebel against the reality before me. Rage coursed like fire through my veins, horror froze my heart, and despairweighted on my chest with suffocating force. Merith hadn’t just ruined my life; she had torn it apart, stripped me of everything I knew and everything I was. Now, staring at my huge hands, I saw only this deformed, grotesque creature, the living embodiment of our deepest fears and hatred.
A cursed orc.
"You’ll pay for this, Merith!" I huffed in disgust and let my frustration loose on the ridiculous dress. May my grandmother forgive me, if she could even recognize me now.
I tore open the sides, ripped off the sleeves that strangled my long arms, and finally shoved my fingers under the corset laces and yanked. The seams cracked and burst, the stiff fabric splitting down the middle with a sharp snap. Air rushed into my lungs all at once, like I’d been holding it since leaving the hall.
When I was done, the dress hung in tatters.
Finally, a taste of freedom. I paid no mind to my green skin, now laid bare. There was no time for self-pity.
I tucked the magical bag Kristan had given me between my breasts and secured the dagger at my waist. With one last look at the ivory castle that had been my home for over a century, I turned and walked to the woods.
The Orb of Caith pulsed stronger with every step to the southwest, guiding me along a path of ancient trees whose twisted branches seemed to reach out and embrace the forest’s darkness.
If I had to go to Oksha, the enemy orc clan, then so be it. I wouldn’t be Princess Fionnuala. I would be just another unknown orc.
Chapter 5
I walked for hours, crossing the lush, untamed forest of Eldaerenth, which stretched across all of Ceilte like a vast green mantle until it kissed the mountain ranges of An Teallach.
The deeper I ventured into the woods, the quieter and more dangerous my journey became. The trees grew taller and more imposing, their trunks wide enough that it would take ten large Fae to encircle them. Some of them had bark dark enough to melt into the shadows, while others bore leaves in the strangest shapes. Their canopies, dense as the webs of the giant spiders that dwelt in the caves of An Teallach, wove together tightly, allowing only the faintest traces of moonlight to pierce through.
Fortunately, since my body changed, my night vision has sharpened. I could see every stone and twisted root in my path, no matter how dark it was. I tried not to think about all the dangerous creatures that might be lurking nearby. Every so often, I could hear leaves rustling or a branch snapping, but so far, nothing had emerged to meet me.
It was a relief, yet I knew exactly what a silent forest meant. I was walking on the hunting grounds of a predator.
Suddenly, the Orb of Caith in my hand hummed, warm against my palm. Its green glow flared, directing me to a single spot: the edge of a narrow stream winding between thick, gnarled roots.
I followed the pull, my heart hammering in my chest. Instinct screamed at me to turn back, but stubbornness drove me forward. If the Orb brought me here, there must be a reason.
When I reached the bank, I stopped. The water was so clear I could see the stones and crystals scattered along the bed. A breeze drifted through the trees, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth, but what truly stole my breath was the reflection staring back at me.
