Chapter 1
Astra let out a soft chirrup, her tail flicking toward the foreboding forest edge.Let’s get this over with, her posture seemed to say. Nocturna, in contrast, stood as still as carved obsidian, ears pricked. Her gaze followed the creeping, shifting mist that covered the forest floor. I had learned long ago to trust that look. If Nocturna sensed anything was amiss, it wasn’t a matter ofifbutwhensomething would happen.
A full moon hung high in the night sky, bathing the half-bare trees in silver light. The snapping twigs underneath my footfalls cut through the eerie silence as we approached the forest boundary. Nocturna padded at my heels—silent as smoke, black as a starless sky—while Astra, her silver-haired sister, remained steadfast at my side. Ahead loomed the infamous Nightwood, its presence imposing itself upon all who dared near it. A gentle stir of wind crept out from between the towering hemlocks. I held my lantern up in an effort to see the line of trees in front of me, the flame casting a warming glow on the chill ground ahead. I pulled my cloak tighter with my free hand as the crisp fall cold nipped at my nose and cheeks.
“We only need to grab a few handfuls, and then we can go home,” I murmured to the two mountain cats who accompanied me. My breath drifted away like pale smoke in the dark.
At half past midnight, there were far more comforting places I could think of to be—my bed, for one—the least of them, venturing into a supposedly cursed forest to search for a small yet important plant: moonshade.
“Let’s go,” I sighed, forcing my exhausted body forward toward the Nightwood.
The moment we stepped into the forest, the air shifted, instantly becoming cooler. Goosebumps covered my skin while the mist started to creep and swirl around our feet. A hush fell—deep, heavy, and unnatural. It was as if the entire Nightwood drew a single long breath at our arrival. My chest tightened, and the thundering of my heart beat loudly in my ears. The familiar sensation of magic struck me the moment my boot met loam. The comforting vibration crawled along my skin, as if it were thrumming along with my heartbeat. It wrapped itself around me in an embrace like one from an old friend.
The uneasiness I experienced when visiting the Nightwood had less to do with the local village lore regarding the foreboding forest and more to do with the reason I was here. Moonshade was a plant that grew only on the forest floor of the Nightwood. It could only bloom once a month, during a full moon. When in full bloom, it would reveal a delicate, multi-layered black flower. Not only was moonshade exceedingly rare; it was also used as a potent pain reliever.
I had almost used up the last of my stores just over an hour ago while making a secret house call to help a young girl manage an unwanted pregnancy. At only thirteen years old, Linnea was far too young and innocent to be put into such a heavy situation. She and her mother had made the difficult decision to seek my assistance—a request that was not without serious consequences.
What I did for her tonight could cost all of us our lives if we were caught. According to the cult of self-righteous fools that seemingly ruled this continent, the Children of the Celestial Mothers, what I had done tonight was so grievous that Vikteriya herself would storm down from the celestial realm and make sure I suffered severely for my act of wickedness. I believed the goddess of healing, fertility, and harvest had far more important matters to attend to than my small act of rebellion. Regardless, whenever it came time to harvest moonshade,I was always on edge. The threat of being caught and having to explain why I needed this plant outweighed the fear of encountering any mythical beings the village folk believed to inhabit these woods.
I swatted at the mist that coated the base of a wide hemlock. Several small bundles of blooming moonshade sat ready to be harvested. I reached down and plucked a couple of handfuls of the plant, placing them gently into a small pocket that lined the inside of my cloak. Moonshade was so potent that all I needed was a few bundles to make enough pain relief tincture to last to the next full-moon harvest.
Standing up, I wiped the dew from my hands on my cloak. “All right, that should be enough. Let’s get—”
Two ear-piercing yowls ripped through the silent forest before I could finish. I turned around, looking for Nocturna and Astra, and couldn’t spot either of them.No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Not my girls. Please, not them.
I bolted in the direction I had heard the gut-churning sound come from, running as fast as my legs would take me. My boots disappeared into the dense mist swirling on the forest floor. Thankful for the minimal light the lantern provided, I ran deeper into the darkening, still forest. All my thoughts were occupied with finding Nocturna and Astra. What if everyone was right, and there were unexplainable beings lurking in these woods, waiting for something to prey upon? Nocturna and Astra were everything. I would not be able to continue on if something had happened to them.
I couldn’t think like that. They were fearsome and dangerous. They could hold their own. As if the scales had been tipped while I reasoned with myself, my anxiety and worry shifted to anger. The things I would do to whoever or whatever had caused them to make such a noise. The perpetrator would pay dearly. The dull tingling sensation of my magic intensified with my anger. The shadows of the Nightwood seemed to darken even more around me. My boot then caught on a tangled root, and I fell hard on my hands and kneesto the forest floor, which knocked me out of my spiralling thoughts. The lantern flew ahead of me. I held my breath as it crashed onto the forest floor. Thank the Mothers Above, it landed in a soft pile of moss, managing to stay lit and intact. I frantically tried to push myself up, but my boot was caught in the root. I reached down with both hands and started yanking.
“Come—the—fuck—on!” I cursed through gritted teeth.
After what felt like minutes of thrashing about, I was finally able to wiggle my boot free of the tangled root. Another yowl pierced the night, coming from my right. I hastily picked myself up and charged forward to grab the lantern. A sharp, stinging pain exploded through my ankle as I put weight on it. Grinding my teeth, I reached down and wrapped both hands around it. My chest started to warm as I closed my eyes, and I imagined that warmth spreading down my arms, my hands, and into my swollen ankle. Luck seemed to be on my side tonight, as my senses didn’t feel the ankle was broken. Most likely a sprain, which I could treat further when I got back home. Standing up, I continued doing the best I could, limping hastily through the forest. As if the woods were making a conscientious effort to slow me down, I found myself constantly getting caught on brambles, their thorns slicing at my face and neck and pulling on my cloak.
“Mothers Above! Give me a damned break!” I shrieked into the Nightwood. My fist clenched so tightly my nails dug into my palm.
The mist started to clear ahead of me, as if something had accepted my plea for help, making a path for me to follow. My legs burned; my ankle was throbbing, and my lungs ached as I pushed myself to run. I had to get to my girls. Just when my body could give no more, I came upon a small clearing. As I cautiously entered, an unusual heaviness washed over me, causing me to slow down and take inventory of my surroundings. It felt similar to my own magic, but stronger—like heavy hands were pressing onto my shoulders,trying to push me into the ground. The buzzing sensation along my skin increased in intensity. My whole body was vibrating—the feeling was unexpected and a little unsettling. The clearing was dark, aside from a few beams of light from the moon above, illuminating Nocturna and Astra. I was overwhelmed with relief as I laid eyes on my girls. The air continued to flow over me, pine-scented, cold as snow—ancient and powerful.
Every internal alarm was going off. This was the first time I had ventured this deep into the Nightwood. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was somewhere I shouldn’t be. I had to get myself and the girls out of here before something regrettable happened. I cautiously proceeded toward Nocturna and Astra, who were both standing rigidly in front of an oddly shaped tree. Unlike the other hemlocks, which stood proud and tall, this one was hunched over, like it was curling into itself. Focusing my attention back on the girls, I noticed at their feet a solid dark mass on the forest floor. It was as if they were protecting it. I placed the lantern down and hurriedly limped toward the two mountain cats, then wrapped my arms around them.
“Oh, Mothers Above, are you both all right?” I cried out, placing a hand on each of their heads. Closing my eyes, I let the warmth of my magic flow through me, reaching and feeling for any sense of pain or injury on either of the mountain cats.
Unable to detect any injury, I let out a sigh of relief.Bless the Mothers.I gently pushed them to the side so I could see what they were standing over. I lowered myself to get a closer look and discerned a small red fox lying still on its side, bound in mysterious chains. I reached down to touch the small creature’s neck, trying to find a heartbeat. Its pulse murmured faintly. I gently ran my hand down the side of the motionless animal, my magic recognizing the chilling sensation of pain. My hands became coated in a warm, viscous fluid. The poor thing was covered in blood. Whatever had happened to it had been done recently. Despite my assessing touch,the small animal did not stir. I liked to think that I had a special connection with animals. I had domesticated two wild mountain cats, after all. But that said, this little one’s survival instincts should have kicked in. I should not be kneeling here, running my hands over it. It should be attacking me or attempting to flee. My heart sank.
I reached back to grab the lantern so I could examine the fox more thoroughly. The animal’s chest was slowly rising and falling, another positive sign. There was also a large, gruesome wound on its head. It had unusually shaped chains tightly wound around its limbs, digging deeply into its flesh. A sudden rustle in the woods broke my concentration and sent my heart right up into my throat. Taking a deep breath in an effort to calm my nerves, I carefully looked around the clearing. I was unable to make out anything aside from the two motionless mountain cats at my side.
“It’s nothing. Probably just a deer. Right?” The pitch of my voice rose slightly as I turned to my feline companions for reassurance. Nocturna yawned and tilted her head, side-eyeing me with casual indifference, while Astra kept her focus on the fox. I let loose a deep sigh, comforted by the lack of reaction from the mountain cats.
When I turned back to the fox, my attention was caught by the oddly shaped tree looming behind it. From this vantage point, it didn’t appear to be a tree at all. It looked to be a collection of vines I had never seen in these woods and brambles that formed a large tunnel. Narrowing my eyes, I stared into the confusing mass of vegetation. The dangling vines shifted and swayed in the misty breeze, their leaves gathering into a collection of foliage. The swirling mass darkened and formed into a most unusual shape.Wait. What is that?For a moment, I swore I had seen a shadowy, two-legged figure moving at the end of the tunnel. I blinked and tried to refocus my eyes. Whatever had been back there had now vanished. The breeze quieted, allowing the vines to return to their previous undisturbed state.
“Get a grip, Aurelia,” I hissed to myself as I brought my attention back to the injured fox. Had there been anyone there, Nocturna and Astra would have reacted.
I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts so I could continue with the task at hand. I took off my cloak and gently wrapped it around the poor creature, picking it up and cradling it in my arms. A violent chill rocked through me as the icy night air hit my bare arms. My chattering teeth echoed throughout the soundless clearing.
As I gingerly made my way toward the edge of the clearing, it dawned on me that I had no idea where we were. I had been so concerned about finding Nocturna and Astra that I had neglected to pay attention to where I was going. I dropped my head back, staring up into the canopy and wishing this increasingly annoying and exhausting night would just be over.
Nocturna chirruped, bringing me out of my wallowing, and started to saunter out of the clearing. As if she understood my lament, her body language was clear:Follow me.Astra stood by my side, forcefully nudging me. A comforting thought came to me as I was escorted out of the clearing by Astra—if anyone knew their way around this forest, it would be these two. Nocturna and Astra, who had both spent goddesses knew how much time terrorizing the small creatures of the Nightwood. There was nothing to fear. My new little friend and I were in the most capable hands.
Nocturna, Astra, the fox, and I managed to make it out of the Nightwood without further incident. As confident and comfortable as I normally felt about venturing to the edge of the Nightwood, I wouldn’t have been able to handle any more unexpected surprises. My small stone cottage stood only yards away from the trees, backing onto the Nightwood. The muscles in my legs were stiff and heavy as I shuffled toward my home. The throbbing in my ankle was so bad I thought it would bust right through my boot. My arms were like solid ice as I carried the cloak-swaddled fox in one armand the lantern in the other. My first priority was getting this fox inside and comfortable. My second priority would be soaking my entire body in a scalding bath. I needed to calm my nerves and wash this weird day off me.
