Page 61 of Crownless Heirs

“What is a Bog Hag?” Sorcha whispered.

“A Fey of sorts,” Maelan answered. “Horrible witches with wicked intent. They use foul magic to twist the land and trick those who wander into their homes.”

A cold sweat ran down Sorcha’s spine. “What do we do? We can’t go back. we barely found our way here. Maybe we can cut through the trees?”

She scanned the thick brush, its tangled vines and twisting roots forming an almost impenetrable wall. “I could just light it on fire,” she suggested.

Kyron dragged a hand down his face. “Sorcha, if we set fire to the forest, everything that lives here will hunt us for the rest of eternity.”

Maelan sighed, rubbing his temples. “I hate to admit it, but Kyron’s right.”

Sorcha’s irritation flared. “I don’t see either of you coming up with any bright ideas! If you’ve got a better plan, speak up.”

They paced, tension thick in the air.

“We try to go back. It’s our only option unless we want to face whatever’s ahead.”

Kyron nodded. “Okay, let’s try it. Sorcha?”

But Sorcha wasn’t listening. She had stepped farther into the bog, her focus locked on a shadow in the distance.

Kyron stepped in front of her, blocking her line of sight. “Sorcha.”

She glanced around, her stomach twisting. “Where the hells is Noctis?” She began yelling for Noctis.

Maelan’s panic spiked. “Sorcha, stop yelling, damn it! Let’s just throw a parade and announce our arrival.”

Kyron looked ready to strangle her. “Sorcha, please. You’re going to get us killed.”

She turned on them, her voice steely. “And without her, we definitely will be.”

Without another word, she spun on her heel and retraced their path.

Kyron and Maelan hurried after her. “Noctis disappears all the time it’s what she does,” Maelan tried.

Kyron nodded. “Sorcha, like Maelan said, we don’t know she’s in trouble. Noctis comes and goes as she pleases.”

Sorcha didn’t stop. She didn’t even turn around. “No. I’m telling you something’s wrong. I can feel it.”

Maelan and Kyron exchanged exasperated glances.

“What’s the issue?” she snapped, spinning so fast that they nearly collided with her.

Kyron hesitated. “Sorcha, it’s obvious Noctis doesn’t like certain places… or maybe she can’t enter them.”

Maelan cleared his throat. “Yeah, there’s still a lot we don’t know about that hellhound.”

Sorcha let out an irritated sigh, shaking her head. “I’m telling you I feel it. I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel anxious, scared… even mad. But they aren’t my feelings.” Her voice dropped,“She’s somewhere around here.”

That shut them both up. They retraced their steps over and over, only to find themselves right back at the bog.

Sorcha let out an annoyed sigh, throwing her hands up. “Alright, it’s the bog then.”

She checked the bag she carried, shifting her cloak aside. Beneath the food, she found a coil of thread.

“Let’s tie this to each other, this way, we won’t lose one another,” she said, pulling it out.

Kyron shook his head. “Oh, okay. So if one of us gets dragged under the water, attacked, or, eaten, we all go down together? Very queen like of you. One for all and all for one.”