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She laughed melodiously. “Perhaps a quiet seaside retreat, or a journey to a distant land?” she suggested. Although we both knew that as the king and queen, such a thing was nothing more than wishful thinking. Still, we could at least dream about it, especially at a moment like this.
I played along. “A place where the only decisions we have to make are which book to read or which cocktail to sip.”
“A Bloody Mary!” she exclaimed so loudly that an owl hooted from a nearby tree, startled by the noise.
I raised an eyebrow, pretending to be skeptical. “A Bloody Mary? Isn’t that the drink with tomato juice, vodka and a bunch of other stuff?” She gave a single nod, so I continued. “It sounds absolutely disgusting, Lil.”
She laughed, her laughter carrying through the forest like a gentle breeze. “Well, you never know until you try, Adrian. It’s all about balance and flavor.”
“I like my drinks clean, thank you very much,” I replied, as we rode on, and by now, it felt like a small eternity. But we pushed forward despite the shadows, despite the night and despite our fatigue.
As the night deepened and the woods around us became even denser, the realization began to set in that we might have lost our way. The trail had become increasingly difficult to follow, and the familiar markers we had relied upon seemed to have disappeared into the shadows.
“Do you know where we are?” I asked Lil, but the moment my eyes locked with hers, I already had my answer.
“I was sure we were going the right way,” she told me, as we both stopped our horses.
The quiet of the forest was only broken by the soft rustling of leaves and the distant hoot of an owl. The sense of isolation and disorientation weighed on us, and for a moment, the path forward seemed uncertain.
“I know that we were supposed to take a small pathway by the weeping willow that overlooked the creek,” she retraced our steps in her mind.
“Okay, we did that,” I agreed. “Then?”
She thought about it for a moment, then continued. “Just follow the path to the cave.”
I frowned. “Did we see the cave?”
“No,” she shook her head.
We both looked around. It was difficult to see anything in the dark, even with the flashlights we had with us.
“What should we do?” she asked, as always, turning to me as her protector.
“We can’t go back now,” I replied. “We have to find the cave.”
“It has to be around here somewhere,” she nodded. “Maybe we should retrace our steps to the weeping willow tree?”
I shook my head. “It is too far back. We might get even more lost. No. The cave has to be here somewhere, like you said. We just have to find it.”
Only, that was easier said than done. Everywhere around us, there were thick trees, shrubbery, branches that seemed to stretch as high as the heavens and roots that dug deep down, all the way to hell. We seemed to be walking in circles for a long time, when finally, we stumbled upon the entrance to the cave. The dim light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, casting a faint glow that revealed the cave’s dark maw.
However, our instincts led us to take a cautious approach. We knew that the witch's dwelling was not within the cave itself, so we opted to go around it, following the treacherous path along the rocky terrain. As the sun continued to rise, its warm rays illuminated our surroundings, offering some relief from the previous night’s darkness. The forest began to take on a more welcoming appearance, but our senses remained heightened as we continued our search.
Finally, after navigating the challenging terrain, we spotted the humble hut hidden amongst the trees. It was a small, rustic structure, bearing the mark of the witch’s reclusive existence.
The witch’s hut stood amidst the wilderness, a secluded and enigmatic abode. Its exterior was weathered and rustic, constructed from timber, moss-covered stones, and thatch. The walls bore the marks of countless seasons, the wood having darkened with time. Vines and wildflowers had entwined themselves along the perimeter, further obscuring the structure in the forest.
The door to the hut was equally weathered, revealing the passage of time through its aged wood and faded paint. A small, round window was set into the door, allowing a limited view of the interior. The door’s handle, a gnarled and twisted piece of wood, was inlaid with intricate carvings and symbols.
As Lilith and I approached the door, our footsteps rustled the leaves that had gathered on the path. We could sense an air of mystery surrounding the witch's dwelling, and the anticipation of what lay within weighed heavily upon us. We shared a meaningful glance, knowing that our journey had led us to this place, and that the answers we sought might be found behind this very door.
“I’ll go first,” she told me. “I’ve been here already. She might remember me.”
“I doubt that people like her forget anything or anyone,” I reminded her. “But… just in case, we should be cautious.”
“She’s already helped us before, Adrian,” she assured me. “She is on our side.”
“I know, Lil, I know,” I nodded. “Just… it doesn’t hurt to be extra careful, okay?”
