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The crow sat several yards away, cawing at me. Tears pooled in my eyes. I grabbed a rock and slung it right at the bird, knocking it onto its side. I grabbed another and aimed.
I hit him again. And again. Until it laid there gasping for breath. I stood over it, its red-rimmed eyes glaring up at me. I wanted to suck the life from it like Deidamia had sucked the life out of my family.
Ernest grabbed my wrist as I went to hit it again.
“Kellan,” he said softly, slicing through my anger. “You’re hurt. Stop. I need to show you something.”
The crow laid there, gasping for breath, eventually hopping onto its legs and walking around the remains of my family's home.
My fingers curled into fists at my sides. Fern and Josie stood to the side in the middle of the valley, with concern on their faces. I couldn’t meet Josie’s eyes. She’d been brave throughout this entire journey.
She knew nothing about this realm and was brave facing off with Deidamia. Was it because she didn’t know how dangerous she was or because she was braver than I’d ever be?
Ernest pointed toward the forest. “This forest is connected to the Dark Woods—”
Caw. Caw.
I screwed my eyes closed, wanting to go back and kill that stupid crow.
“We’re close to her.”
“I know,” I said, my voice low. “I used to live here.”
Ernest’s knowing eyes softened around the corners, and he patted my shoulder.
Caw. Caw.
I turned around, seeing that stupid crow holding something in its mouth. I stalled. I was surprised a book would have made it through the weather of decades.
I walked over, noticing the bird hadn’t moved and snatched it from his beak. The book was familiar. It was a storybook that my wife would read to my daughter about dragons.
The cover was fading, but the pictures and words were still there. I traced the cover, remembering the joy it brought my daughter when the prince won in the end.
I smiled, a tear cascading down my cheek, cementing me to my spot. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to remember all the good things and forget the bad.
But the bad lingered longer.
I could hardly remember the smell of my wife’s skin or the color of my baby’s eyes.
But I’d never forget Deidamia’s face.
I skimmed the book while crying. It’d been so long since I cried that I felt out of my body.
I had never wanted to come back here. Maybe this place was in the back of my mind, and the portal took me where I couldn’t bring myself to come.
Ernest cleared his throat, and I slid the book into my back pocket. “We need to get out of sight. The bird is here, but we’re a standing target for anyone she sends next.”
I nodded and wiped my eyes. “You’re right. Let’s get out of sight and get the girls fed. It’s past lunch.”
Ernest grabbed my elbow. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” I lied. I hadn’t been fine since the day this happened. I walked toward the forest, hearing Ernest call the girls.
The forest was thicker than I remembered, but the trail was manageable. I slapped at thorns and branches until we made it to a small clearing by a pond that I fished in on the weekends.
I sat down at the base of a giant pine, feeling Josie’s gaze on me, but she didn’t come over. When I glanced up, I noticed she’d sat next to Fern and was digging out bread for all of us.
Ernest sat next to me with a groan. “You know that book?” he asked.
